Teacher: Ms. Barry
October:
Fundamental Moving - Throwing and Catching
A child should learn how to throw and catch a ball from the age of three years old. A way to get a child to practice to throw and catch a ball is to throw them a balloon and they will not be afraid of it and it is very slow moving. Even though children should learn this skill from the age of three, some older children still find it hard to throw or catch a ball. In terms of the GAA this might leave Irish children reluctant to participate in sport which could lead to them being unfit or obesity. Three types of throwing are over arm, under arm and chest press.
Modifications
The drill/game that I would like to do in this training session with children can be done with bean bags and soft balls for children that find this fundamental skill challenging as they are light and soft and they will not be afraid of them. It can also be done with footballs or rugby balls for children that have a medium ability to catch or throw a ball and it can be done with tennis balls or sliotors for children who are confident in this skill.
Warm Up Game
As a warm up I have created a different series of games that involve throwing and catching. Three cones are placed in a line. Students start from the first cone. For the first game, one student must run to the middle cone. When they reach this cone a student at the first cone should pass them a football in a overhead movement, this will then be passed back until the they get to the third cone. When they get to the third cone the student at the first cone should pass the ball in an underarm movement, which will be then passed back. Every time a student should reach a cone a football should be passed to them and passed back. For the second game, the student should have a basketball. Every time they reach a cone they should bounce the basketball as high as they can while running. They should then jump up and catch the ball until they get to the next cone to where they will repeat this and return to the first cone.
For the third game a student should have a sliotor at the first cone. Every cone they get to they should throw up the ball and catch it at each cone as done previously. The aim of the games are not to drop the ball or not let the ball bounce twice (basketball). If a person drops the ball they are eliminated from the game. The group with the most people at the end of a set time wins.
Skill Learning Game 1
Each student should stand separate in an area with an area for themselves away from everyone else (more advances should stand further away from each other, beginners should stand reasonably close). Behind them they should have a hula hoop and a light object that can stand up but could be knocked easily e.g a pin. One ball should be used for this drill/game.
The coach/teacher should start in the middle of the children and throw a ball to one of them, from there the child should throw the ball using one of the fundamental throwing skills and try and knock over the pin that is in someone else's hula hoop. The other person should try and catch the ball thrown towards them to defend their pin.
Each person is given three strikes, if they drop a ball thrown towards them they loose strike. If the child drops it three times or their pin is knocked they are out. A coach/teacher can modify the game also. They can allow student to take steps forward depending on how many strikes they have left or if a child knocks another pin, the person who owns the pin comes and joins the child to help protect their pin. This drill helps children practice the skill of catching and the three fundamental throwing skills but in a fun way of learning.
Skill Learning Game 2
This game will help students to throw balls accurately at a target. Students are divided into two teams. Each team should be in a line facing each other with a wide area between them. A yoga ball should be placed in the middle on a line and each student should have a ball. Students should try and throw the balls at the yoga ball to try and get it to move to the other teams side. When all the balls are thrown the team with the yoga ball closest to them wins. The objective of this game to get a child to learn how to throw a ball properly and on target. This will also help children work together and tho think of the best order or way to throw the balls.
Skill Learning Game 3
This game is to help children move (run/walk) while throwing or catching a ball. Students should be divided into different groups of about five. The students should all form a very wide circle. Each student should be at a cone with a cone in front of them but not too close to them When a student has a ball they must run or walk. A ball should be thrown to a student to start off. The student should run past the next student in front of them to the cone in front of the front student but when they get to the front students cone they must pass the ball. As soon as the student catches the ball they must run and when they reach their first cone they must pass it back. The first student then continues on to the next cone. The team with all the students back at their original comes win.
Warm Down Game
Students should get into groups of three. Each group should have a sliotor a rugby ball and a football. They should spread out into a triangle. A student should start by taking large slow lunges with the ball around the triangle area throwing and catching it from each person using one of the three fundamental throwing and catching methods. If they do not throw or catch the ball correctly they have to start with the first ball again. When all the balls have been passed around, the team with the least amount of restarts win.
