Advanced Game Sense

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16 sample gaelic football sessions to play the game

16 sample gaelic football sessions to play the game

ADVANCED GAME SENSE is a book designed to assist coaches in team preparation.

It provides 16 practical sessions for coaches/managers to follow, each session is designed to focus on a particular theme and take your coaching to a new level. Sessions are flexible and adaptable depending on the level of your team.

As a coach, to achieve success, keeping your sessions interesting and focused is really important. Coaches need to develop the art of teasing out the answers rather than telling through problem solving situations.

ADVANCED GAME SENSE sets coaches on their way to start thinking along these lines.

The book aims to: • Provide a template and layout for coaches, covering all areas necessary for a good training session.

• Give practical ideas through games based training for coaches.

• Help coaches focus on a specific theme throughout the training session. These include: - Individual & Group Defence - Support Play - Penetration, width and depth in attack and many more.

- Break-Ball Games - Concept/Prompt Games

What they say: “Advanced Game Sense is a brilliant book for any coach; it has loads of Variety and is well presented” Eugene Young, Director of Coaching and Games Development, Ulster Council “Advanced Game Sense is an essential resource for any level of coach.

The broad range of topics covered really mirror what happens in the modern game of Gaelic football and the book is creative in its approach. You will use this book over and over” Paul Earley, Irish International Rules manager.

Written by JOHN MORRISSON, one of Ulster’s leading coaches and devised by GERARD O’CONNOR, Games Manager, Dublin GAA

John Morrison

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ADVANCED GAME SENSE! ISBN: 978-0-9557650-2-5 Concept devised by: Gerard O Connor Written by: John Morrison Edited and Designed by: Gerard O Connor Typesetter: Cormac Ryan Proof-reader: Eimear Dignam Printed by: Pixelpress Genprint, Dublin Copyright: Dublin G.A.A 2013

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16 sample gaelic football sessions to play the game

Contents INTRODUCTION

2

SESSION TEMPLATE

2

SESSIONS LAY OUT

3

PRE WARM-UP

4

WARM UP

6

THE SESSIONS

7

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 Session 8 Session 9 Session 10

Kicking (passing and for scores) Individual and group defence Elementary game plans/tactics Speed of thought and movement Keep possession Support Play Decision making and choosing the right option is critical Penetration, width and depth in attack The art of scoring from open play Free taking and set pieces are fundamental to one’s game plan

INTRODUCTION TO CONCEPT/PROMPT GAMES Session 11 Session 12 Session 13 Session 14 Session 15 Session 16

Break-Ball Concept/Prompt Games for Poor Communication, Passing and Defence Concept/Prompt Games on Poor Scoring Return A session for Goalkeepers Discovery Learning Coaching Through Problem Solving and Questioning Integrated Coaching

8 12 16 19 22 25 28 32 35 38 41 45 49 52 56 61 69

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16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

IntroduCtIon This book will help coaches of all levels from juvenile to adult in the preparation of their teams for Gaelic football.

In total there are sixteen complete training sessions, each session is designed to focus on a particular theme, for example ”Individual & Group defence” all of the activities prepared in this session centre on that topic.

Each session includes – warm up – technical development – games based training The text is written so that it is easy to follow with a summary sheet, which gives an overview of the session and following on from the summary sheets there is a more detailed explanation of the session.

The training sessions are illustrated with diagrams and the suggested time for each of the activities included in the session is highlighted.

The author would advocate to be better one must be different, the book will allow coaches to consider different approaches to running their training sessions. ”One step ahead” The secret weapon of the sessions is the use of questioning and giving feedback only when it is needed.

sessIon template This template is a sample template and like all good templates it should be flexible to allow for unplanned situations that have arisen in a previous match or training session to be addressed.

It is advised that all coaches (collectively & individually) will have talked through and walked through each session prior to that session so that a consistent message is delivered by coaches throughout the actual session. If this is done it is easier to ‘lay out’ the session before players arrive ensuring that the session will flow (without stoppage to set up cones etc…) as it is being delivered.

For me, the layout is the start of any session and if the coach gets into the habit of being early to do this it breeds PUNCTUALITY and a POSITIVE ATTITUDE in his players. Perhaps the old adage ‘FIRST TO THE FIELD and LAST AWAY FROM IT’ rings true to us coaches. With this in mind my session template is as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • •

2

Session layout Pre Warm – Up Warm – Up Fast – feet recruitment ‘Game Sense’ revisited – Full Game Part Game Development – Grid Work Part Game Development – Building the parts or integrating the parts. ½ pitch; across field or full games Game sense for the future – A look at how the team will play.

Aerobic Development Cool down Post cool down Session assessment/ Player Assessment

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16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

sessIon lay out Arrive well in advance to lay-out or set out your pitch ‘picture’ for the session using cones, poles, multi-markers. Once these have been laid out they should not need to be lifted until the end of the session and no further equipment need be added. In this way the session can flow. I always identify the main scoring zones at both ends of the field (red multi-markers) and the set up (of attacks) area in the middle of the field (yellow multi-markers). I also place a line of white multi markers across the middle of the field (see diagram1).

Diagram 1

The arrangement of the yellow and white multimarkers in the centre allows for grid work with up to 12-16 small grids or 6-8 long grids being produced. See diagram 2.

If doing ladder or hurdle work I tend to set these out at a different and rotating location each session ensuring protection of the pitch.

The yellow coned area can be used as one playing pitch across the field as can the two areas between each end line and the yellow coned line in each half of the field.

This provides 3 across field pitches.

See diagram 3.

This lay-out assumes there are between 24-30 players in the squad. It can ideally deal with up to 40 players. Any numbers less than 24 the full length pitch can be shortened but the grids and cross field pitches will cater for virtually any number.

Diagram 2

At the end of each session, groups of players (in rotation per session) would, under supervision , be responsible for collecting up and storing the sessions equipment used, e.g. one group lift red cones, another yellow, another footballs etc. this practice breeds positive self discipline and a responsible attitude towards club equipment.

Diagram 3

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16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

pre warm-up This is a vital part of any session. It should give players direction in what they do as well as re-enforcing the ‘big picture ahead’. It is an ideal time to re-enforce positive progress to date as well as raising the self esteem of players before the session begins. The ‘routine’ of preparation, that is so vital for life, begins in the pre-warm up. By the end of the pre-warm up ‘direction; raising self-esteem and routine’ will have been positively targeted, and these elements are those that will help players feel they can cope with what lies ahead. If performed properly the pre-warm up can cause a change in attitude of even the most ill-prepared, without purpose, low self-esteemed and ill-disciplined young player. Check lists of the things that can be carried out in the pre-warm-up are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Clinics (one-to-one work) or with small groups.

Session outline printed and posted on the dressing room wall for players to consider before they start training.

Words of welcome to each player as they arrive.

Confirmation of numbers attending and able to train allowing coaches to adjust activities if necessary.

Checking of gear (boots, studs etc.) plus that each player has own water bottle etc. This is also the time to take urine samples to test levels of hydration.

Published figures/statistics on attendance, match analysis fitness testing etc. can be handed out at this time.

Any match review; if appropriate, can be carried out at this time.

If done, each player can be made aware of his ‘3 stars and a wish’ progress. The ‘3 stars’ are the things that the player has shown to be good at while the wish is the ‘some one thing’ that needs to be worked on.

Information or directions necessary for the session can be given before all hit the field for the start of the session.

Note that players will arrive at different times. If the pre-warm-up is organised properly this can be allowed for and still leave 10 -15 minutes where the cares of the world can be forgotten and the ‘collective’ parts of the pre-warm-up done in the dressing room before all hit the field together.

Remember we ‘first make our habits, then our habits make us’. To help you to understand the different elements of the pre-warm-up, here is a fuller explanation.

1.

Clinics – These can be done before training (usually from 1½ hours ahead of training up to 15mins before training). Players after prior consultation with coaches will turn up either individually or in small groups to have work done on their strengths or things that need fixing. Aspects of the game which can be targeted are evasion skills, turning technique, all forms of kicking and catching, stride length; acceleration, deceleration; break-ball work; tackling/blocking; shooting for scores, free taking, kick-out routines, free kick routines etc. If clinics are operated during training a one-to-one area should be designated at the side of the pitch; back of the goals; on adjoining pitch with the designated one-to-one coach for the session waiting there for players to be sent during the session.

Diagram - Possible one-to-one clinic locations

2nd Pitch

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16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

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2.

Session outlines can be seen for each of the planned sessions (pages 9-18). A session outline posted in the dressing room gives players direction, focus and stimulation for the session ahead. It should let them see that training has a purpose and is not done for trainings sake as well as re-enforcing that training is a mirror image of how they should play. If you don’t train the way you want to play you won’t play as well as you can.

3.

No player should be allowed take part with ‘bad’ studs, broken laces etc. insistence on their own water bottle means no cold, flu or other virus can be passed from mouth to mouth. If clubs can afford it – 2 water bottles per player with his name or squad number printed on the bottle should be available for use during training. Urine testing is best done using a specific gravity urine tester (£150 sterling approx) but urine test colour charts/cards are readily available from lucozade etc - one per player if possible – no player should train if he/she shows moderate signs of dehydration unless he/she takes appropriate remedial action. Injury is the usual consequence and dehydration affects vision (especially peripheral), reaction times and speed of thought and increases the likelihood of injury.

4.

Publishing statistics and making everyone’s performance available for scrutiny has the advantage of stopping the ‘social loafer’ at an early age – the player who gets a lot of credit for the least work – by being made accountable to both himself and the group teaches the player to take responsibility for his actions.

5.

‘3 stars and a wish’ – (first devised by my good friend, Philip Kerr) is an ideal way to praise and challenge players without them feeling negative, criticised or undervalued. It breeds starting feedbacks with positives and ending with one thing to fix. It re-enforces player’s strengths and his knowledge of them (the things he uses to win games) and stops him worrying unduly about skills he may not use often in the game. An example of three stars and a wish would be: John, your kicking of diagonal passes was excellent today as was vision in threading passes forward. your ability to work your skills on both sides of the body impressed. We’ll work more on these in training and in your clinic where we will also take a look at your 30-40 meter kick passing.

Johns 3 stars: - Diagonal kick passing - Visionary passes - bilateral use of skills Wish: - to work on 30-40meter kick passes.

6.

Emphasis – This could be to emphasise individual work between sessions; re-emphasise the focus of the session ahead, have players remind themselves of their goals for the season.

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warm up One thing I never do in warm-ups is laps of the field. Why? Laps do not have: (i) – Change of pace (ii) – Change of direction (iii) – Change of activity Thus they are not related to Gaelic Games which are multi-sprint, multi-directional running and many changes of activity. For part, often a large part of the warm up, I use the ‘ball’ because the ball – Beats All Long Laps. I start with slow to vigorous walking to reinforce good posture and the use of the arms.

This initiates the 3 main functions of a warm up: 1) 2) 3)

Blood warming Pulse raising Dynamic stretching

Dynamic stretching includes stretching the muscles needed for the movements of the body undertaken in games. Dynamic stretches are performed slower than game movements and in units of 2 seconds at a time calling out 1001, 1002 as performed. Ten of these two second stretches produces a twenty second dynamic stretch. Static stretches should be avoided in warm up. Static stretches cause too much tension, even soreness, in the muscle which takes about an hour to remove post stretching, thus static stretches in the warm up are more likely to injure than help.

The warm up will accomplish at least two things: 1) You will be gradually mobilizing the fatty acids stored throughout your body to your bloodstream so that you can use your fat instead of your vital blood sugar. This is critical. If you don’t warm up, you may exercise aerobically, i.e. with oxygen in cells, but not burn the fat. During the warm up you should count your heart rate 50% of the maximum using the standard method of calculation.

2) You will prevent cramping.

This warm up period should take about fifteen – twenty minutes. This allows your body to gradually distribute blood to those areas that need it (arm/leg muscles) rather than immediately diverting it from vital organs – heart, liver, spleen, kidney, lungs. Thus your warm up ensures your training session builds health and fitness without injuring your system.

Common pulse warming and blood warming activities include: • Apogee – Running sideways crossing one leg over the other or behind the other while arms move across the body at the same time.

• Touching the left instep and the left knee with the right hand and the right instep and the right knee with the left hand as follows: left instep, right instep, left knee, right knee.

These 2 exercises connect the left with the right side of the brain, thus opening the brain for the session.

Then on hand signals and without speaking, bring the group forwards, backwards, and sideways to the right, sideways to the left. These movements mirror the multi-dimensional movements in the full game.

Once these are carried out, dynamic stretching is done.

Once the dynamic stretches are completed I then revisit players technique on technical skills appropriate for use in the session. These activities can look at kicking, evasion, passing, pick-up, catching etc.

The warm up finishes with game type activities, such as muscle-memory, dog and bone, smack backsides, speed of thought games, the national leagues. These activities will be outlined in detail in the sessions that follow.

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the sessIons The sixteen sessions and in the order coached are as follows: Kicking (passing and for scores) Individual and group defence Elementary game plan development Speed of thought and movement Keeping possession Support play Decision making and choosing the right option is critical Penetration, width and depth in attack The art of scoring from open play Free taking and set pieces are fundamental to one’s game plan 11

Break-Ball

12

Concept/Prompt Games for Poor Communication, Passing and Defence

13

Concept/Prompt Games on Poor Scoring Return

14

A session for Goalkeepers

15

Discovery Learning Coaching Through Problem Solving and Questioning

16

Integrated Coaching

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sessIon 1

Kicking (passing & for scores)

WARM UP -

15 mins

Walking for posture/ dynamic stretches Kick and tackle or kick the post Muscle memory; blocks, handpass, kicks

WEAVE AND KICK 9 mins

(2mins): Game on (1min) across field. x 3

§§§

§§§

mins

A-V-B

Kick

ZONE TO ZONE KICKING (End to end)

A-V-B

Groups - 3min per zone x 3

A-V-B

A-V-B

32 Players: 26 players: 18 players:

5v5 4v4 3v3

9 mins

5v5 4v4 3v3

5v5 4v4 3v3

5 TO 2 15 mins

(up to 5 passes own half; 2 passes opposition half) 1. Open plan – full rules 2. 5 To 2 using ‘3 second rule’ 3. 5 To 2 (switch play kicking)

5mins 5mins 5mins

BREAK-BALL MIDFIELD FOR LONG RANGE/ CLOSE IN SCORES 5mins each or choose 1 per session…

15 mins

(i)

(ii)

FA

A-V-B A-V-B

FB DA

DB (iii)

Long ball/short ball

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

3A -v3B

3A -v3B

2A -v2B

3A -v3B

TOTAL WORK TIME:

68 mins

EMPHASIS: Long kick passing; variety of kicked scores; decision making; superb kicking technique.

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1

sessIon 1

Kicking (passing and for scores)

n WARM UP

15 minutes

Starts with walking, look for good posture.

4 things to promote: • Walk straight • Head up • Look forward with chin parallel to the ground • Chest out RELAXED – the players should swing their arms at their lowest point. Shrug their shoulders and then let them drop to their lowest. Hips to lips.

TALL – Imagine some one is pulling their hair on top of their head.

DRIVE THE KNEE – The shape of the foot should be the shape of the Nike tick, the toes are cocked and the ball of the foot is hitting the ground.

Next exercise in the warm up focuses on the multi directional running in GAA. If the coach has his left hand out the players move sideways to the left without crossing their legs, if the coach has his hands facing himself the players sprint forwards etc. in a matter of moments they are getting visually ready for the game.

DYNAMIC STRETCHES Stretch the slower movements of the game. These are done on a count of 1001, 1002etc.

KICK AND TACKLE This involves 3 players in a group. Players stand 20/30 yards from one another. Player 1 kick passes the ball to another player and immediately follows the pass to try and tackle. The man receiving the ball looks to pass to the third member of the group before being blocked. As soon as he passes the ball he becomes the tackler. This is done at a lesser pace and usually there are very few tackles actually made. This activity can be carried out for a minute or less.

To vary this exercise, mark agility poles at the 13m, 21m, 45m etc. Players run along the line, head down kicking the ball and following the kick. Keeping their head down, they should still run in a straight line and meet the pole, which their pass should have hit. This goes on for about 1-2 minutes.

MUSCLE MEMORY Player 1 imagines he has the ball and runs towards his partner. Player 2 pushes the attacker in the shoulder to delay him and brings his hands down immediately to slap the imaginary ball out of his hands. Player 1 pretends to kick the ball with his right foot. Player 2 shifts their right leg across their left leg to make the perfect block. Player 1 then kicks it with his left foot; Player 2 must make the block. Player 1 goes to fist pass the ball over the Player 2’s head. Player 2 must leap off the ground and intercept the pass above his head.

This drill is repeated with a reversal of roles. The best way to carry this out is in units of 10 seconds. That breeds speed of thought and good execution of the various techniques that were involved. Delaying, targeting the ball, kicking, blocking the kick, hand passing over the head, catching the hand pass.

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n WEAVE AND KICK

9 minutes

Exercise plus a game to breed kicking. The pitch is split into 3 sections (see diagram). 1 x 4 a side, 2 x 5 a side

One group lines up at the side line with the ball and another group lines up half way across the pitch facing in the same direction. On the whistle both groups stride out, the group with the ball weaves and hand passes the ball. The group with out the ball simply stride across the pitch. When the group with the ball reach the halfway point they kick to the other group who at this stage have reached the far side of the pitch. Both groups jog back. That carries on for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes the coach will call ‘game on’. For 1 minute the group who has possession attack. If they are dispossessed the other group will attack. Carrying the ball over the line is a score and the opposition get possession. For 1 minute there is a cross field intensive 5 a side game.

After 2 minutes it’s back to weaving and kicking. This happens 3 times = 9 minutes activity. This exposes players that are not prepared to mark and creates high intensity and match conditions

n ZONE TO ZONE

9 minutes

3 zones laid out (see diagram). To make a pass from zone to zone players will need to play a 20 – 40 yard pass.

Composition of each group can be mixed.

Each group plays in each of the zones.

Goalkeepers are involved.

The game begins with a throw ball. The team that gains possession can attack either end. Once they have possession in the end zone they must kick it back to the middle zone, where it’s worked to the other side.

This is an intense game; breeding movement, long range passing and players having to get on the ball.

Played in 3 x 3 minute games, to allow each group get the experience of playing in each zone.

No points, goals only.

Goalkeeper plays for the team in possession each time, to practice working the ball out.

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n 5 TO 2

15 minutes

Full field, 15 a side game 2 rules • If you gather possession in your own half your team has up to 5 passes to score.

• If you gather possession in your opponents half, no matter where about, you only get 2 passes to score.

