GAA Coaching

[Celt_Man]

Some excellent stuff there Zulu... Fair play

[Croí na hÉireann]

Is it recommended to get kids to warm up with squats, etc these days? We never touched the physical warmups until U14 I think, it was all ball based drills to warm up until then.

[neilthemac]

Is it recommended to get kids to warm up with squats, etc these days? We never touched the physical warmups until U14 I think, it was all ball based drills to warm up until then.

they can be used
though the lunge is a much better exercise as its more dynamic

Also, the beep test is available on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uJAsRoy0CU&feature=related

[Rasharkin Gael]

No problem with squats or other physical activities foe kids as long as you are only using their own body weight.

[AZOffaly]

No problem with squats or other physical activities foe kids as long as you are only using their own body weight.

I get them squat lifting 4 stone bags of spuds. They're as strong as little horses, but a little bit bow legged.

[Zulu]

Is it recommended to get kids to warm up with squats, etc these days? We never touched the physical warmups until U14 I think, it was all ball based drills to warm up until then.

they can be used
though the lunge is a much better exercise as its more dynamic

I wouldn't say the lunge is 'better', few exercises are better or worse than others, the value is dependent on the people who are doing it and the reason you are using it.

I should clarify is that I'm using squats, single leg balance and various lunges with 6-10 year olds to work on movement biomechanics rather than as strength exercises. I tend to use the squat as part of a warm up when we are moving on to the roll pick so the kids do squats and I correct their form and then we move on to rolling the ball to each other where the receiver squats down with hands between the legs and scoops the ball up to the chest. This way the warm up biomechanics are related to the ball skill biomechanics.

[Zulu]

I've used these games for both skill development and as warm up games. I tend to use warm up games to reinforce the skills we did the previous session so you can use these games at any stage in your session with a bit of tweaking. I rarely use drills with any age group, in fact I only use them to introduce skills so once that is done I hardly ever use them again.

1. HIGH CATCHING

Football tennis – teams on opposite sides of a line of cones, must throw the ball over the 'net' high in the air. If the ball touches the ground you get a score if it is caught you don't get a score. Make sure all players get the ball by making one pass compulsory or introducing more balls. You can also introduce a rule where a player catching a ball over their head means the kid who threw it is out and the winning team is the one with the most players left or knocks all the other players out.

HIGH CATCHING & KICKING

This can be developed by creating a 'river' with two lines of cones and players must kick the ball high over the river. You can only score if your kick is above the heads of all players. If a players ball is caught then they must sprint all the way around the court before rejoining the game. If you are indoors and have sponge balls it is worthwhile putting in lots of balls as this ensures everybody is getting plenty of kicking and catching opportunities with little risk of injury.

CATCHING & KICKING, WITH INCREASED DIFFICULTY AND DEFENDING

1.As above but have interceptors (3 or 4, depending on number of balls & kickers) in the 'river' area and if they catch any ball before it touches the ground the player who kicked it must sprint around the court before rejoining their team (alternatively they can sit out for 30 seconds).
2.The goal is simply to get the ball over the river and interceptors so make the river pretty wide for the player's ability. This game encourages distance kicking.


2. KICKING

1. Knocking the cone game – line of cones in the middle of court and 2 teams on either side of the court try to knock the cones by kicking the balls at them.

2.Teams have to stay behind a line a few feet away from the cones (how far depends on age and ability). Cones are clustered together in two's or three's to ensure the players have a good chance of hitting them.

3.Award 1000 points for each knocked cone and 10,000 for knocking them with a shot from weaker leg.

4.Set periods of the game, e.g. 45 seconds when players can only use weaker leg.

5.Develop by removing the cones and have players score by hitting a player on the opposition team with the ball by kicking it at them. If any player catches the kicked ball before it bounces the player who kicked it must sprint around the court once before rejoining their team. [Only to be done if you have sponge balls, which are well worth investing in]

2b. KICKING

1.Game is called bashball and only sponge balls can be used for this game.

2.Get 4 teams, 1 team must stand across the width of the court with their legs spread wide and the sides of their feet touching. A second team must stand a few feet away (distance dependent on age and ability) and they must kick the ball through the legs of the first team (who are faced away from the second team). The third team are on the other side of team 1 and they get the balls back to the kicking team (team 2). The fourth team count the number of 'goals' and watch for anyone crossing the line or breaking other rules like kicking from the ground.

3.Give 1000 points for every goal and 10,000 for goals kicked with weaker leg and the team with the most goals win. Don't call a winner unless a team of weaker players wins.


3. TEAMWORK, ATTACK & DEFENDING PRINCIPLES, HAND PASSING OR KICKING

1.Teams of 3-5 try to knock cones which are placed in a large-ish circle that's defended by 2-3 players. Each attacking player has a ball.
2. Attacking players can't enter circle and defending players can't leave it. Players can kick or hand pass the ball at the cones, depending on what you want to work on.
3.This game helps develop attacking and defending principles by teaching defenders to get between the cones and the attackers.
4.Develop to using less balls to encourage more team work and attacking strategies. Use one ball eventually and encourage the attacking team to spread out around the circle.

