Managing transitions
How do you navigate the space between activities?
A recent discussion on a Whatsapp chat has got me thinking about transitions between activities. How do you start a session? How do you move between activities Here are some of my thoughts:
Start the session off right
This can start before you’re physically on the pitch. Let players know what the main focus/theme of the session is.
I like to prime players in various ways. This includes giving clues on the team Whatsapp chat for players to guess the theme or activities, letting the players know the focus or a brief rundown of what to expect.
At training, I may also write the theme of the session on a whiteboard which players can see as they arrive. Early on in the session, typically after the warm up, I will recap what the focus of the session is.
This means that players are aware of the aims of the session and each activity can be introduced and discussed in relation to the theme.
Introducing activities
When introducing an activity, using the name of the activity helps speed up the process so that players aren’t stood getting cold. For example: ‘we’re going to play Saracens Ball’.
This method is effective if you keep using the same names for activities. Consistency is key.
When starting an activity off, I will quickly introduce it, check for understanding and do a demonstration if I need to. I find it’s important to not overload players with too much information at the start, especially around the ‘why’ of the activity.
Instead, I like to pause the activity halfway through or have a discussion at the end that helps players reflect on the why. This means players get start the activity quicker. It also means they don’t get given all of the answers.
When checking for understanding, I try to phrase the questions in a way that doesn’t shut anyone down if they do have queries. For example, I’ve found that: “does anyone have any questions?” is more open than “does everyone understand?” The first question invites discussion, the second may make it uncomfortable for anyone to say they don’t understand.
Taking breaks
Breaks in your session are important. Breaks can be in the middle of activities. They can be used to reflect on the ‘why’ behind the game, be used to chat to players and give them challenges, or be a chance for players to chat tactics amongst themselves.
Breaks in activities can also be used as water breaks (not a groundbreaking statement I know), but it’s important to view water breaks as an important part of training, not just a pause of training.
Water breaks provide players with time to chat to their teammates. They are social space for the team. You can give the team prompts for a water break or leave them open to chat. Some prompts might be: partner up with someone and give them some positive feedback or discuss the activity, or chat amongst your team to think through some tactics.
Using props to prompt
Earlier I mentioned using a whiteboard for when players arrive. Prompts can help transition players into activities. Whiteboards or laminated posters can have rules on them. Condencing an activity into 3-4 rules on a whiteboard, also helps me get ready to explain the activity.
You can also print and laminate a few copies and give rules to players to discuss in groups instead of explaining the activity. This gives you chance to go round, chat to players and check for understanding.
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