Players learn quickly (from mistakes) that long passes are needed in certain situations. Eventually this game will develop so that both teams will be able to play only 3 passes down the length of the pitch. You can have your own conditions on the game. For example the goalkeepers kick out can be regarded as the first pass. 3 x 5 minute games, 5/2 pass rule applies in all 3. First game, full rules. Second game, players only allowed 3 seconds on the ball. This generates huge speed of thought. Third game, introduce the concept of switching the play i.e. no passes are allowed down the same wing. To help this game the coach might mark the pitch out like a swimming pool, so players can pass from zone to zone and know an angular pass has been made.

n BREAK-BALL MIDFIELD

15 minutes

Concentrates on goalkeepers kick outs for distance not necessarily accuracy. As a result of a midfield battle it breeds the taking of long range scores.

The game starts with a kick out. There is a battle either for the clean catch or the break-ball. Either way this gets teams thinking, the ball must be moved swiftly from the crowded midfield area to the wings. The player that is released inside the 40m line takes a long range shot.

CONDITIONS – If the goalkeeper at one end kicks it out, the next shot on goal must be at the other end. That means even if a team dispossess the other team they must still attack the same direction. In this way it means that play will be end to end and goalkeepers will be alternating kick outs. This ensures that one goalkeeper will not be starved of action for any length of time. Several situations will develop, for example the ability to catch the ball cleanly, the ability to win the breakball, the ability to move the ball away from the congested area to the wings. The focus of the game is, can the goalkeeper kick the ball that far into the middle, can the players work the ball cleanly and quickly to someone 40m from goal so they can get a long range shot in and how competent are the players at taking long range scores.

The second version of this game is playing 2 attackers and 2 defenders in each of the semi circle zones. Instead of a long range score the focus of this game is to make a pass to the full forward.

Cool down is left to the discretion of the coach. A 5 minute cool down will suffice. Involve a certain amount of multi directional and slow jogging and then a mix of dynamic and static stretches.

n Total work time for this session ~ 68 minutes.

The emphasis in this session has been long kick passing, a variety of kicked scores, decision making and a need for good kicking technique from both sides. If there is a flaw with any player’s technique it will not be resolved in a group. It will have to be taken in the clinic. The set up of this session assumes that all players involved can kick properly.

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sessIon 2

Individual and group defence

WARM UP Use of arms for running and tackling Dynamic stretches Muscle memory: tackling

15 mins

STEAL A BALL Inside soloing; outside defenders.

1 attempt per opponent/ move on Win and solo. Think 4 D’s (Delay/Deny/Dispossess/Drive) Lose possession- out and in

D

D

A• A• D

A• A• D

15 mins

D

NEAR HAND MENTORING (Side and front tackles) Apply 4 D’s

10m

KICK AND TACKLE (cross field) (Head on and sideways)

3 mins

A A D D

A

I

A I

Kicker

3 mins

D

D

K

A• D D

A• D D

A

TANDEM DEFENCE 6P 3/5 OR 7 (6 crossing in 3mins)

D• A D 1

2

2

1

1

3 mins 2

TILL NEXT MAN, OFF Foul = OFF for 3 mins or till opponent fouls

10 mins

TURNOVERS COUNT ½ field (Who’s attacking/who’s defending)

turnover = 2pts A) 5Mins - 1st half B) 5Mins - 2nd half

A-v-B

10 mins

45m

DON’T PAY THE PRICE ½ field (Who’s attacking/who’s defending)

Attackers 2pts • score

1pt score

COOL DOWN:

12

5 mins

Defenders fouled • 3pts + free

3pts clean tackle • 1pt intercept 2pt clean tackle

20 mins

1pt intercept

TOTAL WORK TIME:

EMPHASIS: Start defending at first gear; 4 D’s of defence • Support defending; ‘win it back’ philosophy • No fouls attitude.

74 mins

h I G h I n t e n s I t y

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2

sessIon 2

individual and group Defence

n WARM UP

15 minutes

The players are in twos, running about and passing an imaginary ball around. They have to watch their pass and make sure the pass is caught.

After a while, take a ball. Better concentration is evident through the muscle memory. Following this have players sit on the ground with their legs straight, hands out at a right angle. Instruct them to use their arms as if they were running very vigorously. On completion of 10/20 seconds of the movement ask ‘is your backside moving?’ to which the answer will be ‘yes’. This shows them the value of using their arms whilst running.

Apogee – run sideways with the right leg going over the left and left leg going behind the right leg.

Multi directional running and dynamic stretches.

Final part of the warm up is another muscle memory drill based on this session – how to tackle. Partners jog side by side. Player with imaginary ball calls tackle, on the call his partner takes his space by simply steps across, dropping the near shoulder which stabilises the upper arm and allows the tackler to flick the ball away to his advantage – process known as the “Rip & Rob Tackle”. He then must chase after it and pick it up. The roles are reversed and they continue on. Work on both sides before introducing a ball. When the ball is introduced ensure that the player with the ball allows himself to get tackled as it is the mechanics of tackling that is being warmed up.

n STEAL A BALL

5 minutes

Inside and outside the grid are 5 players. The players inside have a ball each, while the players outside are the defenders.

On the whistle the 5 defenders run into the grid and target one player each. The defenders are allowed 1 attempt to dispossess him. If they do dispossess him, the man who wins the ball now must be dispossessed. The man who got dispossessed must run out of the grid and do a lap before returning into the grid as a defender. This is repeated for 5 minutes. It’s an activity that gets the players to hone in on the technique of defending (delaying, denying, dispossessing and driving) and tackling (eyes on the ball, near leg cuts across first, and knock down hard on the ball to flick it away).

Stress that only one tackle attempt may be made on a player.

Mantra of ‘steal a ball’ is winning it back. Don’t target the man; win the ball cleanly and fairly.

The next part of the session is three drills, over the space of 9 minutes, which are very high intensity work.

All of the running in these drills is short 10m bursts.

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n NEAR HAND TACKLING AND DEFENDING THROUGH MENTORING, QUESTIONING AND FEEDBACK

3 minutes

This is a drill in individual defence. Set out the grid as in the diagram.

2 groups of 2 players stand in the middle of the grid. On the whistle the group with the ball start running towards their end of the grid. One player solos while the other attempts to dispossess him as often as they can.

At the end of the grid they turn and head back towards the middle of the grid, partner still attempts to dispossess.

When they arrive back at the middle, the other group repeat the exercise.

At each dispossession start again at the point of dispossession.

Both players get an opportunity to tackle. This lasts for 3 minutes at a very high intensity.

The reason the grid is 15m is that it mirrors most runs during games which rarely exceed 6 seconds.

This drill also allows players to tackle front on and on both sides.

n KICK AND TACKLE

3 minutes

This is similar but more intense than in the warm up.

Split into groups of 3 in a straight line across the pitch. The player in the middle has the ball.

On the whistle the man in the middle gives an accurate pass to one of the other players. The player receiving the ball must attack it, beat the tackler and make an accurate pass across the pitch from the middle to the third player. The man who kicked it follows his pass and attempts to delay and deny for as long as possible. Once they have reached the middle they kick the ball on to the far side and now they are the tackler.

n TANDEM DEFENCE

3 minutes

This drill can be played in groups of 3/5/7.

For this example a group of 3 shall be used. Three players stand in a line 5m apart each facing across the field. The attacker is the man in the middle. One defender has a ball. He kicks a bad pass and it goes straight to the attacker who turns and tries to beat the defender behind him. The man who kicked the poor pass runs around behind his fellow defender (he doesn’t attempt to tackle from behind and concede a free kick) and acts as cover in case the first line of defence is breached. The attacker must attempt to take the ball fully across the field.

n TILL NEXT MAN-OFF

10 minutes

A full game for ten mins. Numerous ways of working the penalties for when somebody commits a foul. Full game, with full rules, if somebody commits a foul, a deliberate/personal foul they are sent off and cannot return to the game until a player from the opposing team is sent off in the same fashion. Helps to create discipline in players as they realise how difficult it is to play with one player less than the opposition. If more than one man is sent off from the same team, so be it, the rules still apply i.e. one team may well have 2 or 3 players less than the opposition if they commit fouls. Can be adapted, instead of waiting for an opposing player to be sent off in order for a player to return to the game, you can impose a timed ban i.e., a player may return to the game after 3 mins out.

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n TURNOVERS COUNT

10 minutes

Addresses two key challenges. One is that good defending can lead to turnovers and attacking opportunities and the other is that a large number of turnovers are due to poor attacking play i.e., incorrect pickup, overcarrying, bad passing, poor decision making. Can be performed on a full pitch or half pitch. Two teams, use appropriate number according to pitch size. Each turnover caused by a dispossession is rewarded with two points. Any poor attacking play that results in a turnover, i.e. overcarrying, poor handling/dropped ball, inaccurate pass, incorrect pick up, results in that team being deducted one point. Normal scoring can be used for teams i.e., points and goals, but you can choose to ignore this when determining the result of the game and focus solely on turnovers caused by good defending and turnovers caused by poor attacking play. If using a half pitch, you can alter the game. Team A and Team B will take to the pitch. Team A begin by attempting to work the ball from the end line as far as the 45m line, if they reach the 45m line without losing possession of the ball, they immediately turn and attack the goal. Team B must attempt to dispossess them. If Team B causes a turnover at any stage they then immediately become the attacking team. They must then attempt exactly what Team A attempted i.e. work the ball to the 45m line and then turn to attack the goal. For the first 5 mins of the game, regardless of who ends up shooting at the goal, Team A begins every attack.

n DON’T PAY THE PRICE

20 minutes

Set your pitch out from the far 45m line to one set of goals, i.e. approx. 75-80m in length. In front of the goals create a large semi-circle of multimarkers.

This must start on the end line, 20m from the left post, arc out 30m in front of the goal to finish 20m from the right post on the end line. Play two teams, one made up of primarily attackers, one made up of primarily defenders. A goalkeeper should play with the defending team and each play should begin with a kickout. The forwards attack the goal when in possession. Only points count.

Should they shoot and score from outside the semi-circle, they are awarded one point. A score from inside the semi-circle earns two points. A ‘free’ from inside the semi-circle earns 3 points. Defenders must work to keep scores to a minimum, so they must ensure that they do not commit fouls inside the semi-circle and that they mark tightly in order to keep the number of 2 point scores to a minimum.

Defenders can also earn scores by winning the ball and working it up the pitch to cross the far 45m line while still in possession. A clean tackle inside the semi-circle resulting in a dispossession should be rewarded with three points. A clean tackle outside the semi-circle resulting in a dispossession should be rewarded with two points. An intercept inside or outside the semi-circle should be rewarded with one point.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

Light running, dynamic and static stretches

n Total work time for this session ~ 74 minutes.

The emphasis in this session is to start defending in first gear, the 4 D’s of defence, support defending, ‘win it back mentality’ and a no fouls attitude.

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sessIon 3

elementary game plans/tactics

WARM UP 15 mins +5mins

- Dynamic stretches - National league game

A) SIX AND SWITCH

3–V–3

5mins as defender 5mins as forward

3–V–3

]

10 mins

Zoned

B) SWITCH PLAY 15 mins

Breeds last pass ends up in front of goal.

C) ROLLING SHAPES (i) Every wide/score forwards move round clockwise a position (ii) Wing men switch/centre men switch. (iii) Left/centre become right/centre

10 mins

D) 3 PART PITCH Keep ball 4 passes 3 passes 1 pass

game 1) game 2) game 3) Keep ball

Score ball

COOL DOWN:

Set-up ball

Score ball Keep ball

5 mins

Set-up ball 5 secs 4 secs 3 secs

Score ball 3 passes 2 passes 0 passes

Yellow marker to hold shape

15 mins

55

55

Y e l l o w

Y e l l o w

TOTAL WORK TIME:

75 mins

EMPHASIS: - Breeding of game sense - Appreciation of keeping possession and winning it back - Awareness of positional play and shapes e.g. two-up; three-up triangle etc; ½ forwards role; midfield role.

DEFENSIVE GAME PLANS: Games A/B concentrates on man-marking Games C/D: man marking/zone defence/sweeper/fixed full back and centre half back.

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3

sessIon 3

elementary game plans/tactics

20 minutes

n WARM UP

Players run towards their partner and roll around them by turning the right shoulder onto the partners left shoulder or vice versa. This is repeated by the partner. Another version of this roll is to have the partners run side by side. When the defender leans across to tackle, have the man with the ball roll behind him.

Multi directional running and dynamic stretches.

10 minutes

n NATIONAL LEAGUE GAME Set out two one metre triangles 15 apart from each other as shown in the diagram. This can be called Division one. Two teams of 3 players play against each other. To score a team must pass the ball by means of hand passing or kick passing to another player on their team whilst the receiver is in the triangle. You set up Division 2, 3,4 etc depending on numbers available. In the diagram we have Divisions 1, 2 and 3. Each game lasts 30 seconds. When a team wins they go up a division while the loser in each division goes down.

There is no tackling. The ball can only be won back by means of interception or after the opposition scores. If the game ends in a draw then the team who started with possession is the losing team.

n SIX AND SWITCH

Division 1

Division 2

Division 3

10 minutes

Using a goalkeeper is optional, if the goalkeepers are working on their own just carrying over the end line is a score. The pitch is split into 2 grids. 3 vs. 3 in each grid. For the first 5 minutes play left to right.

Because they have stayed on their side each player will play in different roles for the second half.

Passes in the defending zone should be cautious and as few as needed.

There should be far less passes in the attacking zone and they should be as quick and as adventurous as possible.

This game has 5 minutes of defence and 5 minutes of offence.

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n SWITCH PLAY

15 minutes

Ideal when it’s played on a full scale pitch with 15 vs 15. Its also best played when you line the pitch out into 6 lanes (like a swimming pool). The main rule is that the ball cannot be passed in the same lane. Other rules such as only three seconds on the ball can also be introduced. The golden rule of switch play is the last pass will always end up in the lane in front of the goals ready for the player to take on the shot.

n ROLLING SHAPES

10 minutes

This is a normal 15 a side game. Every time there is a score or a wide kicked, the forwards move clockwise.

With that amount of movement it confuses the opposition. Will they man mark and follow their man regardless, or will they each keep their position and let the forward change each time. Different variations can be introduced. Instead of clockwise the left corner changes with the right half and the right corner changes with the left half. This game creates sense of positional awareness, constant movement and a notion of team play. This allows you to create options.

n 3 PART PITCH

15 minutes

The cones are for defenders coming out with the ball. When a defender reaches the cones it’s an indicator that he should pass to the full forward line. A line of white cones across the middle of the pitch are there for a reminder to the defender/midfielder coming out with the ball that if they go much further they will be too close to the full forward line to give a good ball. The cones on the 45m line also give shape to the half forward line. If they hold their run from the 45m line until the ball is kicked they will arrive at full tilt in support.

Game 1 – in the keep ball zone teams are only allowed 4 passes.

Game 2 – in the set up zone teams have 5 seconds to get the ball through to the score ball zone.

Game 3 – in the score ball zone teams have up to 3 passes to get a shot away.

This game shows players immediately the main danger areas of the field, the areas to avoid. It lets players know where they want to get the ball from/into. To play allow 3 passes only in keep zone/5 secs to get through. Setup/2passes in the score zone or your own variations.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

Light running, dynamic and static stretches.

n Total work time for this session ~ 75 minutes.

The emphasis in this session is breeding of a game sense, a notion that team play does involve a plan. Appreciation of keeping possession and winning it back when it has been lost and an awareness of position. It also allows teams to outline the half forwards role and the midfielder’s role.

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sessIon 4

speed of thought and movement

WARM-UP 15 mins

Muscle memory, pass and move. (handpass/kick), Dynamic stretches/dog and bone

FIVE ON A DICE 5 mins

Make use of spare man; takes 2 to make space; Feeder for team in possession ‘F’ changes every 30 secs/ 30 secs rest - Possession is the key

AD

sF AD

GAME PRINCIPLES TO BREED SPEED OF THOUGHT 48 mins

The ‘ONE RULE’ game philosophy (i)

‘3 secs on the ball’

x 2mins x 3

(ii) ‘Switch play’

x 2mins x 3

(iii) ‘First touch’

x 2mins x 3

(iv) ‘Give and go’

x 2mins x 3

(v) ‘Play the way you’re facing’

x 2mins x 3

(vi) ‘Break the tackle’

x 2mins x 3

(vii) ‘Give it before hit’

x 2mins x 3

(viii) VISION

x 2mins x 3

(Use 3secs to underpin each game)

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

73 mins

EMPHASIS: - Speed of thought; angled running; superb technique; Use of body language; awareness of team buzz phrases; Importance of peripheral vision; development of concentration; Use of passing mantra: look/see/decide/act; Playing without self talk and analysis.

Ability to know why –V– how to move the ball faster.

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4

sessIon 4

speed of thought and movement

n WARM UP

15 minutes

This is called a speed warm up.

Players stand on the end line in groups of three.

1. It looks like running on the spot only they are moving forward with as many touches as they can - ‘Ankleing’.

When the players reach the 20m line, they turn and open out the hips.

On their second attempt the goal is to increase the amount of steps they take in the same distance.

2. Players do as many hops from the end line to the 20m line as they can. They hop off the ground, looking up as if to catch a kick out. Once again on the way in players open out their hips.

3. Players kick out whilst leaning back at a 45o angle - ‘Turkey trotting’.

4. Bounding, the leading knee is bent at a right angle and stretched out in front of them.

After each of these 4 movements the players should open out their hips on the way back into the end line.

Apogee is the next exercise followed by multi directional running and dynamic stretches - moving sideways left leg over right, right left behind left etc.

PASS AND WEAVE. The players are split into 2 groups of three. One group has a ball and the man in the middle has it. All players jog out (each group in a different direction) and the man with the ball passes it to his left and runs in behind the man on his left. The player on the left (who now has the ball) cuts across and passes to the man on the right and runs behind that man. When everyone has touched the ball twice the man who has the ball kicks it to the other group of three. They go off in a different direction weaving and passing. Make sure that in every new weave that a new person is in the middle.

DOG AND BONE – group of 5 4 players hold hands in a circle. One player (the dog) is loose and stands opposite one of the players holding hands (the bone). On the whistle the dog must go left, right, roll, side step, do anything to get the bone. The three players that are holding hands with the bone must move to protect him.

n FIVE ON A DICE The players are in groups of 5 with a ball and a cone.

One person with the ball stands with his feet either side of the cone and is not allowed to move from that spot and there are 2 teams of 2.

The aim of the game is possession and if a player is stuck they can pass to the man on the cone who acts as a spare man. If the defenders win the ball then the free man changes to their team.

20

5 minutes

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n GAME PRINCIPLES - THE PRINCIPLES WORK IF YOU WORK THE PRINCIPLES

48 minutes

This section is entitled the one rule game.

When only one rule is enforced on top of the normal rules it makes the players coach themselves on the pitch through their own and their team mates mistakes.

