CLUB COACHING RESOURCE

2017

“I LOVE WATCHING YOU PLAY”

Contents:

1. TRC Coaching Philosophy

2. Individual Skills Themes for Player Development

3. Principles of Play in Attack / Defence

4. Planning and Delivering your Training Session

a. Coaching Through Games

b. The Whole – Part – Whole

c. Progression and Regression

5. GOLDEN RULES FOR COACHING CHILDREN (APES)

6. STAGE 1 (U6 to U8) FUNDAMENTALS OF RUGBY

7. STAGE 2 (U9 to U12) LEARNING TO PLAY

8. STAGE 3 (U13- Islanders) DEVELOPING THE PLAYER

TRC COACHING PHILOSOPHY

MISSION: We are here to ensure our players have fun playing the game, are continuously improving their skills and that they get a lifelong love of rugby and a pride in being a player for TRC. • Ensure the players have fun! It’s a game…. • All players must get game time……it is nice to win, but even better when all players

get game time and can improve their skills. • Do not focus on the A team players. Improve the standard of all players, they can all

be A team players! • We are a community club where the coaches are volunteers. We will provide

support to help us develop our skills to be better coaches. Better coaching, better skills - this is how we will win games!

• As coaches demonstrate and encourage respect, fair play, and humility at all times.

• Coaching effort should be 100% in encouraging players and teaching them how… • It is never appropriate to swear or yell at the children….enthusiasm, brevity and

clarity works better. Safety – Preventative Measures and Proper Technique • We have a duty of care as coaches to ensure we manage risk in training and

playing appropriately. • All our coaches must be RUGBY READY • We will only ever play a child in the front row who is SCRUM READY • Always enforce the concussion guidelines and remove any player from the game

who has symptoms. Each coaching session should be APES:

• Active • Purposeful • Enjoyable • Safe.

Good coaching requires the ability to: • get the best out of ALL players • continually improve ALL players • develop techniques into skills (by placing players into game situations) • develop players ‘game sense’. • see what is right and praise it • see what is wrong, recognise why it is wrong; and knows how to correct it.

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Individual Skills Themes for Player Development

As a club we will work to develop the four key individual skills and build these into the unit and team skills building as teams train. These key skills are chosen to help build a game structure that develops and challenges individual players and their skills, at all levels in our club:

• Hand Catch / Grab

• Ball Presentation

• Offload

• Individual Tackle

These skills are vital if players are to:

• Have the option of attacking using the whole width of the field

• Speed up the contact area when tackled

• Speed up general play when on their feet in front of and in between defences

• Improve the most important aspect of their defence

As Coaches this will help us refine our skills to:

• Focus on technical detail

• Observe and analyse critically

• Provide high quality individualised feedback against specific key factors

• Correct faults as a result and highlight good practice

• Successfully implement and develop club’s style of play / ethos

• Develop more skilful, successful and fulfilled individual players.

SKILLS COMPETENCE

The coaching of skills should be developed through game-sense or whole-part-whole coaching and effective warm-up and cool-downs.

• Handling and Passing – controlling the ball in two hands, passing in all directions including the lateral pass

• Catching - early hand catch, high ball, above head (jump and catch), low catch

• Running - evasive skills, how to dodge and evade defenders

• Defending - tackling, competent in the individual tackle technique for the front, side and rear tackle (all players should be introduced to contact in U8)

• Teamwork - how to attack and defend as a team, go forward, communication

• Continuity - keeping the ball alive

Principles of Play in Attack / Defence

Attack

1. Gain Possession ~ (Hand Catch)

2. Go Forward ~ (Hand Catch / Offload / Ball Presentation)

3. Support ~ (Hand Catch)

4. Continuity ~ (Hand Catch / Offload / Ball Presentation)

5. Pressure and Points

Defence

1. Go Forward

2. Support

3. Apply Pressure (Individual Tackle)

4. Regain Possession (Individual Tackle)

5. Attack (Hand Catch)

GOLDEN RULES FOR COACHING CHILDREN (APES)

Active • Use small-sided games / activities that include everyone, are enjoyable, have an

element of competition and develop players’ skills. • Encourage skill learning for everyone, slow starters could be successful later • Keep activity levels high _ less talking, more activity

Purposeful • Only focus on one or two key factors at a time • Involve players in their own learning through asking questions

• Allow all players to experience every playing position, the prop of today could be the scrum half of tomorrow!

• Rugby is a late specialisation sport, so no need to pigeon-hole players into position too early - if you do so you may actually be limiting their development .

