Coaching Points
Place the sole of the foot on the top of the ball and gently push it forwards or pull it backwards, try to keep the ball close to the body at all times so that it is under your control. Be aware of the space around you by looking up to see where the space is. If the ball runs away too quickly, you can trap it with the sole of your foot so that it stops moving. Put your arms out to the side to help you to balance.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you dribble the ball forwards with the sole of the left and right foot in sequence?
Silver Challenge
Can you dribble the ball backwards with the sole of the left and right foot in sequence?
Gold Challenge
Can you dribble the ball forwards for 6 rolls and then backwards for 6 rolls without the ball stopping using the sole of the foot, with both the left and right foot in sequence?
Coaching Points
Put your arms out to the side to help you balance. Move slowly with control, putting your foot flat on the floor.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Complete the task 50 times
Silver Challenge
Move in slow motion 30 times. So that you move for longer than 3 seconds on each step.
Gold Challenge
Teach somebody older and somebody younger than you how to play.
Coaching Points
Try to make the centre player move by faking throws, once they are moving or jumping in the air, it is much harder for them to change direction, giving you an easier target to aim at. Follow through with the throwing arm to point at the target, this should give you more accuracy.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Complete 10 successful hits on the centre player
Silver Challenge
Stay in the centre for 1 minute without being hit
Gold Challenge
Score 3 hits in a row or stay in the centre for 3 minutes without being hit
Coaching Points
Aim to bounce the ball just over the half way point between you and your partner so that it bounces up into their hands.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Catch 8 in a row from 6 steps apart without moving your feet
Silver Challenge
Catch 12 in a row from 6 steps apart without moving your feet
Gold Challenge
Catch 20 in a row from 6 steps apart without moving your feet
Coaching Points
Hold the racket firmly, keep your eye focused on the ball and strike the ball in the centre of the racket.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Practice this activity with your dominant hand.
Silver Challenge
Practice this activity with your non dominant hand.
Gold Challenge
Once you have struck the ball, practice different methods of traveling to gather it up again.
Coaching Points
Ensure the person you are passing the object too has a good grip before you release. Stay focused on the task and work as a team.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Practice this activity with at least 3 other friends using 3 very different objects.
Silver Challenge
Can you complete this activity passing two objects down the line at the same time?
Gold Challenge
Can you complete this activity using only one hand throughout?
Coaching Points
Place your arms to the side to help you balance and put your standing foot directly behind the cone, with a slight bend at the knees. Try to stand up tall without leaning your upper body forwards. Push your weight through the standing foot and gently touch the top of the cone. When you jump and switch, try to land both feet at the same time. You could ask a friend to hold one of your hands to begin with.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Jump from one foot being on top of the cone to the other, without knocking the cone over.
Silver Challenge
Jump from one foot being on top of the cone to the other, without knocking the cone over.
Gold Challenge
Jump from one foot being on top of the cone to the other, at the same time as switching your hands over from one being on your head and the other being on your stomach, without knocking the cone over.
Coaching Points
To begin with, take smaller and slower steps to gallop until you have mastered the movement. Using a large hoop will be easier. Try to focus your gaze at a fixed object and make sure you stay facing that object throughout the movement. This activity is difficult as it requires your body to move in multiple directions at the same time as you move around the circle e.g. sideways and backwards.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Silver Challenge
Gold Challenge
Coaching Points
Practice moving the hands from the top of the head to touching behind the body as quickly as possible without a ball, to familiarise the arms with the movement. You could then practice by standing closely to a wall with your back facing towards the wall.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Complete 5 in a row
Silver Challenge
Complete 10 in a row
Gold Challenge
Complete 15 in a row
Bronze Challenge
Can you pass the hoop around the body in both directions?
Silver Challenge
Can you continuously pass the hoop around the body whilst moving from a standing to a seated position?
Gold Challenge
Can you pass the hoop around the body whilst balancing on one leg or with your eyes closed?