Each game is played in 3 sets of 2 minutes.

Game 1. 3 seconds on the ball – once a player receives the ball they only have 3 seconds on the ball. If the ball is not moved on in the 3 seconds a foul is blown. The game becomes faster, support is generated and there is a lot more movement. After each 2 minute section 30 seconds rest is given where players can be asked how they felt it went.

Game 2. Switch play (as was seen in session 3) – The ball must travel at an angle.

Game 3. First touch – if a player has any sort of a fumble, a free kick is awarded against them. That includes dropping the ball, or just fumbling it. Players will admit after this game that they were putting a lot more concentration into their first touch.

Game 4. Give and go – far too many players give a pass and then sit back and admire their work.The game is simple, once a player gives a pass they must move. If the movement isn’t flowing and simultaneous, award a free against them. This breeds ‘off’ the shoulder running.

Game 5. Play the way you’re facing – if a player receives a pass with his back to gaol, they cannot turn. This promotes players coming in support across the player who has his back to gaol who lays it off at an angle and then turn and go themselves. No turning movement at all is allowed.

Game 6. Break the tackle – when a player gets a ball they must break a tackle before they can pass the ball. Players must keep going until an opposing player comes to meet them.

Game 7. Give it before you’re hit – too many players give a bad pass or loose the ball because they pass just before they are tackled. In this game players look for space so they can hit an accurate pass. They avoid the contact where it’s possible. In a match game 6 and 7 often combine, where players must break a tackle to create space for themselves.

Game 8. Vision - Players cannot make any noise when defending or attacking. This makes player’s play with their heads up. The game opens up and becomes much faster.

These games (break the tackle excluded) should all be played with the 3 second rule implemented. These one rule games will help the players coach themselves.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of some gentle running, some static and dynamic stretches.

n Total work time for this session ~ 73 minutes.

The emphasis in this game is speed of thought , angled running, superb technique, use of body language, awareness of team buzz phrases, importance of peripheral vision, development of concentration, use of passing mantra, look/see/decide/act, playing without self talk and analysis and the ability to know how and why to move the ball faster.

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sessIon 5

Keep possession

WARM UP

15 mins

‘Slapstick’ finish; ‘speed’ start

WEAR YOUR COLOURS 9 per group - 3 Blue -3 Yellow - 3 Red

]

5 mins

Goalkeepers Or Endline score

AFTER SCORE; - Throw up: colour in possession v other two colours (3 V 6)

4 PASSES TO SCORE AD

(But play to shot taker) 5v5 / test 6v6

AD

DA

A

halfway line

DA

10 mins

D

‘A’ has up to 4 passes to score; if ‘B’ dispossesses 4 passes and so on.

KEEP BALL EVERYWHERE (Or 2A/2D) 10/15m

5 mins

AvD

3A v 3D

AvD

5m

20m

5m

Throw up: end to end possession; If ‘A’ in 5m grid out passer A in.

POSSESSION HURTS 3x5mins

15 mins

5x2mins

10 mins

AvB 20x20

Man into grid = score, attack other end

GIVE IT BEFORE YOU’RE HIT / VISION PRINCIPLES GAME Full/across

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

EMPHASIS: Keeping the ball or winning it back 22

65 mins

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5

sessIon 5 Keep possession

n WARM UP

15 minutes

Muscle memory of a particular skill at the start, apogee, one leg over the other, multi directional running on the hand signals, dynamic stretches, ankling, hops, turkey trots and bounding.

Slapstick finish – 6 x 5 second sprints. Players in pairs and one stays behind the other. Players jog around, on the whistle the player in front sprints in different directions. The player behind must try catch him and slap him on the behind. Change position after 6 sprints. 15 minutes

n WEAR YOUR COLOURS

5 minutes

30m x 20m Players divided into groups of 9 Each group of 9 players is given three different coloured bibs. For example 3 greens, 3 reds and 3 blues. The team that wins possession (for example green) attack a goal of their choice.

Until there is a score or a wide the reds and blues are together against the greens. After a score or a wide at either end, the ball is thrown up again in the middle. Next time perhaps the reds win possession, which means the green and the blues are together. alternatiVe: Each team has a partner. For example when the reds get possession they play with the blues, when the blues get possession they play with the greens and when the greens get possession they play with the reds. At any one time, there will be 6 verses 3. things to look for in this drill: players who slack because they know they have the numerical advantage. This game will expose who is prepared to work to keep possession, who is prepared to make it easier to make overlaps to make telling runs.

n 4 TO SCORE

10 minutes

7 a side either end of the field. 6 backs, 6 forwards, 1 attacking midfielder, 1 defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper.

The team that will start the attack has a man in possession at the half way line with a defender in front of him. That team have 4 passes to score. If they score within the 4 passes they get awarded a point. If the team are dispossessed, the defenders become attackers and they themselves have up to 4 passes to score. If you take more than 4 passes, keep playing but you do not get awarded the score.

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n KEEP BALL EVERYWHERE

5 minutes

5 versus 5 or 7 versus 7 10m/15m wide x 30m At either end of the rectangle 5 meters in, place a line of cones. This splits the grid into 3 parts, two 5m sections and a 20m section. One from each team goes into both 5m sections, leaving 3 versus 3 in the middle section. Head for either end, if a player makes a successful pass to his team mate in the small section, that player can burst out into the big section bringing with him his defender. The man who made the successful pass and the defender take their place in the small section.

n POSSESSION HURTS

15 minutes

This game uses the full pitch. In the middle of the 13 meter line at each end build a 20x20 square. No goalkeeper To get a score, you must work the ball into the grid; the player has to be running into the grid gaining possession. If you take possession standing still in the grid the score does not count.

If the red team get a score, they do not surrender possession; they head straight up to the other end of the field to try score again. Big scores can be easily over turned. Players who were 9 – 0 up for example, don’t want to have to chase the ball and when they loose possession they can be psychologically destroyed. This teaches teams total control mentality to not give possession away. 3 x 5minutes.

n GIVE IT BEFORE YOU’RE HIT / VISION PRINCIPLES GAME

10 minutes

These games are described in games 7&8 Session 4 (p21).

n COOL DOWN The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches

n Total work time for this session ~ 65 minutes.

The emphasis in this game is keeping the ball or winning it back.

24

5 minutes

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sessIon 6

support play

WARM UP

15 mins

‘Back to back’ To ‘face to face’; ‘piggy’ jump runs

PLAY TO THE HIGHER NUMBER A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 B1, B2, B3, B4, B5

A-V-B

]

A1

A2 etc. A5

5 mins

A1

With goalkeepers or end line scores

TRIANGULAR SUPPORT (Get The Point)

8 mins

5v5 45m

(i)

A

grubber kick

B

(ii)

B

A

30m

over the top kick

Game on: 3 on ball s + 2 making runs - 2 x 2min (A then B start) x 2

PLAY TO THE HIGHER NUMBER 12 mins

20m

AD

AD E

20m

AD

a n y t w o

E = Extra man moves from grid to grid for support. (9 players) 9 x 1mins

AD

QUARTERS (i) Who’s attacking/who’s defending. Angled scores 5mins left/5mins right (ii)’A’attack 5mins -2pts inside, 1pt outside; B if work to 45m -2pts; reverse (iii) 10 v 10 (AvB) down one side (iv) 10 v10 (AvB) play ‘diagonal’ zones

-10min -10min -10min -10min

20 mins

GIVE AND GO/ 3 SECS/ FIRST TOUCH PRINCIPLES 10 mins

5 x 2mins

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

75 mins

EMPHASIS: High intensity work ethic; quality support 25

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6

sessIon 6 support play

n WARM UP

15 minutes

bacK to bacK/face to face: Partners stand back to back. One player has a ball his partner has 30 sec to try get around and get his hands on the ball. The player with the ball moves from side to side trying to keep his partner behind him. Every 15/30 seconds change positions. piggy Jump run: once they have done their stretches and are ready. Use the width of the field. Over and back.

One partner runs out ~5 meters, facing perpendicular to his partner he kneels on hands and feet making a low back.

The other partner runs and jumps over him and on landing runs for about 5 meters where they get down on their hands and knees. This continues, jump, run, and make a back, jump, run, and make a back.

n PLAY THE HIGHER NUMBER

5 minutes

Use goalkeepers and if not the ball must be carried over the end line for a score.

Use grids.

5 players a side. Before the game is started each player on both teams is given a number between 1 and 5. The other team does not know which player is what number. After the ball is thrown in the man in possession can only pass to the number directly higher than his own number and receive a pass from the number below e.g. 1 to 2, 4 to 5, 5 to 1 etc. This game builds up phenomenal support play. Unintentionally this game begins to produce triangular passing movements.

The game becomes interesting when there is an interception. Because the interception was not intentional the support player might not be near the man who made the interception. In this game there is lots of communication.

n TRIANGULAR SUPPORT There are 2 versions of this game. Both are best played with five on each team.

The first game is called the grubber kick. Team A and team B face each other, 30m apart. One team starts with the ball and grubber kick the ball along the ground to the opposing team as hard as possible. As soon as the ball is kicked team A should advance quickly. The purpose of triangular support is one man with the ball supported by 2 men.The other 2 men, one can stay behind, one can stay to the left or the right. They are to make runs to help the group break the gain line and move forward. When a goal is scored there are 2 restart options – scoring team keeps ball or other team restarts.

In the second version of the game the teams are only 5m apart. This time the team starting kick the ball over the oppositions heads (try keep the ball inside the grid).

This ensures that the team that had the ball kicked over their heads has to go backwards. The key to this is that the man picking up the ball should have a player even further back than him so as they pick the ball up they can immediately pass to a man facing the onrushing defence. This single pass creates a triangle straight away.

Play both versions twice x 2 minutes each.

26

8 minutes

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n E9

12 minutes

This game is best played with 9 players. 20 x 20m grid divided into 4 10 x 10m sections.

2 teams of 4, with one man in each grid start the game. The 9th player begins in the centre of the grid with the ball. When the whistle goes the extra man simply moves from grid to grid. The game is keep possession. Once he passes to a player in a grid he must get to that grid to receive a return pass. Each player gets 1min in middle (15secs rest between changes) If the team are dispossessed the extra man simply starts playing for the opposition.

n QUARTERS

20 minutes

The pitch is coned off into 4 quarters. As well as that 2 semi circular areas around the goals are coned off.

There are 4 versions of this game.

The FIRST version is who’s attacking, who’s defending (see session 2) within each quarter. One team takes the ball on the end line and works it out to the 45m line and back in looking for a score. The object is to support each other and look for an angled score. Teams are not allowed out of their quarter. Play that game for 5 minutes and then switch to the corresponding quarter on the other side to practice angled scoring from the other side.

The SECOND version is who’s attacking, who’s defending again. However if they score inside the semi circle (remember teams must stay in their quarter as well) it’s 2 points, outside the semi circle it’s 1 point or vice-versa, and if a team dispossess and work it out to the 45m line it’s 2 points.

The THIRD version is to play half a pitch down 1 side of the pitch. This is played for 5 minutes before they turn around so again they get an opportunity to shoot from the right and from the left. Here 2 teams in 1 quarter become 1 for half pitch game.

In the FOURTH version, teams in opposite quarters at either end of the pitch play together. This breeds diagonal football. A team coming out with the ball on the right hand side must play a diagonal ball by the time they get to the 45m line.

On any particular night play 2 of the quarter games for 10 minutes each.

To finish this session play 5 x 2 minute games incorporating the full game principles of 5 of the eight games below.

• 3 seconds on the ball • Switch play • First touch • Give and go • Play the way you are facing • Break the tackle • Give it before you’re hit • Vision

n COOL DOWN

20 minutes

The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches.

n Total work time for this session ~ 75 minutes.

The emphasis in this session is high intensity work ethic, quality support all the time.

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decision making and choosing the right option is critical

sessIon 7 WARM UP

15 mins

Muscle memory ‘roll’ & blocking

HOW DO YOU DEFEND? Step Up 5 mins

A D

G A D

Defender to feeder = game on Defenders step up Change feeder every attack

D A

D F

HOW DO YOU PREVENT ‘CRITICAL MOMENT’ SCORES? Wipe-Out 6 mins

5v5 A B

A score/ keep ball– try for 3 in a row Then B take ball try for 3 in a row - 3 x 2 Mins Dispossessed at 1-0/2-0 scores wiped out.

(or end line scores)

WHAT TO STRENGTHEN? WHAT TO FIX? - Freeze Frame 10 mins

Attack 1) Backs/Forwards; defenders go 3yrds off opponent = give ball to attacking midfielder or forward + game on Forwards go 3yrds off opponent = give ball to forward + game on Alternate scenarios for 10mins

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH POOR BALL? Brown 10 mins

- Initially one player each team, call “brown” when ‘on’ ball - Give ‘poor pass’ & see how team reacts - Develop bad ball means ‘work smarter’

DO YOU CHOOSE THE BEST OPTION 10 mins

Passes permitted only as shown (make clear option) – ‘Partners’

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

EMPHASIS: Better to know some of the questions than all of the answers 28

61 mins

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7

sessIon 7

Decision making and choosing the right option is critical

n WARM UP

15 minutes

Players run towards their partner and roll around them by turning the right shoulder onto the partners left shoulder or vice versa. This is repeated by the partner. Another version of this roll is to have the partners run side by side. When the defender leans across to tackle, have the man with the imaginary ball roll behind him. Following this introduce the ball.

The second bit of muscle memory is the art of blocking. In their pairs again, they run alongside each other and pretend to kick the ball. The partner must get their body across to make the block.

n STEP UP – HOW DO YOU DEFEND?

10 minutes

3 defenders and 3 forwards inside the semi circle. At 40-45 metres out there is the fourth defender and a half forward/midfielder.

The defender at 45m passes to the half forward. This is when the inside forwards start to make their move and the defenders stand just in front of their man with their arm across trying to watch man and ball.

The game begins with the half forward taking on his man or else immediately releasing it inside.

The object of each defender is to try and stop that forward receiving the ball by having already stepped up. If he does get it the defender must continue stepping up until the attack is finished. If the defenders do dispossess they have to work the ball outside the semi circle and it is then the attackers turn to step up to their man.

Each time the attack is finished through a score, wide or dispossession the feeder changes.

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n WIPE OUT - HOW DO YOU PREVENT CRITICAL MOMENT SCORES

6 minutes

5 vs 5 The ball is thrown up and the team that win the ball try to score in a goal of their choice. When they score, they do not concede possession. They attack again down the other end. If they score again they still do not concede possession. The goal is to get 3 scores in a row. Once 3 scores have been achieved in a row they set the ball down for the other team.

If at any time team B dispossess team A, even if they have 1 or 2 scores on the board, team A’s scores are wiped out.

Score is back to 0-0. Stopping a team when they have 2 points is stopping a critical moment score, because if they get a third score, all 3 scores count. This game creates last minute defence on a regular basis.

The mantra for this game is winning the ball back!

n FREEZE FRAME – WHAT TO STRENGTHEN? WHAT TO FIX?

10 minutes

This game is played with 2 goalkeepers, backs against forwards and 4 midfielders marking each other.

Scenario 1 – The defenders have worked the ball out successfully so that each defender has moved slightly off their man.

Ask each defender and midfielder to take 3 big steps away from their man. The coach has the ball, when he calls game on, he gives it to a forward and the game commences.

What the defenders should be doing is step up and wipe out. Too many will head for the man with the ball. Fix it!

Scenario 2 – The forwards have been attacking making space from their opponents. Ask each forward to take 3 big steps from their defender. The coach walks around the pitch with a ball, when he calls game on, he gives it to a defender and the game commences.

Watch what way the forwards react. Again if all players rush to the man they can all be taken out of the game with one pass.

Bad passes happen in games, teams must be able to react and deal with it accordingly. Players need to communicate as to who is going to go to the man and who is going to cover each position.

n BROWN – HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH POOR BALL?

10 minutes

Initially the coach chooses 1 or 2 players on each team without anybody knowing. Instruct them that during the game, when one of them has the ball in the clear, that the coach will shout out their Christian name followed by brown, ‘John Brown’ for example. On this call John must either punt the ball up in the air, kick it mindlessly into a stupid space where none of their team mates can get it or kick it straight into the opposition’s hands. A coach should like to see a team energised by a bad ball and react to it positively. The reaction should be to win the ball back. In time the other players will notice the call. Once that happens, the coach can call brown on any player. This is where the game gets really interesting. The key is that the coach doesn’t over use the term. This game teaches players how to react to bad ball by working smarter.

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n PARTNERS – DO YOU CHOOSE THE BEST OPTIONS?

10 minutes

The simplest way to correct wrong options is to let the players see what a good option is.

This game is played 13 a side.

Each of the half back line and the midfielder are given an option. For example, the left half back can only pass to the left half forward. The centre half back will give the ball diagonally to the right half forward; right half back passes to centre half forward diagonally. In essence all 5 players only have 1 player they can pass to. The defending team does not know this information.

Let the game evolve before telling them what the game is.

It will become evident that the right half forward knows he can only get it from the centre half back. The other forwards know that they are not getting the ball so they can make dummy runs and the right half forward can make a very telling run.

This game creates thinking and releases the pressure of having too many options.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches

n Total work time for this session ~ 61 minutes.

The emphasis in this session is that it’s better to know some of the questions then all of the answers. In other words ‘are we stepping up?’, ‘how do we prevent a critical moment score?’

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sessIon 8

penetration, width and depth in attack

WARM UP

15 mins

‘Piggy in the middle’ (30 seconds x 6)

7 SECONDS TO SCORE: (or appropriate by age) Gain possession anywhere = team has 7secs to score

4 x 2mins

10 mins

TWO WAY MIDFIELD AD AD AD

(+ Hug)

AD AD AD

AD AD AD

m/f m/f

AD AD AD

10 mins

Midfield for both teams: stay in zones: Kick out, one midfield long ball, other midfield joins attack.

LONG BALL/SHORT BALL: Started by kick out (1)

10/15 mins

(2) AD AD AD

AD AD AD

m/f m/f

AD AD AD

Long range

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED (i) Man Extra:

Wide on wing E AD AD

m/f

(ii) Man Short:

AD AD AD

m/f

10 mins 10 mins

Play one up & use as appropriate

‘CROKER’ 10/15 mins

6D1-v-3A1 A1

m/f

6D2-v-6A2

m/f B

A2

- 6D v 3D confined to zone A; 5 v 5 can go zone A or Zone B

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

EMPHASIS: Promoting close in/ long range/ midfield overlap scores; Aware of ‘extra’ man or ‘man short’; Promoting width 32

88 mins or less

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8

sessIon 8

penetration, Width and Depth in attack

n WARM-UP

15 minutes

The warm-up is standard as before. The extension is piggy in the middle. 6 players stand in a circle. One player in the middle acts as a defender, the other 5 simply move the ball around the outside and across the middle for 30 seconds. Each player gets to see how many interceptions they can get.

n 7 SECONDS TO SCORE

8 minutes

The time of 7 seconds can be changed accordingly to suit age and ability.

