Coaching snaps: Clear objective warm ups

Make your warm-ups more purposeful by using a clear focus while still activating the players’ minds and bodies with a fun activity.

Have a clear focus for a technique or skill in your warm-up. We can call this an objective.

An objective is something we want to look for, praise and encourage.

For example, set up a game of rugby netball.

Ideally, a warm-up game is quick to set up and is a game familiar to the players. That means you can focus on the skills information, not on how to play the game.

The skill information will help them “win” the game. It will make sense that if they do the skill well, it will score them more points.

Here, the skill is an early catch, which means they can pass more quickly. Quick passes shift defenders out of position.

A good skill point is the “W” hands shape.

That allows the player to catch the ball early.

CHECKLIST

1. What is your clear skill focus?
2. Does the game allow the skill focus to make a difference?
3. Is the game quick to set up and play?