4. SOLOING/CONTROL & HANDPASSING

1 .STAR WARS  – 2 teams face each other in a square (size dependent on numbers).
2.Each player has a ball and they must try to knock out the players on the opposite team by hitting them with their ball through a handpass.
3.Players can move around the square in any direction but only by soloing.
4.Can develop this game by using weak hand only or by players having to hit their opponents ball not the player. Can also switch handpassing for kicking but only if using sponge balls.

4. SOLOING/CONTROL & HANDPASSING

1. Set up a circle of cones about 10m in diameter. 

2. One player stands in the middle, the rest space themselves out equally around the edge of the circle. The player in the middle receives the ball from a player on the edge, turns and passes to another player. As soon as hE passes the ball out, a second ball is played in from the edge of the circle. As soon as this ball is passed out to a player on the edge of the circle the first ball is played in again and so on.

3. The central player has to run quickly backwards and forwards to provide passes to the rest of the circle.
Swap players after one minute.

4. Develop by using weak only (for all players if you want) and/or making circle a bit bigger and having central play solo on receiving before passing to another player. You could also have the players on the edge pass the second ball around the circle as the middle player transfers the first ball.


5. KICKING AND SCORING

1. Create 3 zones on a small pitch (size of pitch & zones dependent on age group and ability), players start in zone 1 and the 4 goals are in zone 3.
2.Players divided into 4 even teams (or more) and each player takes a number.
3. Players solo inside the zone farthest from the goals.
4. When you shout a number that numbered player from each group has to break out of the zone.
5. They solo across the middle zone and shoot into any of the 4 goals on or before reaching the end of the zone.
6. If a player misses a shot they are out and go behind the goal to collect missed shots.
7. If they score the player collects their ball and returns to the soloing zone.
8.Play until the last three players at which point the quickest to score wins.
9. Alternatively, if a player misses they just don't get a score but make sure everybody is getting their turn, i.e. every number is called.

6. TACKLING

2 teams, 1 grid with cones randomly placed – 1 team hold the balls and stand on cones of their choice, other teams players must run around and touch every ball with right hand and then again with left, swop roles – now they must knock as many balls out of the hands of the other players who must hold the ball out with hands on the side of the balls, swop roles.

Develop to having 4 players with a ball each solo around the grid and one player must tackle them as often as possible in 30 seconds, using NEAR HAND only.

[neilthemac]

Hurling Warm up Games

1.   Relay Races (Straight line and Zig Zag). Have players run to the farthest cone in one position and back in a different position e.g. run in the ready position out to the cone and back in the lock position

2.   Colour Recognition (1). Have 3-4 players in the required number of groups. Put out three coloured cones spaced 5m apart in front of each group in the same order e.g. blue, red, and yellow. Call out a sequence of colours and each member of the team has to run to the cones in that order before returning to the group.
(a)   Players run in the ready position to each cone and back.
(b)   Players run in the ready position and touch the cones with their catching hand, back to ready position and onto the next cone.
(c)   Players run in the ready position and tip each cone in the lock position.

3.   Colour Recognition (2). Have 3-4 players in the required number of groups. Scatter cones around a given area in no particular order. Call out a sequence of colours and each member of the team has to run to the cones in that order before returning to the group.
(a)   Players run in the ready position to each cone and back.
(b)   Players run in the ready position and touch the cones with their catching hand, back to ready position and onto the next cone.
(c)   Players run in the ready position and tip each cone in the lock position.

4.   Flip Over- Scatter dome shaped cones around a small area. In a specified time (e.g. 1 minute) half the group must attempt to turn the cones upside down whilst the other half of the group turn the cones right side up. Children must run in the ready position and turn the cones with their catching hand only before returning to the ready position.

5.   Hurl Tag- Nominate 2 or 3 "taggers". All other children hold and run with their hurls in the ready position. Taggers do not have a hurl. When a child is tagged, they must freeze in the ready position. Children are freed when their team mate touches hurls with them in the ready position making an "X". Alternate taggers.

6.   Stuck in the mud – Nominate 2 or 3 "taggers". All other children hold and run with their hurls in the ready position. Taggers do not have a hurl. Once a child is tagged they must freeze on the spot in the ready position and spread their feet on the ground. The children are freed when another child crawls through their legs with their strong hand on the hurl and their catching hand free. Alternate "taggers".



7.   Tag Freeze - Nominate 2 or 3 "taggers". Taggers do not have a hurl. All other children hold and run with their hurls in the ready position. Three children carry a ball each in their catching hand. Once a child is tagged they must freeze on the spot in the ready position. The children are freed when a person with a ball hands it to them. The new person with the ball passes it onto another child to free them. Alternate "taggers".