Crisp accurate passing, movement off the ball is what the coach is trying to breed. The game is started with the ball being thrown up in the middle of the field and as soon as either team gets possession the coach immediately shouts out 7,6,5,4,3,2,1. If the team doesn’t score within 7 seconds they are penalised and the other team gets possession. Once a player from the other team get possession from an interception or a kick out there is a new set of 7 seconds allocated.

Play four 2 minute games of this. (Depending on ability of teams, coach will know how many seconds needed to score e.g.

7, 8, 10 sec. to score)

n 2 WAY MIDFIELD

10 minutes

This game looks at midfielders coming from deep, penetrating because the forward lines have created the width.

Cones are set out about 55m from both end lines and these program the run of the half forward. If an attack is developing, the wing forwards gravitate towards those cones and this creates both width and room for the midfielders to run into. If the half forward gets the ball out on the touch line they have 2 good options. They can either put an incisive diagonal ball across the pitch or else their run will bring them across the pitch.

The game is played with a full compliment of players except there are only 2 midfielders.

The zone in the middle is no more than 20 yards either side of the half way line.

As the defence works the ball out, it gives it to one of the 2 midfielders. That midfielder can kick it immediately or else take a solo. When that midfielder kicks it long, the other midfielder is making a blindside run. During a game, a midfielder should be at least a couple of yards ahead of his man with enough room to receive a pass and kick a score.

Both midfielders attack both ends. This game gets the forwards used to the midfielders coming on a run on the blind side.

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n LONG BALL SHORT BALL

10/15 minutes

This game looks at the options open to attacking scores, long range scores and short range scores.

During this game long range scores will only be allowed at one end of the pitch and short range at the other. At the end where short range scores are allowed there are 6 forwards and 6 backs and a semi circle of cones 30 yards from the goal. All scores at this end must come inside these cones. At the end where long range scores are allowed there is a line of cones across the 45m line and all scores must come from outside these cones. At this end there are no full forwards/ full backs, only the half forwards and half backs.

The beauty of this game is that every 5 minutes players can be moved. It is especially important to move the half forwards and midfielders so they experience playing both styles. This allows the coach to see different players in different situations and also practices long and short range shooting.

n EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED – 20 MINUTES

20 minutes

This game looks at what a team can do with a man extra and with a man down.

THE FIRST SITUATION IS WITH A MAN EXTRA. In a game situation when the other team loses a player, it can work in a teams favour to take the man who will perform the extra man job off for a minute. Let the rest of the players bed in and get used to still working a man marking job.

After a minute or so bring the man on and get him to play on the wing and every ball is fed out to the man on the wing. If in time the other team starts getting a player to mark the free man, simply get another player to the far wing and keep servicing him. This situation is played for 10 minutes.

THE SECOND SITUATION IS WITH A MAN DOWN. In this situation every man is marked play a system where there is 1 up.

That breeds the other team to play sweeper. Get a man to go to the sweeper wherever he goes, as a good player can mark 2 men. Or the team can play 2 up and a lesser loose man out the field. Then if the other team plays a sweeper the 2 men play in a line with the sweeper. Instead of having 2 men behind the sweeper there are 2 men in line with the sweeper and there are many options out the wings in that case.

This situation is also played for 10 minutes.

n CROKER

10/15 minutes

This game is specifically for teams that will be playing in Croke Park. The gap between the two 45’s in Croke Park is huge. No matter how clearly defined a teams shape is, the sheer size of Croke Park elongates it.

There are 3 zones, zone A1, zone B and zone A2. Both zone A1 and zone A2 are 60m in size. In both zone A1 and A2 there are 6 defenders and 3 forwards. The middle zone is 5 players against 5 players. These players are the midfielders and the 3 half forwards. The 5 players in the middle can go into the middle zone and the zone they are attacking. They cannot go into the zone they are defending.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches

n Total work time for this session ~ 88 minutes or less.

The emphasis in this session is promoting close in, long range and midfield overlap scores. It is also to know what to do with an extra man or a man down and it promotes players to hug the line and create width.

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sessIon 9

the art of scoring from open play

WARM UP Sharp + fist it over

15 mins

1 23 33 43 1 2 3 4

TAKING FISTED SCORES - 2 grids - 2 x 3mins - Who’s A/who’s D to 13m

6 mins

A A

A A

A

D D

D

20m

20m

TAKING LONG RANGE SCORES - Scores from

A

D

35-40m

Kick out

AvB

-Starts with kick-out with both teams playing same way

DOUBLE SCORE/SINGLE SCORE 1st 3mins: Team A scores doubled; Team B single 2nd 3 mins: Team B scores doubles; Team A single 3rd 3mins: Team A scores doubled; Team B single 4th 3mins: Team B scores doubled; Team A single…

4 x 3mins

12 mins

EMPHASISE THE POINT 12 mins

1st 5mins, Scores inside ‘D’ count double.

2nd 5 mins, Scores outside ‘D’ count double.

ALL FOUR ONE: 4 Zones = Different scoring methods.

4v4

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

4 x 5mins

20 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

78 mins

Long Range Scores

4v4

Setting up scores 4v4

Fisted Scores

4v4

EMPHASIS: ‘Scoring’ from every chance/angle/distance 35

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9

sessIon 9

the art of scoring from open play

n WARM UP

15 minutes

The warm up in this session is sharp. All the previous elements are included; however try making them sharper as the players know the warm up at this stage.

A game is played which involves groups of 4 in a straight line 3/4m apart. Each player is given a number between 1 and 4. The exercise begins with number 2 running towards number 1. Number 1 fists the ball, supposedly over the bar to number 3. Number 1 then runs to the end of the line behind number 4. Once number 3 gets the ball from number 1 he immediately fists it back to number 2 and then runs at him. Number 2 then fists the ball, supposedly over the bar to number 4 etc.

n TAKING FISTED SCORES

6 minutes

In each grid there can be 3 x 3 or 2 x 2.

2 players are on the end line with the ball faced by 2 opponents. They must work the ball out as far as the second grid between the 13m and the 21m line. When they reach that grid their goal is to turn and work an opening for one of them to burst through a tackle and fist the ball over the bar. This game is very intense. It is advised that they are only allowed 2-3 seconds on the ball. Play this game for 3 minutes and change over to the grid. This game develops left hand fist passing.

n TAKING LONG RANGE SCORES

10 minutes

This is a full field game.

A line of cones are set out about 35/40 yards out from each goal. Within that middle zone all the outfield players are placed. The game starts with a kick out and which ever team gets possession they start to attack the other end. Even if they are dispossessed the other team still attacks the same end. This ensures that the kick outs will alternate. Once a player reaches the 35m line they must take a long range effort.

This ensures the practice of long range scores. This game also allows practice of the break-ball.

n DOUBLE SCORE/ SINGLE SCORE This game gets players thinking about the scores, the opportunity of scoring and maximising scores.

This game is operated in 4 games of 3 minutes. At the end of the first 3 and third 3 minutes team A’s scores are doubled.

Team B’s scores remain single scores. The second and fourth 3 minutes the roles are reversed and it is team B who have their scores doubled. It will become evident that teams will concede less frees and generally defend harder when the other team is getting double scores.

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n EMPHASISE THE POINT

10 minutes

This game maximises scoring opportunities and promotes the spreading of the defence by promoting close in and long range scores.

At each end of the field cones are set out to mark the 2 danger areas at each goal.

In the first 5 minutes, any score either team gets inside the danger zone is worth double.

In the second 5 minutes, any score either team gets outside the danger zone is worth double.

Both close range and long range scores are being emphasised in this drill.

The game can be mixed up, one team having double close scores and the other having double long scores.

n ALL FOUR ONE

20 minutes

The full pitch is divided into four areas, all accounting for a different scoring method. At one end there are a line of cones across the 20m line. There is another line of cones 65m out from the opposite side of the field. The third line of cones is 35m from the opposite side of the pitch. All games are played 4 v 4.

In the first zone (up to the 20m line) it’s a game of who’s attacking and who’s defending.

The players must work the ball out through 2 gates on the 20m line and head back in towards the goalkeeper looking for a goal.

The second zone (the 30m line to the 65m line) has a set of goals within it. This game promotes the setting up of scores, keeping possession and working the ball that distance. The score is achieved by running the ball over the line.

In the third zone (the 65m and the 35m) there is a line of balls along the 35m line. Teams must carry the ball out as far as the 65m line, turn and create a long range scoring opportunity.

In the fourth zone (inside the 35m line) the game is the same as the fisted score game that was played earlier in the session.

Each team gets 5 minutes in each zone. By the end each group has experienced the four scenarios - Scoring goals, setting up scores, long range points and fisted scores

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches

n Total work time for this session ~ 88 minutes or less.

The emphasis in this session is scoring from every chance/angle/distance.

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sessIon 10

Free taking and set pieces are fundamental to one’s game plan

WARM UP: Ultra Sharp

15 mins

HAVE YOU GOT A KICK OUT? Ten Kicks Team A start with kick out = game on Record outcome of 10 consecutive kick outs Repeat for team B! Has your team a trained kick out?

20 mins

Team A

Team B

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH A SIDELINE FREE? 20 mins

11 balls

11 balls Game of up to 22 sideline kicks; Normal rule for ball over sideline 1st half: Ball wide at either end. Defending team from their left Ball scores at either end. Attacking team from their left nd 2 half: Defenders take sideline kicks from their right Attackers take sideline kick from their right

DOUBLE OR QUITS: 20 mins

(No. of cones optional)

- Score point/choose cone/ take free; - score = 1 + 2 = 3pts; miss = 1pt ; lift cone ; leave cone - Score goal/ take penalty; - score = keep goal ; miss = 1 pt

COOL DOWN:

5 mins

TOTAL WORK TIME:

EMPHASIS: Perfecting set pieces.

38

80 mins

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10

sessIon 10

free taking and set pieces are fundamental to ones game plan

n WARM UP – 15 MINUTES

15 minutes

This warm up is down to the coaches, make it ultra sharp.

Plan a warm up based on the entire set warm ups that have been described previously.

n TEN KICKS. HAVE YOU GOT A KICK OUT?

20 minutes

Kick outs don’t work if all players rely on waiting until the goalkeeper has kicked the ball a long distance.

In every kick out there should be several dummy runs made to make space for the player who is actually going to receive the kick out.

This game is very simple. Ten balls are placed behind each goal at the start of the match which is a full field game.

Team A starts the whole game with a kick out. The kick out is the only set piece where all outfield players are marking each other and teams should never lose that advantage.

After team A has taken its 10 kick outs, team B takes 10.

It can be beneficial for a team if the game is stopped after 5 kick outs so they can discuss what is going right and how they can win more of their own kick outs.

n DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH A SIDE LINE FREE?

20 minutes

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This is a game where there can be anywhere up to 22 ‘accident’ sideline kicks.

11 balls will be placed on each sideline.

If the ball goes over the sideline during the game, then a side line is just taken with the match ball.

In the first half if the ball goes wide at either end of the pitch, the defending team get to take a side line kick with any of the balls on their left.

If the attacking team scores, they then restart the game with a side line also from their left hand side.

In the second half of the game repeat the scenario but when the ball goes wide both teams take a sideline from the right hand side of the field.

The best option for a side line during a game is for the person taking the sideline to give as quickly as possible to the first man who shows for it and to then receive the ball back immediately. This gives the player on the ball enough space to look for another player. i.e. Player 1 to player 2 to player 3 (1-2-3).

n DOUBLE OR QUITS

20 minutes

At both ends of the pitch place 10 cones randomly in and around the 30m danger area of the goal. The game is played as normal.

If a team scores a point, no score is recorded until the appointed free taker chooses one of the cones to take a free from. If the free is scored, not only do they keep the score, but another two are added. After the free has been taken, the designated cone is then lifted.

If the free is missed, the team are not punished unduly, the original point is kept. This puts pressure on the free taker to get extra points. When a free is missed the cone is not lifted. However next time the team score, the free taker must take it from this cone. Within this game if a goal is scored the penalty taker must score a penalty to keep the 3 points. If the penalty is missed, the team only keeps a single point.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches.

The benefits of a cool down – players should cool down for 5/10 minutes by light jogging, walking and stretching. Doing this helps remove the lactic acid. The benefits are Decreased chance of blood pooling in the lower body causing light headedness or dizziness.

Removal of lactic acid from the body which speed up recovery and removes soreness.

n Total work time for this session ~ 80 minutes.

The emphasis of session 10 is perfecting the set pieces that are so vital in a game.

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IntroduCtIon

introduction to concept/prompt games

When the team is playing well it is often because their basic skills and qualities are tactically sound or perfect in their delivery. This is because the application of the skills is embedded in their muscle memory so they can do them automatically without thought.

If a team’s tactics, game plans, game sense understanding in set pieces such as kick out are all working well, the team look as if they are performing at the highest level, they are “on fire” or “in the zone”! This is a stage that is reached when a team’s game plan, tactics, set pieces have been revealingly practised in a colourful and imaginative way over a period of time. So much so that how they play is embedded into their long term memory and they can play subconsciously.

Some of the methods of the subconscious that can be used in coaching to produce the flow are varied but repetitive training – Colour coding pitch, key words or phrases, Use of pictures or videos of games, Association of words with a particular move in a game, all things that will enhance the memory. As a result players will play without worry or in a carefree way. When difficulties arise that “worry free brain” is needed because it is then that you need to consciously think about what needs to be done. A difficulty such as kicking too many wides or being caught in possession. If these are not corrected a team can fall apart, lose their structure and as a result can lose a game. This is where concept games come in.

WH OM

WHO ?

E? R E WH

WHY

?

?

EM L B PRO W ?

AT WH

The word concept means “a thought”, an idea or principle. Often after matches concepts of the losing team’s fans are usually things like “We couldn’t score all day”, “We were taking the wrong options. ”To solve these concepts players must change their train of thought to do something that is going to change their play from worse to better. Often a simple call from a “prompter”, (like a prompter behind the curtain when an actor forgets their lines on stage) can bring back the team to life.

N? E H W

HICH ?

This is the basic principle for kickouts, for example if the kickouts are going wrong then a coach cannot just shout change the game plan.

Instead they can shout a call or “key word” which the players recognise because they recognise it from training ground and lets them know to switch to a new kickout plan.

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advanCed Game sense!

16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

This is a simple solution for any problem. Prompt games or concept games do not have to be trained as repetitively as the game sense or skill games. This is because once concept games are understood the players recognise that once the call is made the problem can be fixed. The call is not the important thing, what is important is that the players understand that when it is made if they stick to the procedures done in training then the effect will be a positive one.

Thus concept games are problem solving games activated on a call. They will not work unless coaches with their players have flagged up a problem during or after a match that needs to be fixed. They must think about them together and devise a game plan activated by the call that they will use to solve these problems on the pitch. These games only need to be practised one or twice on the training ground so that the call is associated with the action to take. Concept games are prompt games and where they sit in the brain is easily explained in the diagram on the next page.

The diagram highlights which part of the brain is being used and what thinking process is being used in that area. It also gives you for each category what coaching methods to use for each particular type of game and also highlights the coaching effect. For example in concept games the main coaching area is asking lots of questions in order to find solutions. These solutions are tried in games so the whole training becomes problem solving exercises. The atmosphere when training concept games has to be positive and aimed at improvement.

Some of the examples of the previous games that have been named concept games are as follows:

CONCEPT GAMES FROM THE PREVIOUS 10 CHAPTERS Chapter 2 - Don’t pay the price: This is aimed at making a “foul free” team as giving away cheap frees may cost them dearly. When an attack is developing the call can go out “PRICE” or “DON’T PAY” reminding the players to have the right mind set, to tackle without fouling.

Chapter 3 - Switch play: The call “SWITCH PLAY” or “SWITCH”, is simply for those teams who continue to play straight line football from defence to attack or when they meet a blanket defence. The call tells them to channel the ball out the sideline and keep using angular passes (triangular play). The last pass should always end up in front of the goals.

Chapter 7 - Brown ball: The call “brown” reminds the team to not give up after a bad pass and to continue to press up high on the ball to regain possession quickly Chapter 10 - Ten Kicks. Have you got a kick out? This game flags that a team does not have a kick out routine and may highlight the fact that they need one.

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16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

advanced game SenSe!

COACHING VIA THE BRAIN

Warm Up The warm up for Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 is a common warm-up. It is called a sharp or speed warm up lasting for 15 minutes approx. The common warm up is as follows: 1. Angling: used to stretch the ankle, increase foot speed and developing elastic ankle strength. It involves jogging with very short steps, with emphasis on the plantar flexion. Keep the feet quiet but fast, minimise ground contact and maximise foot contact. It is performed between the end line and 13 metre line, out and back twice. (illustrated on next page) 2. Hamstring kicks: Lean back and kick legs straight out in front. It is performed between the end line and 13 metre line, out and back twice. Also known as turkey trots. (illustrated on next page) 3. High Skip: This is actually a high catch in slow motion. Player is leaping off a high step as if climbing/walking up stairs with one foot and is driving his other leg up - knee up,toe up, heel up, then they also extend their arms straight in front of their shoulder as if catching a ball. (illustrated on next page)

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advanCed Game sense!

16 SAMPLE GAELIC FOOTBALL SESSIONS TO PLAY THE GAME

4. Carioca: Is a warm up movement to develop balance/flexibility in the hips and lateral speed. Start with one leg over the other; this is called a two point stance. Laterally step with the right leg over the left leg, then cross the left led behind the right leg, then step with the right foot in front of the right leg and repeat. Increase speed gradually. (illustrated below) 5. The Worm Walk: This works the hamstring. Simply take a press up position, head, back and buttock in line, with a slight bend of the knees walk your toes to touch the back of your hand, player should stop once they start to feel the stretch on the hamstring. Once this limit is reached stand up straight and repeat. Worm walk out to the 13 meter once. (illustrated below) 6. The Charlie Chaplin walk: An ideal dynamic stretch for the hips. Stand on the end line, stand up straight, feet pointing in front of you and shoulder width apart. Stand so heels are on the end line. Turn both toes outward so that they are on the line and are 180 degrees to another, hold for 2 seconds then return. Repeat this again except this time move the heels outwards so they are 180 degrees apart. Do ten in each direction.