• Use a range of different coaching styles during sessions • Review your session through self reflection, discussion with other coaches and

players

Enjoyable • Ensure you plan your session, keep it fun and enjoyable for all. • Provide variety from session to session and don’t deliver a session that you

wouldn’t enjoy taking part in yourself . • Think about the long term effects of your coaching, avoid a ‘win at all costs’

attitude • Reward effort as well as achievement. • Ensure players understand that success comes from working hard to be better

players, not just winning • Promote respect for opponents, match officials, opposing coaches and

spectators

Safe . • Ensure sessions and practices are safe, ensure you attend the mandatory Rugby

Ready practical course every year. • Don’t continue the session if safety is being compromised • Group children according to physical development, using height and weight as a

yardstick. • Avoid matching children with very different development levels, especially in early

development of contact • Be consistent when dealing with poor behaviour Include warm-up and cool down

every time, this will ensure your players develop the physical competencies required to play the game

Here are some simple tips to help create a positive learning environment when coaching children:

• Always have a purpose / objective to your session

• Question your players to check for understanding to ensure they are aware of:

o what they are doing (technical detail) .

o how it relates to the principles of play (tactical detail) .

o what the effect of their actions will be on play .

• Allow your players to make mistakes and work out solutions to the problems with support from the coach

• Observe and analyse critically .

o Provide high quality positive and constructive individualised feedback against specific key factors then correct faults

o highlight good practice

• Work on your questioning skills to encourage learning, rather than tell your players what to do (coach centered coaching style), use effective questioning skills to encourage your players to reflect on their performance (player centered coaching style)

• Reward effort as well as achievement

PLANNING AND DELIVERING YOUR TRAINING SESSION

• Coaching through games to be used as much as possible.

• The whole session should be 90 mins

o Warm-up (developing physical competence and agility) - approx 20 minutes.

o Main body of session, game sense or whole-part-whole coaching - approx 60 minutes broken into at least 3 x 20 min sessions.

o Cool down approx 10 minutes

• Hydration is essential – have regular breaks, no individual session should exceed 20 mins

• Use the right equipment for the right task

• Every session should have an aim or purpose as part of a longer term plan for developing the players rather than just correcting what did not go well last match.

COACHING THROUGH GAMES

Games can be extremely useful to enable players to develop both skill and game understanding.

However coaches must ensure that they actually coach through the game and do not just manage the activity.

This means providing specific feedback, on both positive and weaker areas, in relation to the aim set out at the start. (e.g. tackle technique)

• don’t try to fix “everything else”, this will result in your key messages to the players being diluted.

• Breaking a skill into manageable parts can help players absorb points more easily.

• A number of key factors can be focussed on over a session or number of sessions, but a coach should look to focus on two or three (max) key points at a time.

Once players are performing consistently well under pressure, the coach can then look to progress and challenge players.

Consider the following when using games:

• What is your main focus for the practice?

• What tactics and skills do you want to develop within the game?

• What modifications / exaggerations can you make to emphasise these tactics and skills?

• What will be the main problem for the players to solve?

• What are the boundaries and safety rules?

• How will the game restart after scoring?

• What are some key questions you can ask to emphasise tactical aspects?

• What progressions and regressions can you make?

The Whole - Part - Whole

The Whole - Part - Whole method of structuring a session can be a very useful way of using both games and skill practices together.

With this method, the coach can start with a game (Whole) and if there is a particular area that requires more practice, the coach can then use a skill practice (Part) to focus more on the technique. The coach can then put this back into a game or modified activity (Whole) to challenge the players further through a more game-like environment.

PROGRESSION & REGRESSION OF GAMES & PRACTICES

All sessions should be progressed and regressed depending on how the players are developing during the session. Each activity in this resource has a series of progressions and regressions which the coach has at his / her disposal.

Progressions should be used to challenge players in order to help their development.

Regressions can be used to re-focus on more specific areas of the game, or if the players are not able to perform the activity at the desired level.

It is very easy for players to execute skills and make decisions in unopposed conditions as there is little or no pressure on them. However the success brings about a false impression of their ability to deliver the same standards under match conditions.

Pressure can be applied in different ways:

1. reduce time;

2. reduce space;

3. increase intensity; and

4. provide and / or condition opposition.

Most often, opposition provides all three elements. Pressure can be applied by conditioning the practice and increasing the degree of pressure as skill develops, but pressure is essential to develop a technique into a skill.

Examples of some modifications / conditions that can be made to progress or regress practices include:

• Positioning an area that can be scored in (may be two or three try areas);

• Dimensions of playing area (narrow for developing tight play);

• Banning kicking / promoting kicking;

• Number of players in attack / defence;

• Scoring system (e.g. could be for number of passes or successful offloads);

• Risk / rewards;

• Specific roles for players; and

• Adding / deleting game rule.