8.   Ready-Lock-Catch – This game is based on the idea of Ship, Sea, Shore. There are 3 lines; Ready, Lock and Catch. The children start on the "Ready" line in the ready position. If the coach calls "Lock", all the children run to the Lock line in the Lock Position. If the coach calls "Catch", all the children run to the catch line in the Catch position. (Use other positions e.g. lift, ground block, hook)

9.   Dodge ball - Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. 2 or 3 children are given a sponge ball. They attempt to throw the ball at the other children. All other children hold and run with their hurls in the ready position. Once a child is hit with the ball they must move to the outside of the square and complete 10 jumping jacks before returning to the game. However, if a child blocks the ball with their hurl, they continue the in the game. Alternate children with the sponge ball.

10.    Ladder Work – Have the children run and jump through the ladders in various different ways holding the hurl in the ready or lock position. 

11.    Bib Snatch - Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. Have each child put a bib hanging out of their shorts. All players run in the ready position. Nominate 2 or 3 children to steal as many bibs as possible from the other children. The stealers must grab the bibs with their catching hand. Upon stealing a bib children are to go to the coach and give them the bib to leave at their designated cone. Most bibs stolen wins.

12.   Foxes and Chickens - Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. All players except for two dribble their ball around the square. The two players without a ball must tackle the others and flick their ball out of the square. When the players ball is put out the square they must stand out for 5 seconds before returning to the game. Swap foxes.

13.   Swap Over - Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. Each child has a ball. Players dribble inside grid. On coaches whistle players swap over balls with different player each time.

14.   Jab and Bat - Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. Nominate half of the group to jab the ball. The other half are nominated to bat the ball. When a player catches the ball after jab lifting it, they then throw it up for another player to bat the ball. Move to a different ball and repeat.

[AZOffaly]

Alright lads, logistical question for ye.

If you have 20-24 lads at a training session (under 14 level upwards) and want to run some of the drills like 6 scores, attack and defend, etc which are based on game type situations (like backs and forwards) what do you do?

For example, if I want to work on kickout strategy etc, I can line up goalie, 6 v 6 (or whatever) with midfielders and even half forwards/half backs on the other side of the field, and that will bring me to 23/24 no problem.

But if I want to work on some of the other games based on backs and forwards type scenarios, I can really only deply 13-17 at any one time (if you include goalies and midfielders. What do you do with the other 7 lads?

I've been thinking of running other drills with the 7, under the supervision of my other selectors, and interchanging often into the game drill. Or should I go with two versions of the main drill split into 13-15 and 9-11 respectively, with another coach overseeing that? I'm not a huge fan of either.

In most circumstances I have no problems working the numbers to fit the drills so shooting drills, passing drills etc are no problem. It's this type of scenario that I'm not happy with, because the sessions are losing momentum if a few fellas are working as 'ball delivery men' or the like. I want to keep everyone engaged and active.

How have ye other coaches worked this?

[brokencrossbar1]

Alright lads, logistical question for ye.

If you have 20-24 lads at a training session (under 14 level upwards) and want to run some of the drills like 6 scores, attack and defend, etc which are based on game type situations (like backs and forwards) what do you do?

For example, if I want to work on kickout strategy etc, I can line up goalie, 6 v 6 (or whatever) with midfielders and even half forwards/half backs on the other side of the field, and that will bring me to 23/24 no problem.

But if I want to work on some of the other games based on backs and forwards type scenarios, I can really only deply 13-17 at any one time (if you include goalies and midfielders. What do you do with the other 7 lads?

I've been thinking of running other drills with the 7, under the supervision of my other selectors, and interchanging often into the game drill. Or should I go with two versions of the main drill split into 13-15 and 9-11 respectively, with another coach overseeing that? I'm not a huge fan of either.

In most circumstances I have no problems working the numbers to fit the drills so shooting drills, passing drills etc are no problem. It's this type of scenario that I'm not happy with, because the sessions are losing momentum if a few fellas are working as 'ball delivery men' or the like. I want to keep everyone engaged and active.

How have ye other coaches worked this?

Get the spare ones to watch and give them the task of watching how many mistakes the person who plays in their position makes.  Use it as a training exercise to identify problems and come up with ways to rectify them.  Give them responsibility early on.

[AZOffaly]

That feels 'make work-y'

[brokencrossbar1]

That feels 'make work-y'

Slow on the uptake....what do you mean?

[AZOffaly]

Like the stone walls in Connemara, get them to do something, anything even if it's just to 'make work' for them.

[brokencrossbar1]

I tell you what you do, make the spare men as attacking half backs, defending half forwards.  Each one has a gate to start from, say 3 gates.  The ball starts from that gate and must be worked back to that gate but the pair that start with the ball must be the receivers.  If the defence get the ball through the gate they score and then you ca make it competitive.

[AZOffaly]

Yeah, that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of.