7. Multi Directional running in response to hand signals: Players really have to watch the movements of the hands. Line the players on the end line and the coach will use his hands to indicate where to move. If the coach beckons the players towards him they jog towards him, if he pushes his hands forwards the players reverse. If he indicates left the players move laterally right without crossing their legs, and visa versa. Perform for 1-2 minutes. (illustrated below) 8. Bounding: If done properly it mirrors the leaning acceleration runs common in Gaelic football. In bounding, run but drive the free knee so that the thigh reaches a parallel position with the ground or higher and jump a little with each step. It should look like a bouncy run with longer than normal strides. Be careful not to reach forward at ground contact. As you get better jump as high and as far as possible with each step. Emphaise the height of the bound along with the high knee lift so as the centre of gravity is beneath the player. Twenty to thirty meters of bounding is excellent for the warm up. Several can be done. (illustrated below) 9. Partner drop ball: This introduces appropriate ball work into the warm up. Simply one partner walks a distance ahead of his partner and without facing his partner just drops the ball anywhere to his side. The partner must try to anticipate the ball, initiate his run by first step quickness and go for the ball with the right attitude. Once they have collected the ball it is their turn to walk forward and drop the ball.

1. Angling

3. High Skip

2. Hamstring kicks

C

B

D

A

5. The Worm Walk

44

7. Multi Directional Running

8. Bounding

4. Carioca

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11

sessIon 11 break-ball

The emphasis of the break-ball session is four fold and beings with an explanation. The explanation details 4 parts, summed up in the Mnemonic word ‘’MAAG’’.

M - for muscle memory. The first step quickness and accelerated running part. This is coachable.

A - Anticipation. Anticipating rather than reacting is the key to winning break-ball.

A - Awareness of body position. Strongest/safest way to approach break-ball is to have one’s planted foot and supporting ‘shoulder’ closest to opponent and have the ball protected from the opponent by your body.

G - Go For It. The whole essence of winning break-ball is a matter of ‘Attitude’- so go for it and don’t hold back.

n WARM-UP

15 minutes

The warm up is the common warm-up as laid out at the start of this section. If coaches want they can adapt any of the warm ups from the previous chapters.

n FIRST STEP QUICKNESS

4 minutes

This is mastered using fast feet ladders. A number of players (as little as possible, depending on the amount of ladders you have) stand sideways at one end of the ladder. They simply then go through the ladder one square at a time laterally. So to train first step quickness go laterally (right and left) through the ladder with a 3 metre run forward to finish. Whether they have first step quickness or not is shown as they step out of the ladder onto the grass. Watch initially for people who take a step back as they are stepping out, encourage them to step forward slightly as they are stepping out of the ladder followed by a slightly larger step to drive them away. This encourages forward lean running for accelerating. Players can perform this drill for up to 4 minutes depending on the numbers of players (3/4 per ladder).

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n BEAT THE DROP

3 minutes

Standing on any line on the pitch, simply with eyes open or closed, hands by the side, the player leans forward from their ankles until they break their centre of gravity and they feel like they are falling, it should be around a 45 degree angle.

It is important at this point to try and keep the body in a straight line, do not panic, look straight ahead, take a very short step forward when needed and then drive off with the other foot. Continue to stride at this angle for around 5 meters while pumping the arms vigorously. Repeat these steps 6 times. Some people may find it useful to have their back to the wall, so they can differentiate between leaning from the ankles and the hips. When leaning from the ankles the entire body will leave the wall.

Beat the drop and first step quickness are probably the only things that can be coached in break-ball. Break-ball is essentially an attitude or a frame of mind – “I am going for that ball”. It is a commitment that when you are going for that ball that you must go the whole way. The first step to enable you to go your maximum for that ball is to master first step quickness and a leaning accelerated run.

n BEAT THE DROP SPRINT RACE

3-5 minutes

Having mastered the movement of first step quickness and beat the drop accelerated running, it’s now time to exercise the process with a partner. In groups of four, in a grid of 15 metres, players will sprint for 10 metres. In groups of four, two face two, one of the groups has two balls. One of the players in the group with the balls carries two balls in his hands with his back to the 2nd group i.e the other two players who are positioned 10 metres away and without signalling just drops the balls. The object is from a two footed stance can each player lean, take /use first step quickness and win the race by being the first to secure the break-ball. Ball winner then takes both balls to start a race for the 2nd group.

n GAME ON FROM BEAT THE DROP

4 minutes

So for this exercise a square again of 15 metres, two partner teams again face one another approx 10 metres away from one another in the grid, only this time the two people competing face two players and only one player has a ball, he can face them or stand with his back to them. The two competing are at one side i.e. Team A faces Team B, the player with the ball is at the other side with his partner. Once the player drops the ball the two competing players race to win the break-ball. The player from Team A who wins the break-ball becomes a team mate or partner of the person who initially dropped the ball. The objective of these two players now is to work the ball from that side of the grid to the opposite side as they are opposed by the other two players. lf they are dispossessed by these two players they must try and go over the opposite line. What was initially a game of winning break-ball then becomes a game of 2v2 trying to go from one line in a grid across to another line. This activity can be kept going for up to 4 minutes. Repeat using ‘’ball holder’’ from other group alternating the team/ball holder.

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n THE BREAK-BALL SQUARE GAME

4 minutes

A good size to start with is a 10 metre square. There are 4 players involved - Player one, two, three and four. After each game they take it in turn to become the feeder, so the first feeder is player number one and he chooses any corner to stand with the ball, either with his back to the players who are each at a corner, one of whom is now at a disadvantage because he has a diagonal to run whereas the other 2 have a 10 metre side to run. ln this way one players attitude is really tested because he knows that he has a distance disadvantage, but he doesn’t know where the ball is going to be dropped. At any given moment the feeder drops the ball and the 3 players sprint to win break-ball, Like the previous game the person who win the break-ball becomes the partner of the feeder and now we have a game of 2v2, where the 2 in possession try and work the ball to the opposite side of the grid as the two players without the ball opposing them. lf these two gain possession then they must try and work the ball to the opposite side of the grid. Once the lines have been crossed, player two then becomes the feeder and so on. lf you find that players are holding back when they are at the corner of the diagonal run then you can allow them to take a step in.

n THE ANYHOW/ANYWHERE BREAK-BALL GAME

5 minutes

This requires a bigger grid than the previous game around 20x20,20x30 or 30x30 metres. lt also involves high numbers from 3v3 up to 5v5. At the start each team is given bibs. lt also allows coaching of man marking, as you can see how well a man sticks with his opponent. The coach himself is the feeder. The coach can either stand at the side or walk through the players, or both. He will be holding the ball and at any given moment he can introduce the ball into play anyhow/anywhere eg: (i) Throw it behind him. (ii) Hit it off a players knees or back. (iii) Throw it fast and low etc.

The players must anticipate what he is going to do and where he is going to drop it. When a player of either team wins that initial break-ball they will then work the dispossessed ball to a side of the grid that the coach has previously pointed out. lf they are dispossessed by the other team they must try and cross the opposite side of the grid. The game does not stop until one of these lines has been crossed. lf possible there could be two small goals at these end lines with a goal keeper at each line.

n FREEZE FRAME GAME

5-10 minutes

These can involve the whole pitch 15 a side, or part of the pitch. At the start we concentrate on winning break-ball in mid field. Line out with 4 midfielders, 2 sets of half backs and forwards, lf the coaches want to involve the inside back line or inside forward line it is up to them. Have the player line out with the half backs and half forward of each team placed across their 45metre line. The four midfielders opposing each other stand in the middle of the field. lf there is one coach feeding the ball, he should command that all the players close their eyes, excluding the full backs, forwards and the keeper who are out of the picture at the minute. Then with the call “GAME ON” the coach puts the ball into play in any way he decides and the players must respond to ball as quickly as possible by opening their eyes. The ball should be thrown into play slightly before giving the call “GAME ON” so that the ball will be bouncing. The purpose of closing the eyes is to highlight the need to anticipate where the ball is going to land. ln this particular freeze frame game the other dimensions come into play as once the break-ball is won, there is immediately off the ball running and movement of the ball. The game is played out until the ball goes dead and is then restarted. Somebody can be taking stats during this game. This game can go on for up to 5-10 minutes. lt is up to the coach to be creative about the way in which the ball is fed in. lf there is to be an eye open scenario, the best way to have this is to have three or four coaches walking around with the ball, having previously organised who is going to release the ball and in what order. Thus it is unpredictable to players who will release the ball. Another option is to have two different coloured balls like a white ball and a yellow ball, which are both thrown in at the same time, then a call is given “Yellow” or “white” and the players must then go for the colour that is called.

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n FREEZE FRAME SCENARIO 2- GOAL MOUTH AREA

5-10 minutes

A very common and often neglected scenario for break-ball in games is the ball hitting off the post, where the defenders or forwards are slow to react which means it’s a loss of a very good scoring opportunity or defending, thus conceding a score. This exercise can be done at either end of the field or in the middle of the field with goals. If it is at either end of the field you can have backs against forwards or a game of who’s attacking whose defending, where one team takes possession at the end line works it out as far as the 45 and works it back in for a score. lf they are dispossessed, the team must carry the ball to the 45 before working it in for a score. lf it is backs against forwards it can start with midfielders gaining possession (one mid fielder is attacking the other defending) and working the ball in for a score. Each game will either end with a shot or a score, if there is a save, that is break-ball in its self if the ball goes dead from the shot, the coaches (acting as feeders) immediately feed the ball somewhere inside the 20 metre line within the confines of the big square or slightly outside it. Once the shot is taken and is obviously going dead the ball is thrown in and it’s game on. Coach should come up with a call, to remind players to switch on to the break-ball off the post.

These two freeze frame games in particular make players realise that break-ball is not a skill that can be coached, its an attitude, because of the unpredictable nature of where and when, the only factors they can prepare for is first step quickness, and the attitude with which they go for the ball.

n RAPID FIRE

6 minutes

This can be held at either end of the field in the goal mouth area and usually involves either one goal or both goals large square area. A 15 or 20 metre semicircular ring of cones is set out around the front of the goals right out to the end-line. lnside this semicircular area you can have 5v5 up to 8v8, the tighter the better. lf the numbers are smaller the coach may have to alter the dimensions of the playing area. On the very rim of the semicircle are two or more balls with 2 or more coaches acting as feeders. For a phase of 1 and a half minutes rapid fire begins. The whistle blows and all the forwards make a run to the edge of the semi circle. The feeder gives it to any forward, who as quickly as possible tries to score a goal with that ball. lf there is lots of passing and quick movement there is a high possibility of breakball. The attack ends when the ball goes dead or when the ball is turned over. As soon as an attack ends, any forward should immediately run to get the next ball and this continues until all balls are used or time is up. After this the defenders can become the attackers or those who were not involved in the 8v8 can be included. This is an excellent game for break-ball and really determines who has the right attitude for going for break-ball. lt also maximises the opportunity to test the persons anticipation. It also doubles up as an activity for goalkeepers for unexpected shots. lt also is a test for the defenders to dispossess their opponents fairly without fouling, as it is a crucial area not to give away frees.

n COOL DOWN The cool down consists of light running and dynamic stretches.

The benefits of a cool down – players should cool down for 5/10 minutes by light jogging, walking and stretching.

Doing this helps remove the lactic acid. The benefits are: • Decreased chance of blood pooling in the lower body causing light headedness or dizziness.

• Removal of lactic acid from the body which speeds up recovery and removes soreness.

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12

sessIon 12

concept/prompt games for poor communication, passing and Defence

These games are designed to correct a failing in a game plan or general tactics of a team. Once it has been trained a number of times, and there is an understanding of what they are correcting, a call is devised which tells the team to fix the problem.

n WARM UP

15 minutes

Is the same as the break-ball session, or if coaches want they can adapt any of the warm ups from the previous chapters. The warm up may last up to 15 minutes.

n GET ANOTHER, GIVE IT BACK

7-10 minutes

This game has two calls and by playing this game there are several ways in which the calls can be operated during a game. Both teams may use both calls when appropriate during the game, or only one team is allowed to use the call when appropriate during the game, or each team is only allowed one call each. The calls are evident in the title, they are “get another” and “get it back”. “Get it back” is a call used essentially to prevent the other team building a lead, so that your team can stay in contention. If the opposition team scores your team immediately begin to shout “get it back”. The idea is that this call gives a greater focus to the team to score. Often in games it is said that the team with this call often wins the game. The other call “get another” ensures that your team builds on their lead every time they score. So much so that they might be able to close out the game, something they might not have been able to do before. The call takes ball after each time your team scores, this can spread fear in the opposition because it suggests that you are focused. 15 a side is the best way to play this because it allows the whole team to use the call.

n SLIDING SCALE

7-10 minutes

This game is designed to flag up what a series of bad final passes in attack can do to a team. This is a problem that can stop a team from maximising their scoring opportunities. This is an easy game to play, no extra rules apply. It is up to the coach to point out and define during the games what is a poor final pass. In some cases, final or last passes may be good but they are well intercepted or poorly received eg dropping the ball by a poor first touch. No foul is blown in these instances. If a poor final pass occurs e.g. over-hit, too high, out over a sideline, straight to an opponent, underhit etc. The whistle is blown for a foul and ONE point is deducted from the offending team. A previous game score of 3-3 then becomes 3-2(one team losing a point) or even a 0-0 becomes a 0-1. If in the immediate next attack, a poor final pass is again made, then this time for two poor final attack passes in a row TWO points are deducted. If there is a third final poor pass in a row, THREE points are deducted. Thus if 3 consecutive attacks a team can be deducted 6 points ie 1 point for the first poor pass, 2 for the second poor pass in a row and 3 for the third poor pass in a row etc. A poor final pass between 2 excellent passes only loses 1 point. This loss of point mirrors the ‘mental’ negativity a team feels when missing chance after chance because of a poor pass. The call of “sliding scale” allows the players to know that they must increase the quality of their final pass.

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n ON THE RUN

7-10 minutes

This game is hard initially for players to get it together but when they do it becomes very satisfying to the team and to the player as a whole. Too many players in a game give or receive a pass while standing still, Often they are running and as soon as they get a pass they stop or they are stopped waiting to receive a pass. This makes players easier to be caught or dispossessed by an opponent. So a simple call “On the run” encourages players to take the ball at pace or kick the ball at pace. If the ball is received or kicked standing still, the whistle is blown, as simple as that.

n COVER ME

3 minutes

This game is to highlight poor communication among team mates. It is similar to the game ‘’Tandem Defence’’ that is on page 14. The game itself begins with a game already seen in Chapter 3. It applies to two defenders in that game where one is tackling and the other is supporting, so if the attacker beats the first player the second defender takes over. If the defender who is pressing the ball feels that his opponent is about to get past him he alerts his team mate with the call “cover me”. This gives his partner those extra seconds to prepare to delay or dispossesss the attacker. This game should be played for 3 minutes at a time.

n ‘HALF AND HALF GAME’- VISION ON AND OFF

6 minutes

The game itself is based on Game 8 - “vision” in Session 4 (page 21)- speed of thought and movement. For 3 minutes, play with heads up; use body language as opposed to verbal language. No noise or verbal calls is allowed at all. The first 3 minute period of this game is called “vision on”. The second 3 minute period is called “Vision off” – the purpose of this is to highlight certain elements of poor or too much communication for example often when a player who is in a scoring position is distracted by a teammate shouting for the ball when the pass is not on, and as a result the scoring opportunity is not fulfilled.

n THAT’S A SCORE This game is to help players who receive the ball in game situations with their back or side to the goal, where his team mates can clearly see that the scoring opportunity is on. It is at this time that his teammates give the call “that’s a score”. This tells the player that the shot is on. If the call is given and the score is taken the team is awarded an extra point for the call. The coach must recognise the moments in which the call is necessary, as it should not be called aimlessly. If a team gives the call at an inappropriate time then a point is deducted from them.

This game can be played from 7-10 minutes. The call is given by a player not in possession to a player who is in possession.

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n OVER THE TOP/BUILD A TRIANGLE

3-10 minutes

This game is used to counteract poor defending, when a ball is hit over the defence. Often when a defence is caught out like this it is standing in a straight line flat footed. There are two pitches that it can be played on. One is a pitch divided half and half, the other is in grids of 30 x 30. The easiest way to get the concept and the call into player’s minds is to start with the 30 x 30. The game involves 5v5, where the line at either end of the grid is the goal line. 5 players face 5 players at the centre of the grid, about 3-4 metres apart. The team starts in possession must kick the ball over the defence in a way that it does not go out of the grid. Coach should allow players to play the game without instruction for the first few times. After this if necessary the coach should instruct his players so that the player picking up the ball, as the line of defenders turns to race after the ball, has the option to pass the ball back at an angle while still facing and going towards his own goal, to a team-mate who has broken from the straight line of previous flat footed defenders and gone closer to the defending teams goals. In this pass, a triangular passing move is about to be started by a defender facing back out the field and on the move. Once the ball goes out of play at either scoring endline, the players begin in starting position again and the team who didn’t have the ball last time starts the attack this time.

n CLOSE DOWN

3-10 minutes

This is a game that again can be played in half the field or in 30 x 30 metre grids. It is designed to counteract both (i) dwelling on the ball and allowing a team to come onto them and (ii) not closing down or pressing the ball high up the field on the opposition who have just taken possession. Essentially this game is asking will the team gaining possession be caught and be dispossessed in its own half or will it be the team who give away possession but chases fast and in pressing the ball high up the field regains possession in the opposition half. The ball is hit long by one team and is collected by the opposition. Players are 5v5 at either end of the grid. The team in possession starts and sends a grubber kick to the team at the opposite end of the grid, at this stage the team who has just given away possession must push up and chase down possession immediately. The objective of the team in possession is cross the oppositions end line and if the other team gains possession they must try and cross the opposition’s end line. Once a score is achieved teams go to starting positions, with a different team starting with the grubber kick than before.

n 2-5-1

7-10 minutes

This is a variation of the three part pitch game found in Chapter 3 (pg 18).

It is ideal for developing long kick passing and long range scoring without ever mentioning the phrase “long kicking”. It is played full pitch 15 a side.

The rules are that within the ‘keep ball area’ of the field the team in possession is only allowed 2 passes. If they keep possession into the middle part they must go through the set up area to get the ball out of the set up part in 5 seconds. Once the ball is given into the scoring 3rd of the field there is only 1 pass allowed.

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13

sessIon 13

concept/prompt games on poor scoring return

n WARM UP

15 minutes

Is the same as the break-ball session, or if coaches want they can adapt any of the warm ups from the previous chapters. The warm up may last up to 15 minutes.

n ONE IN THREE (1:3)

7-10 minutes

A concept or prompt game used to correct or trigger a team which is not maximising their scoring chances or attacks in a game. It involves 15 a side, full pitch, full rules apply. Every time a team crosses the halfway line that is deemed an attack. The target in this game (as the name suggests) is to get one score, goal or point in every 3 attacks. Failure to do so means that there is a decreased chance of winning the game. A coach on the sideline records every time a team does or does not score from an attack. When the team scores it is marked with a tick, and when marking a missed opportunity it is marked with an x. When marking an x the reason why is also recorded, such as turned over, bad pass, over carrying. It is usually found that missed opportunities are due to the attacking team’s mistakes as opposed to the opposing teams defending.

n BEAT THE KEEPER

7-10 minutes

This is for a team that has an inability to score goals in matches.

