1. Day 4 Planning a Program
When you begin planning for the upcoming season try and keep the following thoughts in mind
No individual has the same physical and mental capacities at any one time. You must identify and consider the levels that your athletes are at.
Evaluate the social, physical and mental maturity of your athletes. The question is how?
Some athletes need extra help and some will require additional challenges. Therefore, the key is to identify the needs of your athletes and thoroughly plan.

2. Benefits of testing Predict future performances Indicate weaknesses
Measure improvements
Enable the coach to assess the success of the training program
Place the athlete in appropriate training group
Motivates the athlete

3. Factors Which may influence test/assessments
Ambient temperature, noise level and humidity
The amount of sleep prior to test
Medications
Athlete’s emotional state (test anxiety)
The time of day
Caffeine intake, last meal

4. Factors Which may influence test/assessments cont.
Test environment
Athlete’s prior test knowledge/experience
Accuracy of measurements
People present
Personality, knowledge and skill of the test administator

5. Organizing your practice The 4P’s Plan, Prepare, Perform, Post-evaluate
Segments are easier to manage than whole pieces
Break your activities into small chucks of 5 to 10 minute durations
Do this b/c you can allow athletes to achieve success at simple task then move them on to the next level
Attention spans are less likely to decrease olver short amounts of time
More slot/changes also means more variety

6. Example of practice progression
Warm-up Component
Gets athletes prepared for the activity
Raises body and muscle temperatures (now being questioned to the validity
Start slowly and gradually increase the pace and metabolic rate
Increase flexibility – from general stretches to sport specific;

7. Review of Previous learning/skills
Make use of drills that have been previously learned or that practice fundamental basics
Use adaptations of previous learning by allowing for progression on levels of difficulty that build on the fundamentals or previous experience

8. Teaching new skills or refining old
Describe the new skill (see teaching new skill)
Pick 2 or 3 teaching points to highlight
Use drills that allow for the development of the new skill
Ensure full participation - no one should be standing if possible
Use plenty of positive feedback and encouragement (IT IS NEW)
Modify activities as athletes improve

9. Game Simulations and Conditioning
Simplify game scenario – reduce plating space, the number of athletes, rules and equipment
Try and incorporate fitness into the activities NOT AS A PUNISHMENT NEVER AS A PUNISHMENT

10. Cool Down
Decrease the intensity of the activities slowly and gradually
Use stretching (static = slow without bouncing)starting with the major muscle groups used in the activities then the secondary muscle groups

11. Closure/review Review the practice with the athletes
Prepare the athletes for their next practice
Evaluate the practice either as a group or individually as coach (coaching staff)

12. Assessing your practices
Activities
Athletes participates continually, minimum waiting time, quick instruction and/or demonstrations.
Drills and activities changed on a regular basis, averaging around 10 minutes or less
Drills developed a progression – easy to more difficult; fundamental to more complex

13. Assessing your practices continued
Variety
Skills are practiced using an assortment of methods
Fun activities should be used to break up times of intense effort or focus
Change up routine at times – try something new, modify the rules and/or equipment, different positions etc.

14. Assessing your practices continued
Organization of practice
Produce a plan for the day and season
Start and stay and finish on time
Have the facilities ready for activities or delegate to players or other people when appropriate

15. Teaching a new skill This can be achieved by various methods:
Verbal instructions
Demonstration
Video
Diagrams
Photo sequences

16. Learning phase There are 3 stages in the learning phase
Cognitive Phase = Identification and development of the component parts of the skill
Associative Phase = Linking the components parts into a smooth action
Autonomous Phase = developing the learned skill so that it becomes automatic

17. A few questions to assess performance
Are the basics correct?
Is the direction of movement correct?
Is the rhythm correct?
Are faults present?

18. What causes faults?
Incorrect understanding of the movement by the athlete
Poor physical abilities
Poor co-ordination of movements
Incorrect application of power
Lack of concentration
Inappropriate clothing or footwear
External factor e.g. weather conditions, people present at practice etc.