STAGE 1 (U6 to U8) – FUNDAMENTALS OF RUGBY

Players in Stage 1 should be aware of and be able to demonstrate competence in the following:

Hand catch

• Hands out in the ready position, with palms facing the ball and thumbs together

• Catch the ball in their hands not on the stomach

• Ball remains off the shirt, catch and pass in one movement

Off load

• Avoid head-on tackles, try to dodge the defender first.

• Two hands on the ball.

• If tackled, drive the legs to keep moving forward and look for support

• Pass to a support runner coming onto the ball at pace

Ball Presentation

• Avoid head-on tackles, try to dodge the defender first

• When tackled, drive the legs to keep moving forward

• When brought to ground extend the arms and with two hands present the ball as close to support as possible and as far away from the opposition as possible

Individual Tackle Technique

• Sight correct contact area, eye to thigh

• Adopt low, strong body position to ensure correct tackle height, must be below waist

• Select correct shoulder to tackle with to ensure head is protected _ keep head close to opposition backside, cheek to cheek (head should never be placed in front of attacker) .

• Make tight contact with shoulder on thigh, boulder shoulder

• Clamp arms round opposition legs, band of steel

• Dynamic small steps, leg drive, until player successfully brought to ground

• Ensure tackle is completed, ie attacker is brought to ground Work hard to get back to feet and back into the game

STAGE 2 (U9 to U12) - LEARNING TO PLAY

Players in Stage 2 should be aware of and be able to demonstrate competence in the following:

Hand catch .

• Hands in the ready position, palms facing the ball and thumbs together

• Early reach, catch / grab the ball as early as possible .

• Watch the ball all the way into the hands .

• Once caught, turns to identify the receiver .

• Keep ball up between waist and chest area, moves the ball quickly across the body

• Follow through and fingers point to target after the ball is released

Offload

• Carry the ball in two hands .

• Avoid head-on tackles, try to dodge the defender first

• Win space behind the defender by driving the legs to keep moving forward and look for support .

• Successful pass behind the defender to a support runner coming onto the ball at pace

• Support players arrive at the contact area anticipating receipt of pass (hands out ready)

Ball Presentation

• Avoid head-on tackles, try to dodge the defender first .

• On engagement keep body tense and keep spine in line

• When tackled drive the legs and keep moving forward

• When brought to ground extend the arms and, with two hands, present the ball as close to support as possible and as far away from the opposition as possible

Individual Tackle Technique

• Sight correct contact height,eye to thigh .

• Adopt low, strong body position to ensure correct tackle height, must be below waist

• Select correct shoulder to tackle with to ensure head is protected,keep head close to opposition between backside and cheek to cheek (head should never be place in front of attacker)

• Make tight contact with shoulder on thigh, boulder shoulder .

• Clamp arms round opposition legs, band of steel

• Dynamic small steps, leg drive until player is successfully brought to ground .

• Ensure tackle is completed, i.e. attacker is brought to ground

• Work hard to get back to feet and back into the game

STAGE 2 - PHYSICAL COMPETENCE

Agility, Balance and Speed

• Sprinting,

• acceleration,

• deceleration,

• change of direction,

• jumping,

• falling,

• getting back to feet.

Co-ordination

• Spatial awareness and body (sensory) awareness

• Players combine a number of gymnastic and dynamic movements into a fluid motion within a confined space, ie jump, forward roll, back to feet, accelerate away.

Strength and Power

• Developed through game related skills, light medicine ball activities, jumping and hopping, body weight activities, gymnastic and postural integrity.

Endurance

• Developed through game based activity

Flexibility and Recovery

• Effective warm-ups

• Appropriate cool-downs.

• Players should also gain an understanding of benefits of range of movement in developing skill and injury prevention

STAGE 2 - SKILLS COMPETENCE

Handling and Passing

• Lateral, switch, loop, pop, clearing, chest .

• Being able to pass to support in space.

Catching

• Pass catching, high ball, above head (jump and catch), low ball.

Running and Evasive skills

• Dodge / evade,

• React to others,

• Side-step and swerve,

• Recognise and attack space

Contact

• Strong body shape maintained pre, during and post contact .

• Leg drive / ability to stay on feet when tackled .

• Confident in contact situations .