The pitch is colour coded with a red semi circle around the goals.

It involves 15 a side where everybody plays their normal game except only the full forward of each team is allowed inside the red semi circle, he stays inside this semi circle for the game, his marker moves out the pitch as an extra outfield player. The objective of each team is to move the ball as quickly as possible to their full forward. Once the full forward gains possession their objective is to beat the keeper and put the ball in the net. This helps him practise how he shoots before the keeper is on top of him, or taking it around the keeper. The man inside the semi circle can be changed. Another alternative to make it tougher is to allow the full back to mark the full forward inside the semi circle.

n DAISY GOALS

7-10 minutes

This is a specific variation of beat the keeper. One of the requirements for this game is a piece of string or tape that is highly visible. This length of tape/string goes directly across the goals from post to post; it should be tight and straight and be 2 to 3 inches higher than the height of a ball. It involve a normal 15 a side game, full rules except the only score that counts in this game are “daisy goals”, in other words they have to go under the tape.

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n COMMAND THE SQUARE

7-10 minutes

This game is devised to train forwards or defenders who find the new square ball rule difficult. A very simple way to exercise both defenders and forwards is to put 3 white cones 1 metre outside the small square, 1 can be at each side of the square the other at the middle. There is a forward and defender at each cone. As the high ball is kicked in during the game the 3 forwards have the option of leaving the white cones. The forward could align so that there is one in front, one behind and one attacking the ball. This makes it harder for defender to defend from behind. There are numerous options that coaches can devise themselves, there is no one way of commanding the square either for the defender or for the forward. If the focus of the game is on defenders, they may play with 2 behind and 1 in front to pick up the break. This game can be played from 7-10 minutes. The call could be “Command”, “Square” or “Break”, and depends on the players to make it.

n ON THE RUN SCORES

7-10 minutes

The game aims to improve players taking scores while on the run. The call may be something like “on the run” or “score on the run”.

The game involves 15 a side, full rules apply except around 30 metres from the goal at either side there are 4 or 5 channels marked out with cones/agility poles, these are only the width of the players shoulders. Rule of the game is to let the player go through the channel and take his score on the run. Perhaps the best way to describe it is as ladies football where they tend to pass the ball over the bar. After the player has hit the shot they continue their run to the black spot with the aim of creating an extra option.

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n ON THE TURN SCORES

7-10 minutes

It involves 15 a side; except two lines at approximately 30 metres and at the 20 metre line of white cones going across the pitch, this is a zone where the full forward line plays. Everybody else operates within the yellow lines(set up zone) which are at about 55 metres.

The object is to feed the 3 full forwards, who as soon as they get ball must immediately on the turn kick it over the bar. This game makes the forward think about how they make their runs, so they must make space for their scores as well. If the ball is not hit immediately on the turn it is blown up by the coach.

n HIT IT DEAD

7-10 minutes

This is an ideal call or prompt game for teams shooting too many wides or dropping too many short into the keepers’ hands. It involves 15 a side, full rules. On each 45 on the side line have 10 or 12 footballs sitting there and a feeder coach at each 45 also. If a team at either end kicks a wide there is no kick out, instead the feeder coach at the nearest 45 gives a call to the defending team and gives the ball to the nearest member of that team. This is to make sure that players who hit a wide focus on picking up a man, instead of dwelling on the miss. If the ball drops short the keeper holds the ball and the coach at the far 45, feeds the ball to any forward on the opposition team who just hit the ball short. If a player is having a shot his team mates should give the call “hit it dead” to avoid team mates bring caught out of position in the final attack.

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n SCORING PRACTICE

5-10 minutes

This is an activity that can be used at the end of a session. Both goals can be used at either end of the field for the whole squad. At either the right or left hand side of the goals (Which ever side you start with) at the 20 metre line there is a cone facing the edge of the small square with a cone 1-2 meters behind it, at the other side of the goals at either 23 or 24 metres there is a line of 4 cones maybe 2 metres apart parallel to the end line. This cone arrangement is mirrored at either end of the field. In the centre of the field it is best if there are two under age goals placed side by side, so that the width of the two small goals together is around the same width of the big goals. At either end on the side where there is only 2 cones, there is a player with the ball on the 20 metre cone and a person without a ball slightly behind that person. There are 4 or 5 other sets of partners behind them, on the other side of the goals there is nothing taking place. It starts off with the person without the ball in the first pair acting as a defender. There is a goal keeper facing these two players. To the right of the goal keeper is a coach with a load of footballs on the ground just behind the end line. The defender gives the call “score” and the forward with the ball sets of chased by the defender trying to prevent a goal. Play continues until the shot is taken.

Once the shot is taken the defender heads immediately towards the feeder coach, who passes him a ball. The forward who takes the shot must now immediately defend and chase the ball given to the defender by the feeder coach. The defender must now beat the forward and carry the ball through the cones at 23 or 24 metres, and then have a shot for a point in the goals in the middle of the field (two small goals). As soon as the defender has been fed the ball the second defender from the waiting second pair gives the call “score” and off it goes again. It can give a better scoring return of points and goals. It should be at a very high intensity so that the six pairs waiting at the start receive appropriate rest, meaning this is also training pure acceleration and speed. Once a defender and forward have had a go at a goal and long range point they simply filter to the back of the start queue and take part again. With the long range shot to the middle of the field goals ending in the other half of the field. The supply of ball flows from end to end.

n ON THE LOOP

5-10 minutes

Many attacking players who receive the ball right out on either wing 10 to 40 metres from goal often pass the ball back to a team-mate or up the line (straight) to a teammate or take on one or several defenders or hit a diagonal ball across field/goal. ‘On the loop’ scores can often maximise a teams performance but players may never have considered or been exposed to using it. To train for this, best done in the 4 wing areas of the field at the appropriate distances in a small sided 2v3 game rather than 15 a side. To start , attacker A has the ball out near the touchline between 10-40m from opposition goals. Further out the field (20m away) and further inside the touchline (20-25m away) like so: ‘A’ starts the small sided game by calling ‘Game On’ and while doing so he immediately passes to ‘A2’. Both under pressure from defenders ‘A1’ heads directly and then cuts across the front of ‘A2’ in a ‘loop’ fashion. On rounding ‘A2’ and completing the loop as ‘A2’ passes to ‘A1’ . The shot for a score is on as ‘A2’, more often than not can spread himself after passing to block the runs of both defenders towards ‘A1’. An obvious call between payers is ‘loop’ or a call of their own or use a different call each actual competitive game to avoid notice.

n COOL DOWN

5 minutes

The cool down consists of some gentle running, some static and dynamic stretches.

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14

sessIon 14

a session for goalkeepers

This session is divided into four parts: 1.

Part 1 is a warm up without the ball work from Chapter 11 plus an activity on handling and how to land properly when diving. This will replace the ball work in Chapter 11’s warm up.

2.

Part 2 is called a score of activities for goalkeepers to prevent scores. This section details 20 exercises, of varying lengths of time, most of which will be decided by the coach. The exercises used from this section are optional as there are 20 exercises.

3.

The 3rd part of the session details 5 games which are played 15 a side but have an inbuilt emphasis on the coaching of the goalkeepers.

4.

The 4th and final part is simply a cool down of three minutes.

n WARM-UP

15 minutes

The goalkeepers warm up is exactly the same as the non-ball work part of Chapter 11. The end of the goalkeeper’s warm up is one exercise in four parts developing the keeper’s first touch and landing ability. The four parts can be called sitting, kneeling, crouching and diving. The coach can feed the ball up to 25 times depending on what he wants. Sitting: the keeper sits facing his coach with his legs facing out. The coach does not make him overstretch; the ball is simply thrown to the keeper’s left or right where he can fall to catch the ball. The ball is thrown to the left and right alternatively. The goalkeeper should try and land on his shoulder or hip to ensure the elbow closest to the ground does not hit the ground thus causing the ball to spill out of the keeper’s hands. The next time he does the same from a kneeling position and then a crouching position. Finally the keeper is in a standing position and must dive to get the ball and ensure that his whole body goes over the line or a second ball or line placed in the direction of the keeper’s dive. So in other words he starts on one side of the ball or line and finishes on the other side of the ball or line.

n A SCORE OF ACTIVITIES FOR GOALKEEPERS TO PREVENT SCORES

3-7 minutes

The score of activities for keepers to prevent scores involves 20 exercises. The exercise can be from 3-7 minutes at the coaches’ discretion. To do them all would be too long for a normal session.

1. The pendulum leg swing - If mastered will help the goalkeeper to spring back up quickly after making a save, to guard his goal or to make a second save. In the goal mouth or between two cones the goalkeeper crouches and is ready to make a save.

The coach stands a few metres away directly facing him and simply throws the ball to either the keeper’s right or left. The keeper will dive using either the lower or upper hand. As he hits the ground with his shoulder and hip, the first falling leg stays flat on the ground the other leg forces its self upwards, in other words when he hits the ground he does splits with his legs. Once he saves the ball he swings the leg in the air back towards the ground forcefully. This provides the swing to allow him to get back up immediately. The amount of time depends on the coaches discretion.

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2. The Charlie Chaplin dive - This involves diving with the feet at 180 degrees from one another, that is heels and toes on both feet are in a straight line. Have the keeper stand with his toes facing towards the coach originally, the coach throws the ball right or left and the keeper dives to save the ball, do this several times on each side. Then repeat this accept this time have the keeper face his toes outwards towards the posts. Then ask the keeper which feels the most comfortable and efficient stance you will find it is the Charlie Chaplin stance. This stance can also be used as an ideal stretch for the hips.

3. The top hand diving save - This is more efficient than the under hand save it has more reach and can get a more powerful touch on the ball. To get the keeper to feel the difference initially get the keeper to make 3 or 4 saves either side with his under hand. Then repeat this again, accept this time use the upper hand. The keeper will then find they have a more powerful save and greater reach with the upper hand. There are four ways to practise, one is sitting down where the ball is thrown to either side of him and he pushes it away with his upper hand. Other ways to practise involves the same exercise accept the goalkeeper is kneeling, crouched or standing. Can be done up to 25 times on each side.

4. The dive and smother - The goal keeper is in the goal mouth or between two cones. 5 coloured cones (yellow, white, red, blue and a green) are staggered 3-5 metres in front on him. The coach throws the ball to the goalkeepers left, the keeper saves the ball and gets back to his feet, as he gets back to his feet the coach shouts the colour of a cone, the keeper must then dive on the cone that the coach shouted smothering it.

The ball is thrown alternately left and right, and a different colour of cone is shouted each time. A variation of this is to put a marker at either side of the posts so that his initial dive must carry him to this marker.

5. Rapid shots - There are two versions of this. This involves the goalkeeper in the goal mouth (goals without nets) or between two cones/poles. The goal keeper has two feeders, one in front of the goals and one behind the goals. The goal keeper initially faces feeder one he throws the ball to the right, left, high and low at sufficient speed to work the keeper. As soon as the keeper saves these 4 balls he turns to face feeder 2 who does the same. The coach can do up to 10 rapid shots and then change the goal keeper. The second version involves 3 poles or cones, so that the goals are arranged in a triangle where all sides of the triangle are 5 or 6 metres.

The exercise involves 3 feeders and an active goalkeeper. Each feeder faces one side of the triangle. The goalkeeper must make a save from one feeder and immediately be ready to make a save from another to his right or left, depending if they are going clockwise or anti-clockwise. Can be done up to 9 or 12 saves and then switch keeper.

6. Backward goal line saves - There are two versions. The first is in the regular goals. The keeper stands facing outfield in the centre of the goals standing on the middle of the 6 yard line. The coach stands slightly further out from the keeper and on the call lobs the ball over the keeper and tries to throw it so it is just dropping just under the crossbar. The keeper must get back as quickly as possible to clear the line. You should encourage the keeper to run back ways or reverse when making the save.

7. Reverse goal line saves - The second variation is when the coach stands 6 or 7 metres away from the goals facing the black spot with a number of balls beside him. The keeper starts at one post. On the call the keeper comes across the goal at speed, as he passes the middle of the goals the coach throws the ball to the post he has just left and the keeper has to reverse dive backwards to save. Repeat this on both sides. Encourage the keeper to use the Charlie Chaplin stance when moving across the goals aswell. These exercises can be done for as long as coach decides.

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8. Double saves - This involves two poles 8 metres apart; there are also two more poles placed 1 metre inside the outer poles.

So there is a set of 8 metre goals with a 6metre goal inside it. It is in that 1 metre outer space that the coach will be targeting his shots. There needs to be two feeders facing the goals, with the goalkeeper between these set of goals. On the call the feeder can either throw it fast or kick it fast. The coach will have to determine the pace of the shot and the distance from which they throw it. The feeders are spaced so that they are both inline with one of the 1 metre spaces. On the call feeder 1 kicks the ball at the left space, as the keeper saves he must quickly make his way laterally across to the right to make a second save from feeder 2. It is up to the coach to determine what the time between both shots is best to work the keeper.

9. Lateral running saves - Involves normal or pole goals.

Involves two or three feeders and a goal keeper. The exercise starts with the goalkeeper going laterally across the goals. The 3 feeders are placed to the right, centre and left of the goals.

As the keeper is moving laterally right across the goals the feeder on the right may take a shot, after the keeper makes the save allow 3 seconds and the feeder from the left takes a shot, followed by the feeder at the centre and so on. The number of shots taken is at the coach’s discretion.

10. Saves when dealing with crosses - Again this involves 2 or 3 feeders. One of the feeders kicks the ball across the goals from the wing; the keeper must come off his line and make the high catch from the position where he is positioned.

To increase the difficulty the split second he makes the catch from one cross he must kick it away and get back to his line to receive a cross from the far wing. The 3rd feeder may be positioned centrally where he can throw the ball over the keepers head, so that the keeper must run backwards to clear his line.

11. Double and triple saves - This involves 1 keeper and up to three feeders. The keeper starts moving laterally along his line. There is a feeder at an angle to the left hand post, 15-20 metres away, the same at the right hand post and finally a feeder 15-20 metres straight in front of the goals. It starts with a direct shot from the feeder in the centre; as soon as the keeper has made the save another shot is made almost immediately from one of the angles, followed by a shot from the opposite post or centre again. The feeder gives the call “score” as he is taking the shot. If there is a second keeper, change over could be after 5 or 6 shots.

12. “Feel for saves” - Involves 1 keeper and 1 feeder. Feeder is 8 yards in front of the goal and will throw his shots forcefully. The keeper is positioned in the middle of the goals. For the first 3 or 4 shots the coach will shout “left” and will aim his shots for inside the left post. After the coach has thrown 3 left and right the keeper is then asked to stand in the centre of the goals with his eyes closed. He must keep his eyes closed for the duration of the save. The coach then gives the shout “left” or “right” and once the coach makes the call the keeper must instinctively dive to the left. Shots must be kept low. After he makes the save he positions himself in the centre again closes his eyes and waits on the call again.

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13. Rope saves - Involves a rope tied to one post and held firm by the coach at about a metre and a half above the ground, a height at which the keeper can duck or crouch under like a boxer. The rope can be straight out from the goals or at an angle inwards from the post. When the coach shouts go the keeper moves laterally across the goals ducking laterally under the rope. This “ducking movement” involves the keeper half or quarter squatting. There is another feeder standing at the middle, about 7-8 metres from of the goals. The coach will give the call “save” as the keeper is moving laterally across the goals and it is up to the feeder to shoot at the appropriate moment. The number of times it is done is down to the coaches’ discretion.

14. Piggy back pursuit saves - Involves 2 goalkeepers. One goalkeeper is giving a piggyback and is leaning slightly forward with one foot in front of another like a boxer, with a ball in his hands. As soon as the other keeper touches his back the keeper rolls the ball towards the 13 metre line. The keeper who jumps on and over his back must then clear the ball before it reaches the 13 metre line.

Keepers then switch roles.

15. Closing out the forward saves - The activity can be used to lead into the concept or prompt game beat the keeper. The goalkeeper stands in the middle of the goals. There are lines outlined at about 6 metres, 8 metres and 10 metres. There are 4 or 5 cones set across the goals; each cone will mirror the run of a player running towards the keeper. Start with the inside line first. The ball is given to a forward on that line and the goalkeeper must immediately close him down. After the 6 efforts are done move onto the 8 metre line and after this the 10 metre line. As the forwards move out a line they have more time on the ball, meaning the keeper must be quicker off his line. This game can be done from 3-7 minutes.

16. Lateral Ladder run to save - A fast feet ladder is placed across the goals to finish level with a post. A forward has the ball 20 metres from the goals. On the coach’s call “score” the goal keeper must move laterally through the ladder as fast as he can, at this stage the forward has begun to solo towards the goal. The keeper must try to finish the ladder and be ready to make the save before the forward reaches 8 metres from goal. The forward must shoot wherever he is when the keeper exits the ladder or at a minimum distance of 8 metres. The exercise is done 6 times from the right post and then 6 times from the left post. There is only a short amount of rest allowed between sets of 6. Number of times it is done depends on length of time allowed.

17. Lateral runs through the ladder to make a save - Same procedure as the previous game accept when the coach gives the call “score” The Player counts out loudly “1, 2, 3”, when he reaches three he takes one step forward and blasts for goal, by this time the keeper should be out of the ladder and be ready to make the save. The forward could be told to shoot to the opposite corner from which the ladder is coming or leave it at the discretion of the forward. Again repeat 6 from each post.

18. Over the hurdle pass and save - Goals are made of two poles 8 metres apart. At the centre of the goals 1 metre behind where the net would be there is a 20 inch hurdle. If there are two keepers one keeper holds the ball as high as he can above the hurdle. The other goal keeper comes running from behind the hurdle; he then jumps over the hurdle catching the ball as if he is catching a cross.

After he lands he takes a step forward and passes the ball to a forward who is about 10 metres in front of the goals. As soon as the forward receives the ball he immediately takes a shot, the keeper has that split second to stop his run and adjust to make the save.

Keepers can be alternated every shot or every 6 shots depending on the coaches discretion.

19. Developing accurate kick outs - This teaches keepers to kick various distances with as little run up steps as possible. It is best to have another coach or keeper present so they can point out different pointers. Things that should be looked at are how many steps are taken, pointing the toe down, Striking the ball with the laces. The smaller the angle from the ball the straighter and more accurate the kick. Starts with both keepers setting the ball on the 6 metre line and with no steps they must kick the ball over the bar. Then repeat this from the penalty spot and 20 metres out, still with no steps. Then move out to 25 metres allowing 1 step if necessary, by the time they reach the 45 allow 2 to 3 steps. The exercise can continue out to 60 or 70 yards, while still

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trying to take no more than 3 steps back. The speed of the swinging leg generates the power. The number of times it is done is down to the coach and goalkeepers discretion. Every time a shot is missed the coach and keeper should outline the reason why, there might be several reasons or there might be one common reason.

