Here is a collection of great ideas for planning, fitness, skills and games for your pre-season preparation, whatever age and level of player you coach.
Get the detail right when coaching skills and everything will fall into place. Let's look at what players should do just before tackling a ball carrier. MORE
Got the lungs burning? Now it’s time to get those brains whirring! Put the players in lots of different scenarios which match possible situations they might face in a match to help them think about their options. Decision-making exercises mean that your team will have to connect with each other, communicate and discover what works best. MORE
We can all remember an inspirational figure in our sporting lives, someone who has made a difference. Now you are a coach yourself, you have the chance to be that figure for someone else. What a privilege. Also, what a responsibility. That means that good coaching and management comes from hard work and choosing the... MORE
Every team wants to start the season well. Use these sessions to build your players’ form and fitness so that they are ready to go on that first whistle. MORE
A session ideal for pre-season or in-season if you need to reconnect your players with their handling and pace onto the ball. Accurate passing is essential to maintain a flowing attacking move capable of exploiting mismatches and space. Look at the detail as well as the outcomes. MORE
Whether it’s in pre-season or you need a boost during the season, use this series of three sessions to ensure you have a strong scrum base. Here are the first two weeks. MORE
Here is a circuit that allows you to train the core running skills – changing direction, changing pace, turning, accelerating and running backwards or sideways. It is good for a pre-season or in season MORE
Here's an example of a mind-map preparing for a season. It's the starting point for a discussion of what needs to be covered and who's going to cover it. MORE
Develop good spacing in the attacking line to spread the defence and then find gaps. This activity starts the process by pulling attackers out of position and forces them to adjust. The development is ideal for the next stage of Return to Play. MORE
Does your team train like Tarzan and play like Jane? How can you up the intensity in training to replicate more match-like conditions? Try a colour-coded session. MORE
Develop your players’ go-forward skills with evasion in this competitive scenario. It’s easy to set up and you can add lots of variations. Even though some of the players will “cheat” by not exactly stepping to the side of the cones, their swerves and go-forward will help them replicate these skills in a match situation. MORE
Use this fun warm-up game to test the players’ passing, evasion and decision-making skills. The defenders use rolled-up socks as cannonballs, though they could equally use rolled up bibs. Thanks to Ray Smith who coaches with the Old Reigatians Girls for the inspiration for this activity. Set up the pitch, with a safe zone to... MORE
Don’t leave key decisions on your day-to-day coaching to chance. If you think you will be able to use common sense when something happens, you could be fooling yourself. MORE