• Ball presentation

• Decision making pre, during and post contact

• Winning the ball on the ground / getting back to feet

Defending

• Tackling, individual technique, front, side and rear tackle and correct selection

• Going forward in defence

• Working as a team in defence

Teamwork

• Working within a team to attack space and defend,

• go forward in attack and defence,

• communication with team in attack and defence

Continuity

• Keeping the ball alive and the hierarchy of contact (SOS)

o Step to evade defender/take a side on tackle,

o Offload pre / during / post tackle,

o Set-up ruck / maul as last resort)

Kicking and Catching

• Kicking and fielding skills,

o place kick,

o drop kick,

o punt kick,

o kicking on the run,

o fielding a high ball

Set piece

• Understanding the role of the set piece as a restart play with a contest for possession and an opportunity to create space for attack

• Scrum

o strong / safe body position maintained (every player)

o safe engagement procedure (crouch, bind, set)

o Hooker own the process

o Halfback effective feed and fast distribution

o Calling the break

• Lineout

o ability to outmanoeuvre and out-jump opposition in the lineout

o ability to throw accurately to a moving jumper

o Calls

STAGE 3 (U13 – ISLANDERS) - THE DEVELOPING PLAYER

Driving Philosophy - Learning the game, developing the rugby athlete

This stage is about playing and practicing to develop the player towards competence in individual and increasingly unit-based skills.

During this stage, players enter peak height velocity (PHV: the growth spurt associated with the onset of puberty), which means that coaches will have to differentiate between early, normal and late maturing players when considering their planning and delivery.

• For example whilst a player may be 14 years old, they can be physically still 11 (late maturer) or up to 17 (early maturer).

• The physical developmental age of the player will dictate the physical input into their programme, which is a key emphasis of this stage.

• As players’ skill and game competence develops, technical-tactical development becomes more emphasised.

The objective now is to progressively develop physical qualities such as strength, power and anaerobic (without oxygen) speed endurance. This is a key requirement of a rugby player, who needs to be able to recover between high intensity periods of play. Physical Competence Players must possess the physical competence to perform the technical skills to be able to perform the tactical skills. During this stage the aim is to develop athletic abilities.

Speed sessions should focus on quality not quantity with the aim to improve players’ ability to accelerate, decelerate, reaccelerate, change direction and sprint at top pace.

Strength development should progress from an introduction to Olympic lifting techniques through the use of broom handles and body weight management activities to circuit-based activity and loaded barbell work.

Dynamic postural control (being able to control the body when moving) should continue to be developed through effective warm-ups and cool-downs.

Power is promoted by introducing multidirectional hopping and low intensity jumping, landing and rebounding (plyometrics) during the latter years of the stage. As strength develops, increasingly intense exercises can be incorporated.

Endurance is developed through multiple sprint activities with different lengths of work and recovery (e.g. 5-7 seconds effort with 3 minute active recoveries - these can be game or relay based activities).

Flexibility. This should be developed through dynamic stretches in the warm-up and static stretching in the cool-down as per the previous two LTPD stages.

Athleticism • Agility, balance and co-ordination at speed • Running efficiently with and without the ball . • Jumping, hopping, and bounding with good posture and technique . • Spatial awareness and sensory awareness of body position . • Postural control in many different positions and activities, including in contact

situations.

Technical / Tactical Competence By the end of this stage players should be able to consistently perform core skills/techniques below with increased power, under increased pressure, and with increased accuracy under competitive conditions:

Handling • Passing - appropriate passes and understand the implications of body position/

biomechanics upon the choice and outcome of pass • Catching and gathering - continue development of hand catch, catching the

high ball and gathering the ball from ground and kicks from hand • Throwing - further develop throwing technique with attention to stance, grip, ball

position, delivery and finish

Running • Continue development of sidestep and swerve, acceleration and deceleration,

top speed to evade defenders, make and exploit space

Kicking • Introduced to and development of different types of kick (touch kick, goal kick, up

and under, drop kick, grubber kick, chip kick, box kick, cross kick)

Contact • Further develop contact skills pre, during and post contact (tackle, ruck, maul,

offload)

Defending • Develop basic systems and identify roles within systems. • Go forward, line speed, line integrity, shape around breakdown

Attacking • Develop basic systems and identify roles within systems. • Understand basic attacking principles - go through, go round, go over,

understand how to manipulate defences

Set piece • understand the role of set piece as a restart play with a contest for possession

and an opportunity to create space for attack

• Kick off o Team organisation o Appropriate tactical options in attack - chase, formation and contest o Appropriate tactical options in defence - receipt set-ups and play from

• Scrum o Strong/safe body position maintained o Safe engagement procedure o Scrum process o Play from scrum including attack and defence

• Lineout o Ability to outmanoeuvre and out-jump opposition in the lineout o Accurate throw to a moving jumper o Safe and effective support o Formation, delivery and play from lineout in attack and defence

Teamwork • working as a team to attack space and defend, go forward in attack and defence,

communication with team

Continuity • Keeping the ball alive - Side-step-Offload-Setup (SOS)