20. End line as an extension of the goal line kick outs - The keeper places the ball on the end line at certain distances from the post for kick outs. The first kick should be 10 metres from the right or left post. The aim is to hit the ball straight and hit the post. So repeat this kick at 15.20,30,35, and 40 metres. Depending on the width of the pitch you may be able to go 50 metres. This is a very good exercise for free kick takers. Player’s chest and kicking foot should finish facing the post. Again if a player misses or makes a poor effort record the reason why. This can be done as long as the coach or keeper wants.

This ends the score of activities for goalkeepers to prevent scores.

n FULL 15 A SIDE GAMES FOR GOALKEEPERS

10 minutes

To finish the session are the following 5 games for goalkeepers: they are 15 a side game where the emphasis can be on outfield matters, but part of the emphasis must be on monitoring the performance of the goalkeeper. All of these 5 games should be for at least 10 minutes.

Game 1. Double or quits for goalkeepers - This game is a goalkeeper’s version of the double or quits game which is found in the set pieces Chapter (Chapter 10) of this book. This time the emphasis is on the keeper. Each time the goalkeeper’s team scores a point, the keeper must then score a 45 in order for that score to count. If he misses the point is wiped out. If the goalkeepers team scores a goal the goalkeeper must save an opposition penalty kick in order for the score(goal) to count. If he fails to, neither side is awarded a goal. This is best when it is 15 a side. Double or quits could be operated for both forwards and goalkeepers at the same time.

Game 2. Bubble and Squeak - This is an ideal game from u-16 up. It is the most elementary way of teaching kick outs. It is best done with 15 a side. To begin with one of the team is chosen. This team must then between themselves name one player “bubble” and one player “squeak”. The first kick out is going to “bubble”. The rest of the players can make dummy runs to make a diversion. The second kick out goes to “squeak”. The 3rd kick out can be hit straight out the middle so that there is no obvious pattern. If the allocation of “bubble” and “squeak” is alternated this requires greater concentration. After the 10 minutes you may discuss with the other team how they found your kick outs, was it easy read?

Game 3. 1-0 game for goalkeepers - This is really a game within a game. Every kick out that finds a teammate goes down as a score.

It is important take note of how the kick is collected and the outcome. The breakdown of a kick out may not be the goalkeepers fault and the receiver may be to blame. Every 5 kickouts the keeper has a self appraised notion of how well kickouts are going.

Game 4. Preventing daisy goals - This is similar to the daisy goals game for forwards in Chapter 12. It can be played 15 a side, half pitch, or across the pitch. The same principal applies which is there is tape across the goals at a height of inches and the only goals allowed are one that pass underneath this tape. This is excellent training for stopping these low hit shots. The keeper will start to realise his method of falling, use of hands and feet stance. The coach should take note of how many daisy shots were saved by the keeper out of 10.

Game 5. Preventing goals with small sided games - The first small sided game is called stop double goals: it is a cross field game, no more than 7 a side. There are two 6 metre goals 5-10 metres apart at both ends of the field. Each goalkeeper must guard both goals at either end. For the 3-10mins the goalkeeper must guard 2 goals. This involves constant concentration. How defenders cover back is also important. The second small sided game is similar to the prompt games activity- scoring practise. There is a feeder coach. There is a forward 20 yards from goal with another defender staggered a step behind it at an angle. The defender calls “score” the forward goes in to take his shot on goals while being tracked by the defender. The defender must get the ball then and try and work the ball to the opposite 20 where there are two players lined up the same while being tackled by the forward. The activity is operated at both ends of the field. The emphasis is on the quality of the saves by the goalkeeper. This can be done from 3-10 minutes.

Finish off with a 3 minute cool down and that is the end of the session for goalkeepers.

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15

sessIon 15

Discovery learning coaching through problem solving and Questioning

The Chinese philosopher, Confucius said of learning. ‘I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.’

Modern teachers and coaches have added a statistical dimension to this view of learning as follows: ‘Tell me and I forget, we remember 10% of all we hear; Show me and I remember, we remember 50% of all we see; Involve me and I understand, we remember 90% of all we do’. Implied in both views is that ‘telling’ and ‘showing/demonstrating’ are not the most effective ways of producing learning through coaching/teaching. Involving the student in the process is THE EFFECTIVE way but caution must be exerted here. French philosopher Jean Michel Foucault advised ‘Teachers/coaches know WHAT they do; teachers/coaches frequently know WHY they do what they do; BUT what they don’t know is what they do DOES’ Implied here is the notion that teaching/coaching are ineffective unless there is a way of finding out what exactly the student/player is able to do after having been coached/taught. What is important is that although the coach may have delivered a ‘good’ session, the session will only be effective if the player has learned and is able to apply in the future in competitive games what has been coached.

Consider the continuum of learning matrix called a ‘sense of learning’

A SENSE OF LEARNING Means Motivation Attitude Relationship Evidence

Memorise Extrinsic Compliance Dependant Copy (Mimic) shallow (What)

Reflect Intrinsic Interpretative Interdependent Understand Deep (how)

Intuition Authentic Creative Independent Able to Do profound (Why)

1. Shallow Learning - The ‘What’ of Learning Here, players learn by ‘rote’ learning by memorising what they’ve been TOLD to do. Their motivation is driven by the coach telling them what to do, e.g.: run to cone A, pass to B at cone B on the way etc. The players attitude is one of compliance, i.e does what he’s told without understanding. From these sessions the player is left dependent on instruction from the coach on the sideline. His learning is shallow because although he ‘knows’ what to do, he can only ‘copy’ or ‘mimic’ what was being done in training as he has no understanding of ‘HOW’ he should do something and he can’t apply himself to any task without instruction from the coach. Players here struggle through games with the coach saying ‘we lost because the players didn’t do what I told them’

2. Deep Learning - The ‘How’ of Learning Learning here is deeper because there is interaction between coach and player through questioning. The player is encouraged to answer questions until he/she understands ‘what’ and ‘how’ they should do what’s being coached. With this approach their motivation comes from within and their attitude is now one of wanting to learn as they are encouraged to interpret the session for themselves through skillful questioning and answering until full understanding of what is going on is achieved. They now know what and how to do what is being coached but although they ‘understand’ what and how to do something, they still need that INTERDEPENDENT relationship with the coach to keep developing.

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3. Profound Learning - The ‘Why’ of Learning Players have become authentic learners and become ‘best learners’ as they now are self taught. Coaches here encourage players to become independent through their own intuition and research. In doing so they become creative in attitude and come back to the coach (now simply a mention) saying ‘wait to you see what I’ve done’. Their learning, understanding and ability to do is now profound as they know what, how and why to do something in games. As the coach watches competitive games he sees his player now playing with flair, on fire and in the zone, (in remembering 90% of what he/she has worked on). Essentially the coach is now redundant as his player is at the top of his game and sport. There is no point in coaching unless the teaching you do helps the student to overtake you.

‘GAME SENSE, DISCOVERY LEARNING COACHING’ This is my way of taking players along that continuum of learning. Game Sense, DLC is an approach to coaching using games, in particular the ONE RULE game, as a learning tool to: (i) Increase motivation from intrinsic to authentic. Players love to play games. (ii) Develop tactical and strategic thinking (iii) Develop game-paced skills. The ‘one rule’ game, like all of the games in this book, sets ‘one rule’ above the normal rules of gaelic football that encourages players to deal with the rule in their own way- there is no right way, there is the players way and no wrong way as the player simply keeps dealing with the rule until he is effective in his play when forced with the challenge of the rule in future games. In other words, players are challenged to think about WHAT, HOW and WHY they are doing something.

The specific process in this approach has 4 objectives: (a) To engage the player in a particular process of discovery based on a relationship with the coach which is at first interdependent and ends ultimately with the player learning independent of the coach. (b) To precisely develop this coach/player relationship between the players discovered response and stimulus (activity and/or questions) presented by the coach eg: the ‘one game rule’ eg: ‘5 to 2’. (c) To develop sequential discovery skills that logically and progressively leads to the discovery of a concept (see the two examples detailed later in this chapter). (d) To develop the patience in both the coach and the player that is required for the discovery process..

Game sense, DLC has a coach/player relationship which through a combination of meaningful questions and ‘prompting’ information and using Holistic (big-picture) thinking guides the players to discover and learning so as to empower them to be an initiative, authentic, creative and independent thinking player, able to do all that they need to and more in their team game.

The Coach’s Role in Game Sense, DLC • The coach enables discovery rather than directs it.

• Coaches need to develop the skill of teasing out the ‘required’ outcome, eg: In ‘switch play’ game, the last pass ends in front of the goals with well-timed and well worded communication. Thus coaches must be skilled in the art of ‘asking meaningful questions’ and with good timing opportunity giving ‘prompting’ information which helps players answer the questions.

• Coaches need to design games that produce the desired outcome through experiential learning as in all the games in this book. This gives players the opportunity to practice problem solving and helps them to become more able to solve challenges/problems that arise in competitive games.

• Knowing some of the questions is better than knowing all of the answers as asking the right questions takes as much skill as giving the right answers.

A Game Sense, DLC Session Template • • • • • 62

Warm up – (15 minutes) • Warm up game – (7-15 minutes) Questions/challenges – (3 minutes) • Return to game – (7-15 minutes) Questions/challenges – (3 minutes) • Extension of the game – (10-25 minutes) Repeat above cycle, adjusting times used. • Cool down- 3 minutes.

Total time:45-79 minutes or if cycle is repeated 75-143 minutes.

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TWO WORKED EXAMPLAR SESSIONS SESSION 1 n KICKING TO KEEP POSSESSION

15 minutes

Recently I was asked to take a minor team for a session on kicking. Before we started I gave their mentors and each player an A4 hand out on the breakdown of a kick.

The heading on the sheet were as follows.

• Where kicking fits in the brain • Motor development • Mechanics of a kick • Types of kick. This was based on the clock effect and the foot angle/leg length effect • Uses of kicks • Categories of kick • Common errors Knowing that kicking was already embedded into the players muscle memory, the session’s theme became how does their present standard of kicking affect the quality of the game they play? And so began four games of problem solving discovery.

Game 1 The first game was five to two. If a team gains possession in their own half they have up to five passes to score and up to two passes if possession was gained in their opponent’s half. The game went well with scores usually taking the five passes, few took four, and four times in nine minutes teams were blown up for taking six passes. In the question and answer sessions with the players and mentors, they realised their game was laboured, full of short passing and vulnerable to being turned over and most attempts at goal were inside 30 metres. Overall their short game was good, but they hadn’t understood the concept of five to two. Asking them to continue only taking three passes with the allowed five they agreed to try. The game now became more expansive. There were scores sometimes within two passes. They were willing to take risks with the kicking and when we debated again they realized their concentration, control and confidence were better. Scores were coming from long range and in close-thus defences were being stretched. They were now adding a long ball dimension to their game and they felt better.

Game 2 The second game moved the need to develop a long game on that bit further. Those who know how I colour code the pitch into three parts: keep ball, set-up ball, score ball, can use this game. Each team had two passes to exit the keep ball zone; Five seconds to get through the set-up zone; and only one pass allowed in the score zone. Thinking levels escalated, the game was faster, communication plentiful and more chances created. Long kicking still had its flaws, but was better in quality and was now the order of the game and they had not once been instructed to use long kicking. They responded simply to the extra rules of each ten minute game.

Game 3 The third game-nine seconds to score, no matter where possession was gained on the field-now introduced a real game of pressure and yet although there were times when things such as skills, passing, first touch etc didn’t go as expected the young players control on the ball confidence in playing and concentration in application was clearly much better. Game calls were now being devised for the future so that patterns of play would be automatic.

Game 4 The fourth game of five versus five inside the three zones saw end-to-end long kicking up and down the field from zone to zone. This proved the more difficult as players were waiting on the end of the zone for a shorter pass or the kicker felt obliged to kick high overhead to team mates. The real learning experience was the need to develop the ability to thread long, lower passes to team mates between opponents in order to retain a 100 percent possession advantage. As this game went on concentration levels reached a peak.

When the session finished the players realized it had more to do with their mental abilities of concentration, confidence and control than kicking. They realised that while thinking drives a game, skill underpins it, long and short. But then what’s in a kick?

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examplar sessIon 1 KICKING TO KEEP POSSESSION n SAMPLE GAMES n WARM-UP Sharp with evasion rolls and kicking

DISCOVERY GAME 1: WHERE IS OUR KICKING AT NOW? 15 minutes

n 5 TO 2 Full field, 15 a side game 2 rules • If you gather possession in your own half your team has up to 5 passes to score.

• If you gather possession in your opponents half, no matter where about, you only get 2 passes to score.

Players learn quickly (from mistakes) that long passes are needed in certain situations. Eventually this game will develop so that both teams will be able to play only 3 passes down the length of the pitch. You can have your own conditions on the game. For example the goalkeepers kick out can be regarded as the first pass. 3 x 5 minute games, 5/2 pass rule applies in all 3.

First game, full rules. Second game, players only allowed 3 seconds on the ball. This generates huge speed of thought.

Third game, introduce the concept of switching the play i.e. no passes are allowed down the same wing. To help this game the coach might mark the pitch out like a swimming pool, so players can pass from zone to zone and know an angular pass has been made.

DISCOVERY GAME 2: HAS OUR KICKING VARIED/CHANGED? n 2-5-1 This is a variation of the three part pitch game found in Chapter 3 (pg 18). It is ideal for developing long kick passing and long range scoring without ever mentioning the phrase “long kicking”.

It is played full pitch 15 a side. The rules are that within the ‘keep ball area’ of the field the team in possession is only allowed 2 passes. If they keep possession into the middle part they must go through the set up area to get the ball out of the set up part in 5 seconds. Once the ball is given into the scoring 3rd of the field there is only 1 pass allowed.

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7-10 minutes

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DISCOVERY GAME 3: UNDER PRESSURE, HOW IS OUR KICKING? n 7 SECONDS TO SCORE

8 minutes

The time of 7 seconds can be changed accordingly to suit age and ability.

Crisp accurate passing, movement off the ball is what the coach is trying to breed. The game is started with the ball being thrown up in the middle of the field and as soon as either team gets possession the coach immediately shouts out 7,6,5,4,3,2,1. If the team doesn’t score within 7 seconds they are penalised and the other team gets possession. Once a player from the other team gets possession from an interception or a kick out there is a new set of 7 seconds allocated.

Play four 2 minute games of this. (Depending on ability of teams, coach will know how many seconds needed to score e.g.

7, 8, 10 sec. to score)

DISCOVERY GAME 4: CAN WE USE ACCURATE KICK PASSES? n ZONE TO ZONE

9 minutes

3 zones laid out (see diagram). To make a pass from zone to zone players will need to play a 20 – 40 yard pass. Composition of each group can be mixed. Each group plays in each of the zones. Goalkeepers are involved.

The game begins with a throw ball. The team that gains possession can attack either end. Once they have possession in the end zone they must kick it back to the middle zone, where it’s worked to the other side.

This is an intense game; breeding movement, long range passing and players having to get on the ball. Played in 3 x 3 minute games, to allow each group get the experience of playing in each zone. No points, goals only. Goalkeeper plays for the team in possession each time, to practice working the ball out.

n COOL DOWN The cool down consists of some gentle running, some static and dynamic stretches.

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SESSION 2 n AUDITING YOUR PERFORMANCE I was asked to take a session with an U/16 team, the mentors asked how they could improve the quality of their play. To find out what the session would target under quality of play the following issues were raised: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Intensity of play First Touch Speed of thought Telling movement

5.

6.

7.

8.

Ability to make significant runs Advantage ball passing Maximising scores.

Overall game, including tactical and game sense awareness.

The mentors and players accepted the idea to use performance audit as a means of solving these issues. Information, including an assessment score out of ten, would be recorded on each issue dealt with. Information from the players would come by questioning and feedback on how they felt they had played while the coaches would report back on what they saw. After the warm up, the session spent 24 minutes-eight games of three minutes duration looking at the different challenge elements one by one.

The order of the elements looked at where listed earlier in this article. After each three minute game questions were posed - answered by players on how they felt and by coaches on what they saw. Everyone looked for as many positives as possible first before debating one or two things that the players might need to fix in the next game. For all eight games only the normal game rules of Gaelic football are applied.

By the end of the eight games and their discussion afterwards, players and coaches, separately as groups, recorded the following reassessment for the order of elements listed earlier in the article.

Players: 5,4,4,3,5,2,1,8 Coaches: 4,3, 4, 3, 4, 3,0,0 Thus for first touch-second challenge on the earlier list-players thought they were four out of ten but coaches scored them three out of ten. In most the players had scored themselves higher than the coaches. Then the players were put through eight more three minute games except this time each game had an extra rule above normal game rules to play to.

The eight extra game rules played one game at a time were: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Three seconds on the ball.

First touch had to be perfect.

Give and go in support immediately.

Switch play with all passes angular, not straight line.

On the run only passes given this way were allowed, as standing still to deliver or receive passes was penalized to a foul blown as in all eight games per rule.

Give the ball before you’re hit (no running into tackles).

A score in any three consecutive attacks was needed.

Vision - absolutely no noise of any kind for communication.

After positive discussion of each game the following scores were now given for the quality of play for each element.

Players: 7, 6, 8,5, 8, 6, 6,7 Coaches: 6, 6, 7, 6, 7, 6, 5, 5 Thus players had felt they had improved from 27 out of 80 in total to 53 out of 80 while coaches viewed improvement as going from 21 out of 80 to 48. Over the course of the session both coaches and players saw double the improvement in their quality of play.

Discussion afterwards on all aspects of their game through the course of the session - physicality, intensity, technique, tactical, mental and game sense - was positive and long...too long for this article!

Try a performance audit with your team.

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examplar sessIon 2 AUDITING YOUR PERFORMANCE n SAMPLE GAMES n WARM-UP

15 minutes

National League Game (See page 17)

PART A: AUDITING OUR GAME AS IT IS NOW Normal Game Rules Only Total Time: 36 Minutes (a) Intensity of play - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (b) First Touch - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (c) Speed of Thought 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (d) Telling Movement 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (e) Making significant runs - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (f) Passing accuracy - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (g) Taking scores - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes (h) Team Play - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes

PART B: AUDITING OUR GAME AS WE RESPOND TO ‘ONE RULE’ GAMES TO DISCOVER/ LEARN GAME CONCEPTS (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

Intensity of play - Three seconds rule - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes First Touch - First Touch - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes Speed Of Thought - Give And Go - 3 minutes +1.5 minutes Telling Movement - Switch Play - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes Making Runs - On The Run - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes Passing Accuracy - Use Advantage Ball - 3 minutes +1.5 minutes Maximising Scores - 1:3, In three - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes Team Play - Vision - 3 minutes + 1.5 minutes

n COOL DOWN

3 minutes

The cool down consists of some gentle running, some static and dynamic stretches.