A child should learn how to throw and catch a ball from the age of three years old. A way to get a child to practice to throw and catch a ball is to throw them a balloon and they will not be afraid of it and it is very slow moving. Even though children should learn this skill from the age of three, some older children still find it hard to throw or catch a ball. In terms of the GAA this might leave Irish children reluctant to participate in sport which could lead to them being unfit or obesity. Three types of throwing are over arm, under arm and chest press.
Modifications
The drill/game that I would like to do in this training session with children can be done with bean bags and soft balls for children that find this fundamental skill challenging as they are light and soft and they will not be afraid of them. It can also be done with footballs or rugby balls for children that have a medium ability to catch or throw a ball and it can be done with tennis balls or sliotors for children who are confident in this skill.
Warm Up Game
As a warm up I have created a different series of games that involve throwing and catching. Three cones are placed in a line. Students start from the first cone. For the first game, one student must run to the middle cone. When they reach this cone a student at the first cone should pass them a football in a overhead movement, this will then be passed back until the they get to the third cone. When they get to the third cone the student at the first cone should pass the ball in an underarm movement, which will be then passed back. Every time a student should reach a cone a football should be passed to them and passed back. For the second game, the student should have a basketball. Every time they reach a cone they should bounce the basketball as high as they can while running. They should then jump up and catch the ball until they get to the next cone to where they will repeat this and return to the first cone.
For the third game a student should have a sliotor at the first cone. Every cone they get to they should throw up the ball and catch it at each cone as done previously. The aim of the games are not to drop the ball or not let the ball bounce twice (basketball). If a person drops the ball they are eliminated from the game. The group with the most people at the end of a set time wins.
Skill Learning Game 1
Each student should stand separate in an area with an area for themselves away from everyone else (more advances should stand further away from each other, beginners should stand reasonably close). Behind them they should have a hula hoop and a light object that can stand up but could be knocked easily e.g a pin. One ball should be used for this drill/game.
The coach/teacher should start in the middle of the children and throw a ball to one of them, from there the child should throw the ball using one of the fundamental throwing skills and try and knock over the pin that is in someone else's hula hoop. The other person should try and catch the ball thrown towards them to defend their pin.
Each person is given three strikes, if they drop a ball thrown towards them they loose strike. If the child drops it three times or their pin is knocked they are out. A coach/teacher can modify the game also. They can allow student to take steps forward depending on how many strikes they have left or if a child knocks another pin, the person who owns the pin comes and joins the child to help protect their pin. This drill helps children practice the skill of catching and the three fundamental throwing skills but in a fun way of learning.
Skill Learning Game 2
This game will help students to throw balls accurately at a target. Students are divided into two teams. Each team should be in a line facing each other with a wide area between them. A yoga ball should be placed in the middle on a line and each student should have a ball. Students should try and throw the balls at the yoga ball to try and get it to move to the other teams side. When all the balls are thrown the team with the yoga ball closest to them wins. The objective of this game to get a child to learn how to throw a ball properly and on target. This will also help children work together and tho think of the best order or way to throw the balls.
Skill Learning Game 3
This game is to help children move (run/walk) while throwing or catching a ball. Students should be divided into different groups of about five. The students should all form a very wide circle. Each student should be at a cone with a cone in front of them but not too close to them When a student has a ball they must run or walk. A ball should be thrown to a student to start off. The student should run past the next student in front of them to the cone in front of the front student but when they get to the front students cone they must pass the ball. As soon as the student catches the ball they must run and when they reach their first cone they must pass it back. The first student then continues on to the next cone. The team with all the students back at their original comes win.
Warm Down Game
Students should get into groups of three. Each group should have a sliotor a rugby ball and a football. They should spread out into a triangle. A student should start by taking large slow lunges with the ball around the triangle area throwing and catching it from each person using one of the three fundamental throwing and catching methods. If they do not throw or catch the ball correctly they have to start with the first ball again. When all the balls have been passed around, the team with the least amount of restarts win.
- Fundamental Moving:
- Running and Walking
- Throwing and Catching
September:
- GAA Future Leaders inroduction