FINISH UP
Relaxation
Trust me!
FORMAT > WINDING DOWN
FORMAT > LOW-INTENSITY TRUST OR COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY
Choose one activity and keep it short.
Body parts – players shift
their awareness with
relaxed breathing to body
parts: Starting on the right
side – hand, lower arm,
upper arm, shoulder,
chest, back, hip, buttock,
upper leg, knee, lower leg,
foot. Then repeat on the
left side.
Try these:
1
Circle and push or retreat
FORMAT > SHORT FOCUSED CHALLENGE
An activity of anticipation – players can
do any of the following in attempt to
get their partner off balance:
> gently circle, hands touching
> push rapidly without warning
> pull arms away rapidly
without moving.
2
3
It’s a good idea to have a minimum
number of slow and relaxed circles
before pushing or receding,
e.g. 10 circles.
© 2015 AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION
SPORTING SCHOOLS
FINISH UP
Left or right
Left, right & more
FORMAT > RELAXATION - GENTLE STRETCHING - WINDING DOWN
FORMAT > RELAXATION - GENTLE STRETCHING - WINDING DOWN
For young kids learning their
left and right sides
5 Repeat from different positions –
e.g. on stomach or on L or R side.
1 Children lie on their backs –
move L or R arm or L or R leg.
2 Move R arm and L leg together.
3 Various movements: hand,
arm, foot or leg circles
(independently or together).
4 Touch opposites –
e.g. R hand to L knee.
Start with a circle – players stand
in a circle facing the back of the
person in front of them. Players
are close to each other with toes
of each player touching the heels
of the player in front. After a count
of 3, all players sit down slowly on
the knees of the student behind.
Players slowly stand up on a
count of 3.
Move body parts – players
perform limb movements lying
on their stomachs, backs or
sides. The activity combines
L-R awareness and the
moving of limbs.
1 Lying on back – raise one leg
and one arm off the ground
or one leg and both arms.
2 Lying on side – one foot to
one hand in front or behind.
Circle sit
S-T-R-E-T-C-H
FORMAT > COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY
FORMAT > COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY
Disguise it! – stretching for range of
movement is not a Playing for Life
objective. Choose activities where
the stretching is disguised in an
engaging activity.
FINISH UP
Video ref
Four corners
FORMAT > COACH FEEDBACK · SKILL REVIEW
FORMAT > SHORT FOCUSED CHALLENGE
Players choose a corner to stand
in and, as the game continues
based on the call, must move
to the middle.
What you need
> 4 markers placed on
the corners of a square
What to do
> Give names to each corner e.g.
Dragons, Raiders, Bulldogs, Titans.
> One player stands in the middle
of the square with their eyes
shut, counting down from 10.
> While the player is counting, all
other players walk to a corner.
> When the counter gets to zero,
they name one of the corners
e.g. Raiders.
> All players in that corner come
into the middle and count.
> Continue until all players
are in the middle.
Players mime specific sporting
scenarios (e.g. running, passing,
catching, kicking) in slow motion.
What to do
> Make a TV square with your
hands, as if asking for the video
referee to review the play, and
describe the scene (e.g. a player
dodges a defender then breaks
free and scores a try; a ball is
hit to short stop who fields the
ball and throws to first base).
> Players then mime the scene
in slow motion.
> Draw on an activity that has
been played in this lesson.
FINISH UP
Freeze frame
What’s ahead?
FORMAT > COACH FEEDBACK · SKILL REVIEW
FORMAT > INFORMATION SHARING
Provide a brief explanation about
the lessons to come and the
Playing for Life approach where:
Players freeze (become statues)
in certain positions.
What to do
> players learn skills by
playing fun games, and
> players develop the game
through setting the rules
and changing it to get
everyone involved and
make it challenging.
> You ask players to mime a
particular sporting action
e.g. passing, kicking or throwing.
> Players perform the action
until you call ‘FREEZE!’.
> You then look at the statues
and provide feedback
on their technique.
Puppeteer
FORMAT > RELAXATION · GENTLE STRETCHING · WINDING DOWN
Players act as puppets, moving their body
to your calls (you are the puppeteer).
What to do
> Players lie down.
> You pretend to be the puppeteer.
> Players are the puppets and they
respond to your calls.
> You say, ‘I am pulling the string to
your right arm now’ (so players
raise their right arm), ‘Now I am
lowering your arm and pulling the
string to your right leg’ etc.
> Gradually slow down the activity e.g. 10 circles.
© 2015 AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION
SPORTING SCHOOLS
FINISH UP
What did you learn?
Great work!
FORMAT > Q & A
FORMAT > ‘PAT ON THE BACK FEEDBACK AND ENCOURAGEMENT’
Examples
Reinforce key skill or tactical points.
Use:
> cue words, e.g. ‘When you... keep it smooth.’
> tactical tips – these can relate
to Ask the players questions,
e.g. ‘Remember when I
asked Mary, Kate and
John to show us....
What did you learn?’
> ‘Today I saw lots of examples
of players keeping an eye on
the ball AND their team-mates.
Well done!’
Link back to
previous sessions.
Highlight a skill or tactical play.
Similar to ‘What did you learn?’
but practical.
> Whisper to individuals or groups
to be ready at the end of the
session for a demonstration.
> ‘When you played... I saw some
great examples of... ‘(Feedback
could relate to kids fielding well,
moving into space, anticipating
the opposition etc. Use Ask the
players as a guide.)
> Individual feedback. Use
when appropriate. Emphasise
improvement rather than
best all-round performance.
Let’s see it!
Put it away!
FORMAT > SHORT FOCUSED DEMONSTRATION
FORMAT > USE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO PUT AWAY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS MARKERS AND MATS
> Gather everyone together. Say e.g.,
‘This group will demonstrate...’
> Emphasise one key point and 
keep it short.
Write this into your session plan.
The usual safety rules apply
such as safe ‘traffic-flow’, acting
sensibly and being aware of others.
Use it for:
> gathering markers, balls and
other small equipment
> putting away mats,
benches etc.
Use teams. For this to work well,
you need to be organised.
FINISH UP
What did you like?
Group balance
FORMAT > ASK PLAYERS
FORMAT > COOPERATIVE ACTIVITY
This is your chance to do some
‘customer surveying’. Ask for
feedback during sessions or at
the end.
> ‘What were your favourite
activities?’ (They will probably
need reminding about
what they did!)
> ‘What didn’t you like?’
> ‘What would you like
to do again?’
Using a long rope which is joined as
a circle, players lean back while
holding onto it using it as counterbalance. (Play in groups of 6–12.)
Make a note of the feedback
on your session planner.
What you need
> 1 long rope that is joined
in a circle, with ends tied
very securely
What to do
> Players stand evenly spread
on the outside of the rope.
> Players pick up the rope
and hold it at waist height.
> Shuffle backwards until the rope
is taut and in a perfect circle.
> Slowly lean back using the weight
of everyone in the group and the
rope as a counter-balance.
Change it
> While leaning out, ask the group
to sit down and stand back up
while holding the rope taut.
> After leaning out, ask players
to take one hand off the rope.
Safety
> Make sure players communicate
with one another.
> Everyone’s legs, arms and torsos
must be straight and locked out
for the circle to be strong.
> Only play if the group
is concentrating.