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THINGS FOR COACHES TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF IN THE GAME SENSE, DLC APPROACH. A. Technique With game sense, technical skills eg kick passing, high catch are modified individually during game situations or in ‘one on one’ clinics away from games BUT NEVER in group drill scenarios. Factors to consider include: (i) Change needs to improve skill in game context either by individual conditioning or applying a ‘one rule’ game. (ii) Time involved, to the players benefit only. (iii) Player confidence - praise and challenge approach.

B. Tactical The coach creates the game, rules, modifies or extends to exaggerate or emphasise particular tactical aspects. E.g.: Playing area size (grid, cross field, half field) • Scoring areas and size of goals • Equipment used • Number of players etc

C. The Development Of Session ‘Games’ The coach should ask of themselves: • • • • • •

What are the skills/tactics I want to emphasise?

What will be the main challenge/problem?

What are the rules/boundaries?

How can I extend the game?

How can I include all participants?

What are some of the key questions I need to ask?

The coach can then ask these questions of his players to assess their thinking or the coach can ask the players to join him in facing the questions, (questioning will be dealt with in greater depth in Chapter 16)

D. Questions Relating To Aspects Of A Teams Game For example, questions can relate to tactics as follows: • Timing – When will you….?

• Space – Where is…..?

• Risk – Which option….?

Game sense, DLC sessions are primarily a method to help all involved with a team- management, coaches, backroom and playing squad, question and problem solve together so that all know what (the direction), how (understanding) and why (application of) they want to develop their style of playing. This is active coaching.

The next chapter will involve playing games to research, assess, analyse and create ways (games) of strengthening their strengths and fixing what needs to be fixed by what is termed Integrated Coaching.

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16

sessIon 16 integrated coaching

Teams can start sessions with a fifteen-a-side game before undertaking speed work, grid work, small sided and conditioned games and finishing with another 15-a-side game. ‘Whole to part to whole’ coaching it could be suggested.

Sessions can also start with speed work, technical work, grid work, small sided and conditioned games to then end with a fifteen-a-side game - ‘part to whole’ coaching this time.

‘Chapter 15’ advocated starting with a game followed by feedback, asking questions before setting new challenges the one rule game approach to then play another fifteen-a-side game and once again asking questions and setting challenges before repeating the process for the duration of the session. This is game sense, discovery learning coaching the subject of Chapter 15.

All of the discovery learning techniques and processes detailed in Chapter 15 can be used in the three session templates used to open this chapter. In essence, game sense discovery learning (DLC) is simply:‘Putting in place all of the parts of the way you want your team to play’ Parts like: 1) Four overall game systems e.g: 2-up

3-up

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4 on a dice

Literally there are many game system plans that can be put to paper 2) You can then operate four game plan/system as a defensive system, an all-out attacking system based on ‘man to man marking’; A mix of both these systems, a counter attacking system, a ‘Route-one’ direct system using Target man or alternating target man etc; Many systems may include a double centre half or sweeper (not the same) or overlapping half backs or blind side running midfielders.

3) Your game system tactics within the operation of the system e.g. a kicking game, a long ball and short ball game or a mix of a short ball (passing) game, ‘man to man’ marking, blanket, defence, sweeper, target man, overlapping half backs etc 4) Your game principles to underpin your game system e.g. No fouling, no running into tackles, switching play, supporting the ball at pace, taking/giving passes on the run etc.

5) Perfect technique, bilaterally.

6) Set piece plays e.g. kick-outs, sideline frees, free kicks in open play, throw-ins etc.

All of these parts can be coached using Game Sense DLC, but this book through it suggested 16 chapter titles and accompanying games has concentrated on the development of Game System Tactics, underpinning game principles, perfect technique and set piece plays as they are common and prescriptive in nature to competitive games.

Choosing and developing an overall Game System shape and how it is to be operated is down to the creative and original thinking of a team’s Manager/coach, and to detail how it can be coached would require a ‘coaching book’ on its own. In considering the game system you want your team to play, it must be remembered that like any system there are parts to it - Inputs, Processes and Outputs.

Outputs are your vision e.g. an All Ireland title/ provincial/ county title but also include your developed systems of play.

Processes are simply the sum of all the elements that NEED to be coached or attended to produce those developed systems of play, essentially the games of this book or these activities are the coach’s own making.

The inputs include equipment, back up staff, training facilities etc but the most important input in relation to developing game systems is the playing squad, the players. It is paramount that every coach/manager knows the strengths (and things to be fixed) of every player in his squad and then ensures that each individual and then each other player knows their own strengths and those of their team-mates.

If this is not the case then it will be harder to implement a game system. Here are two challenges for the coach to tackle:

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1)

Do you know the strengths of each player in your squad and have you written these fully down on paper? Try it - Ink it, don’t think it!!!

2)

Do you intend to have (i) your players, by their strengths, fit into the system you want to play or (ii) developed a system which is built around or suited to the strengths of your players.

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Assuming then your game system and all its aspects are developed, in place and being made better, is your work as coach done?

Lets revisit French philosopher, Jean Michel Foucaults quote in Chapter 15. Yes, coach knows ‘what’ to do and coach knows ‘why’ he does ‘what’ he does. The question now is - does coach know what he does has actually done?

Thus: Discovery Learning Coaching is putting your game system in place and Integrated Coaching is finding out what you actually have put in place. It is a way of coaching to find out if what has been effectively learnt by the players and all concerned with the team need to know this. Integrated coaching has been effective before your team plays competitive games. Why? Consider the following: • During sessions up and down the country the elements of game systems, tactics, principles of play etc are being coached virtually in isolation.

• Consider grid work on defending and tackling. Often there is lots of encouragement and intensity but equally as often, with no official referee in attendance, ‘good practice’ is compromised and as a result ‘foul’ tackling is the end product and detrimental to the team in future competitive games. If its’ to be done at all do it right.

• Consider 15 a side games at training. Often there is no official referee, no umpires, no linesmen used and little, if any, statistical analysis taken on any element of the training game.

• A coach usually referees and other coaches observe and little if any concrete feedback is given.

• Are specific goals even set for the game. In other words, what is required from what is observed?

• Goals set or not set without measurement or feedback bear no fruit.

• During 15-a-side games in training while the consideration of fitness levels, tactics or elements of technique or game plan may be done, often only one aspect is emphasised to the neglect of others e.g. are we avoiding fouling? Are we keeping our shape? Are we maximising scores etc.

• In these games, often if a kick-out or sideline frees occurs it seems to just happen. No real attention is paid to their executionno scrutiny, no connection, no data taken. Yet these elements may cause defeat in a Sunday competitive game.

Two questions are now raised: 1) So how do we know what we have coached effectively? Do we have to wait until the competitive game before we find out?

2) How then do we find out before games? Is integrated coaching the solution?

The dangers to a teams competitive efficiency (how well we play) by not using integrated coaching. i)

Often players may say after a session, ‘a great session, really enjoyed it’ and the coach adds, ‘yes, there was a great buzz about the session’, but unfortunately for all, they discover on the competitive match day that little was actually put in place during those ‘great’ sessions.

ii)

Gaelic football is an emotional game played ‘subconsciously’ and ‘creatively’, without on-field analysis, using a ‘mental big picture’ of how to play in competitive games based on what was ‘put in place’ in training. If a ‘full’ big picture was not put in place in training then the team may not play well. Remember, ‘if you don’t train fully the way you want to play, you won’t play as well as you can!’

iii)

If not fully looking at what you’ve put in place, pre-competitive games, through ‘integrated’ sessions then in reality you can’t assess your full game and poor practice can creep in as a result.

iv)

If there are no linesmen or umpires when assessing if your coaching is having the desired effect, then arguments over whose line ball/sideline ball it is can create rows, ill-feeling and loss of focus in players. Arguing over whether it was a wide, a score or ‘45’ in training games with no umpires can cause similar negative interruptions-even the coach acting as referee can be turned on. This is not what you want to see in a competitive game. It is poor practice to allow it in training.

v)

If there is no official referee and the coach acts as referee there is a danger of a ‘blowing the whistle to start and end the game approach’ in order to increase intensity or positive aggression. This can lead to habitual ‘tackling’ in training which will in fact be blown up as fouls in competitive games by official referees. It can also breed a ‘half foul’ mentality.

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vi)

If kick-outs, sideline frees and other set pieces are not looked at in detail during rehearsal games as an integral part of the game, players do not receive sufficient practice to ‘habitually’ use them in actual competitive games.

vii)

Statistics on a teams game, especially at club, are commonly only first taken during a competitive game and results then are relayed back to players the next week before the next competitive game. All too often the statistical analysis feedback after games is dominated by negativity i.e. things to be fixed with little or no reference to things that went well as feeling they are not as good as they actually are. Confidence can drop as a result. Statistical analysis never revealed to players can be harmful.

These dangers raise 2 questions:1)

So how do we know what we have coached effective: Do we have to wait until the next competitive game before we find out.

2)

How then do we find out before games? Is integrated coaching the solution?

• Use on a regular basis when the team’s game system is well developed.

• Best used by the ‘full’ game approach of repetitive 15-a-side games, each game followed by questions and challenges.

• Involve everyone attending the session, you’ll need them, to act as umpires, linesmen, statistician to mirror the game.

Injured players watching can also be involved.

• The purpose of the integrated session is to assess how effectively your coaching is working in all facets of the game e.g.

Has what you put in place been put in place.

Personnel needed to operate an integrated training session.

These can all be recruited from within the ranks of the club e.g. interested under-age, coaches and supporters, injured players attending but unable to take part in field session, the clubs senior and underage referees as well as those who would act as ‘official’ umpires or linesmen on competitive match days, interested minor players are the clubs regular statisticians. As people like to be liked and needed, a general invitation to all club members or those with the club at heart can bring sufficient numbers to ‘operate’ the integrated sessions on a rota basis. (I’ve already used the integrated coaching approach with two club teams and one county team, each over the course of a season.) The above recruitment process can be easier when working with a county team.

The list of operating personnel is : 1) An official referee (on rota basis) 2) Umpires (either club umpires or ‘new’ recruits) 3) Linesmen (either regular club linesmen or ‘new’ recruits) 4) Senior Team Management and Coaching staff ‘Team-teaching’ and monitoring play in certain/specific areas of the field.

5) STATISTICIANS using regular club statistician ‘new’ recruits, injured players, under-age coaches and supporters interested in taking up the role. These will take stats across all the elements of the team’s game system. They can be used to give ‘feedback’ if required.

6) FULL MEDICAL BACK UP or as close to it as possible including personnel to test hydration levels pre-session if a ‘urine-sample’ test machine is available.

7) VIDEO ANALYSTS OPERATORS if able to do this is your club. Video views- behind goals and side on.

The Benefits of Using Integrated Coaching 1)

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Through Integrated Coaching’s use of official referees the bond between referee and player becomes strong as they develop an understanding and appreciation of each others role in the game. Players realise how really little they know of the full rules and referees realise that there is positive coaching going on. With two-way communication between them and referees involved in feedback on the rules and their effect on the team’s game systems, especially if the referee is allowed by coaches to officiate on some of the game system conditions; then a deeper understanding and development all round takes place. This approach is a model on how to develop a positive relationship between referees and players all over the country.

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2)

Using the full game Integrated Coaching approach of looking at all facets of your game and doing so statistically, allows coaches and their players to identify playing strengths, individually and collectively, and things need to be fixed before entering a competitive game rather than after it. With official referees etc in place the process becomes a ‘prevention rather than cure’ approach to development. It becomes easier then to flag up ‘one-to-one’ clinics for players either to strengthen the player’s strengths and also fix the areas needing to be fixed.

3)

Over time with in depth analysis of the statistics collected at training and competitive games, coaches, thinking creatively, should be able to make up their own games to promote development rather than having to ask others – ‘give us a drill/game’ or adapting from other sports.

4)

Integrated coaching is possible in a club or county team if coaches put their mind to it. For too long, coaching has sometimes been a ‘practice means permanent approach’ with poor practice and bad habits the result in part. Integrated Coaching in mirroring all that takes place in a competitive fixture- a full rehearsal in fact- takes on assessment of what has been put in place by a ‘Perfect practice makes perfect’ approach.

5)

Related benefits are the referees getting extra ‘game’ practice/training without the pressure of a competitive game. Under-age coaches and others recruited to help develop an understanding of the game through taking part in an involved way in training.

Suggested Sessions For Integrated Coaching A time frame for an Integrated Coaching could be one of the following three options: (i) 4x20 mins assessment games, with each followed by a brief ‘feedback’ highlighting things which had been ‘put in place’ which are working effectively as well as things which are not working as effectively as expected. Each team can then be allowed a brief period to address the feedback over the next three games. (ii) 3x25minute games. (iii) 3x30minute games.

With both approaches dealt with as option (i) Over the course of the session the four areas which needed to be put in place could be observed and copious statistics (on all aspects or a selected few) recorded to enable assessment of how things coached had been put in place.

The four areas are: 1)

Attacking play - Width, depth , penetration, tactics devised which produce scores, turnovers etc

2)

Defensive play - Width, depth in defence, man to man, zonal, blanket etc, ability to keep possession, recycling possession, ‘foul-free’ approach etc.

3)

Game management - Communication between players on field, between coach and players, between coach and the rest of management plus statisticians, degree of development of team’s own language i.e. the ‘association/associative’ words/phrases which trigger mental pictures of what was created in training so that they can play automatically and subconsciously; decision making and their putting decisions into action; smooth operation of set pieces; controlling the various mindsets associated with different ‘leads’ scenarios e.g. 7 up, 6 down, 4 up, 2 up, 2 down, level etc.

Ability and process of opening up a lead/ closing down a lead or a game, grinding a result, widening play or constricting/narrowing play depending on whether team or opponents are dominating play etc. ; Handling intensity of play or periods of sustained pressure or stalemate in a game; expecting the unexpected e.g. responding positively to having a ‘man extra’ or ‘a man short’.

4)

Set piece play - Throw-ins, kick-outs, sideline frees, free kicks. Using integrated coaching, assessment of what’s been put in place, is at its most meaningful if there is a full complement of officials in post, i.e. a referee, linesmen, umpires, management, coaching staff per team statisticians and medical back-up to mirror the conditions of a competitive league or championship game.

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The operation of the assessment game is down to the discretion of the management, coaching staff either by: (i) Methods of their own choosing. (ii) Using games directly or amended to suit from this book. For example, when assessing sideline frees, the sideline free kick game (1-2-3) in Chapter 10 can be used but only take a sideline free, either team, if their opposition shoots wide. This corresponds to the first half action of the defending team only in the game description in this book. (iii) A mix of both (i) and (ii) operation methods.

The operating methods used must ensure an uninterrupted flow to the game, without feedback given until the allocated periods e.g. after 20 minutes, 25 minutes or 30 minutes from the various game time frames.

A possible session using games from this book Assessment of: 1)

Set pieces: Games from Chapter 10 plus throw-in plays of the coach’s own creations

2)

Defending Play and Tactics: Use any game from Chapter 2 or the games Keep Ball Everywhere(Back Door) or Possession Hurts from Chapter 5 and games from Chapter 12 e.g.

3)

Attacking Play and Tactics: Use ‘5 to 8’ from Chapter 1, ‘4 to score’ from Chapter 5, all the games from Chapters 9 and 12.

4)

Skill: e.g. If targeting kicking use ‘5 to 2’ or ‘Break-Ball Midfield’ from Chapter 1.

5)

Game Management: If targeting the use of principles of play to underpin your game then use individually or collectively all the games in Chapter 3 plus ‘3 part pitch’ passing from Chapter 12; the ‘3 part pitch’ games from Chapter 3; the principle of defence from the brown ball. ‘step up’ and partners games in Chapter 7, handling pressure using the ‘7 second to score’ game in Chapter 8, for game shape management use ‘Croker’ from Chapter 8.

We were all born with the natural gifts of high self esteem, the ability to question and problem solve, the ability to be creative in order to find solutions. If we develop ‘how we play’ through Game Sense Discovery Learning Coaching (DLC) and assess ‘how well we’ve coached how we play’ through Integrated Coaching we are on the road to fulfilling our vision.

With integrated coaching, all involved by its inclusive nature and approach will see a heightened development of all those recruited to help in the process. Why? Simply because when one tries to take the best out in someone else, we find we usually take the best out in ourselves.

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notes

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notes

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Advanced Game Sense Cover Jan 23 with spine_Cover 05/03/2013 10:13 Page 2

ADVANCED GAME SENSE! ISBN: 978-0-9557650-2-5 Concept devised by: Gerard O Connor Written by: John Morrison Edited and Designed by: Gerard O Connor Typesetter: Cormac Ryan Proof-reader: Eimear Dignam Printed by: Pixelpress Genprint, Dublin Copyright: Dublin G.A.A 2013

Advanced Game Sense Cover Jan 23 with spine_Cover 05/03/2013 10:13 Page 1

16 sample gaelic football sessions to play the game

16 sample gaelic football sessions to play the game

ADVANCED GAME SENSE is a book designed to assist coaches in team preparation.

It provides 16 practical sessions for coaches/managers to follow, each session is designed to focus on a particular theme and take your coaching to a new level. Sessions are flexible and adaptable depending on the level of your team.

As a coach, to achieve success, keeping your sessions interesting and focused is really important. Coaches need to develop the art of teasing out the answers rather than telling through problem solving situations.

ADVANCED GAME SENSE sets coaches on their way to start thinking along these lines.

The book aims to: • Provide a template and layout for coaches, covering all areas necessary for a good training session.

• Give practical ideas through games based training for coaches.

• Help coaches focus on a specific theme throughout the training session. These include: - Individual & Group Defence - Support Play - Penetration, width and depth in attack and many more.

- Break-Ball Games - Concept/Prompt Games

What they say: “Advanced Game Sense is a brilliant book for any coach; it has loads of Variety and is well presented” Eugene Young, Director of Coaching and Games Development, Ulster Council “Advanced Game Sense is an essential resource for any level of coach.

The broad range of topics covered really mirror what happens in the modern game of Gaelic football and the book is creative in its approach. You will use this book over and over” Paul Earley, Irish International Rules manager.

Written by JOHN MORRISSON, one of Ulster’s leading coaches and devised by GERARD O’CONNOR, Games Manager, Dublin GAA

John Morrison