Coaching Points
Throw the ball high above your head to give you time to focus on timing the jump and catch. Why not record yourself to see if you are jumping to early, to late or just in time!
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Complete the task 6 times in a row
Silver Challenge
Teach somebody else how to play the game, they must complete 6 in a row
Gold Challenge
Continue the activity for 60 seconds without stopping
Coaching Points
When you drop the hoop from above your head, make sure your body is tall and straight to allow the hoop to fall.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Practice moving from one place to another lifting the hoop over your head and stepping out of it again. Can you compete in a race against a friend lifting the hoop over your head and stepping out again?
Silver Challenge
You can decide the start and finish line!
Gold Challenge
Can you move through the hoop balancing on only one leg when you step out of the hoop?
Coaching Points
This activity s all about controlling the power you put into your strike. A longer arm swing will increase the speed that you strike the ball with and make it travel higher into the air.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Set yourself a time challenge to complete with your favoured hand. The big strikes must go above the height of your eyes and the small strikes must fall below the height of your eyes.
Silver Challenge
Set yourself a time challenge to complete with your least favoured hand. The big strikes must go above the height of your eyes and the small strikes must fall below the height of your eyes.
Gold Challenge
Challenge a friend to see who can perform the most big and little consecutive combination strikes.
Coaching Points
Balance on one leg and curl the toes up so that the hoop is hooked on the foot. Gently rock the hoop so that it sways and then quickly begin to make small circular movements with the leg so that the hoop spins around. It helps if your arms are extended out to keep your balance and you use a smaller hoop to begin with.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you get the hoop to spin on both your left leg and right leg?
Silver Challenge
Can you spin the hoop clockwise then anticlockwise without putting your foot down on the ground on both your left and right leg?
Gold Challenge
Can you spin more than one hoop on your legs at the same time?
Coaching Points
Throw from close to the hoop to begin with, stepping further away to challenge yourself. Make sure you have a good grasp of your beanbag, standing side-on and are using your non throwing arm to aim towards the hoop. Swing the arm smoothly forwards, so that it passes by your hips. Release the object when it is out in front of the body, roughly level with your eye line.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you score 10 times through the hoop using an under arm throw?
Silver Challenge
Can you score 10 times through the hoop using an under arm throw with your non dominant hand?
Gold Challenge
Can you score a streak of successful under arm throws, greater than your age?
Coaching Points
Hold the hoop in your fingertips and rotate your wrist in one direction. Move your feet out of the way to give the hoop plenty of space to spin. Untwist your wrist as fast as you can, lifting your hand upwards as you release with your fingertips.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you spin the hoop around with your dominant hand?
Silver Challenge
Can you spin the hoop around with your non dominant hand?
Gold Challenge
Can you spin two hoops at the same time; one in each hand?
Coaching Points
Place your arms to the side to help you balance, place your standing foot firmly on the ground just beside the cone with a slight bend at the knee. Try to stand up tall without leaning your upper body. Push your weight through the standing foot and gently touch the top of the cone with the other foot. When you jump and switch, try to land both feet at the same time. To begin practice using smaller cones that are closer together before increasing the distance and size of the cones.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you jump all the way down the line of cones without knocking any over?
Silver Challenge
Can you jump all the way down the line of cones twice in a row without knocking any over?
Gold Challenge
Can you jump all the way down the line of cones three times in a row without knocking any over?
Coaching Points
Place the front edge of the hoop on top of one foot and stand with the feet side by side. To get the hoop to move around, simply move the foot with the hoop on forwards so that it clips the back of the other heel. This will set the hoop in motion, simply lift the standing foot as the hoop comes around. Try to get one revolution, then two in a row and so on until you have mastered the movement.
You will need:
Bronze Challenge
Can you swing the hoop around your left foot and step over it with your right foot continuously?
Silver Challenge
Can you swing the hoop around your right foot and step over it with your left foot continuously?
Gold Challenge
Teach a friend how to perform this skill!