Coaching GuideParticipants

This PDF is designed to provide coaching notes to people who have completed the ‘Introduction To Coaching’ course (ITCC).

The purpose of the course is to provide basic coaching and training for Little Athletics of Primary School age, along with skills, drills, games and activities, and some general conditioning information.

This document contains the very basic working model of Track & Field events, along with coaching principles for the young athlete. This includes ‘whole body’ exercises with a focus on the Centre Training Sessions.

Participants of this course can be called ‘Assistant coaches’, not ‘Coaches’, as this is a non-accredited course.

The course has been written and delivered for the specific needs of Little Athletics Australia, and remains the property of the Australian Track and Field Coaches Association (ATFCA).

Lets get started

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

WelcomeParticipants of the ITCC receive several items when attending the course. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• ATFCA – ITCC Coaching Manual.

• ATFCA Brochures – Coaching Guidelines and ‘Where to Now’ Information.

• Working with Children guidelines – State specific.

• Certificate of Participation.

• Coaches Code of Ethics.

The information provided on the course is covered in the ITCC Coaching Manual and ATFCA brochures.

This PDF contains all of the coaching notes as demonstrated in the ITCC.

In the Coaching Manual;

• Pages 12-20 covers all relevant topics to Coaching the Young Athlete.

• Pages 30-39 covers warm up and recovery.

• Pages 41-48 covers core strength and resistance training using arm body weight.

What are the reasons behind a warm up and cool down!

Always check on the status of the athlete’s health or condition prior to any training session.

Importantly, always think about Hydration. Everyone should have a drink bottle that they take onto the track at all times.

Before a training session, please try to preplan drills, viewing points, where to position the athletes in relation to the sun, any shade etc.

Remember, the ITCC manual has all of the techniques and drills required for coaching young athletes.

Above all else, we hope you have a fun and rewarding time and thankyou for taking on this role.

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Coaching young athletesRefer to your manual pages 12 – 20

• Refer to the Athlete Development Pyramid in the manual.

• One of the greatest abilities of a young athletic coach is to look long term and recognise their place and role in the young athletes overall career.

• It is important to understand the need for broad participation in early development of the athletes skills base.

• Coaches should learn 3 or 4 basic coaching points for each event.

• Make it fun.

• Ensure maximum participation of all athletes.

• Remember above all else and at all times, reinforce Risk Management and Safety for the athletes, coaches and spectators.

• Lead by Example.

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Refer to your manual pages 30 – 39

• Warming up is an important aspect of injury prevention and in preparing athletes both physically and mentally for the activity ahead.

• The warm up is an ideal time to develop general movement skills and athletic qualities in young athletes. Use activities and games that include a wide range of movements and physical challenges.

Warm Up

Cool DownRefer to your manual pages 32 – 36

• Understand the importance of the cool down and when static stretching is used.

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

RunningRefer to your manual pages 50 – 57

SPRINTS

• Focus on posture – important in all events

• Introduce agility games into an active warm up.

• Emphasise body lean, arm action – to in front of chest to allow correct posture. Upright arm action causes bending backwards, and lack of arm drive. The arm drive is a HIT action, the HIT action not a smooth drive back and forward.

• Active foot placements, running light, listen to the sound of their feet. Look at foot alignment, concentrate on limbs pointing straight.

• Light quick movements.

• Head relaxed, eyes looking straight ahead.

• Running tall with knees and thighs coming through.

• Relaxed and smooth running style.

• Starting, feet position, take off foot.

Refer to your manual pages 75 – 88

MIDDLE DISTANCE

• Appreciation of pace & tempo.

• Understanding of even pace running, dividing race into smaller segments.

• Relaxed and smooth running style, light movements.

• Explain distance runs, intervals, fartlek.

• Middle distance varies according to age; 400mts for a 7 yr old is middle / long distance in some cases.

• Being relaxed with correct posture is important.

Remember technique, stride length & frequencyAustralia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

HurdlesRefer to your manual pages 67 – 74

• Reinforce this is a running event and not a jumping event.

• This is a development event, starting with low obstacles & distances, and then gradually increasing the height & distance between obstacles.

• Lead leg, Trail leg, Posture, Arm action.

• Lead with the knee, not the toe.

• Attacking the hurdles with both legs. Teach athletes to hurdle with both legs as their lead leg to improve efficiency.

• Advise number of strides 3,3,3 or 4,4,4 or 5,5,5 and the impact this has on lead leg.

• Introduce hip mobility exercises.

• Active foot plant, drive forwards not up, and across hurdle.

Remember technique, drills, practice

Australia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

RelaysRefer to your manual pages 58 – 66

• Introduce drills for shuttle relays & circular relays.

• Reinforce the full 400mts is not required for practice, early on.

• Emphasise lane discipline and free distance.

• Baton changing is down / push pass. Emphasise steady hands incoming and outgoing runners.

• Outgoing runner ‘Does Not’ grab for the baton.

• Note: common mistakes made by young athletes includes;

» the incoming runner slowing down to pass the baton, or

» the outgoing runner looking behind to receive the baton.

• Confirm take-over zones and acceleration zones.

• Demonstrate how to set up check marks.

• Demonstrate movement of athletes at check marks for a non – visual change.

• Demonstrate movement of athletes for a visual change.

Remember lane discipline & free distance, baton changing, check marks

Australia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Race WalkingRefer to your manual pages 90 – 101

• Reinforce posture, arm action, leg action.

• Demonstrate difference between advancing leg and support / recovery leg.

• Heel strike, toe off, arm swing to midline of chest not across, up to belly button.

• Hips are important but do not swing from side to side, they move forward & back and up & down with each stride.

• Introduce walking with legs closer to a straight line, not parallel. Practice walking on the lane line to encourage the straight line, however eyes must be up.

Remember technique, drills, practice

Australia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Long JumpRefer to your manual pages 141 – 148

• Pit preparation, turning over, moving the sand back into the hole.

• Practice landing on two feet, bending at the knees, arms out.

• Tall posture, looking up, running through the mat / board.

• Explain and demonstrate how to measure the run up.

• Explain length of run up matches age / speed of athlete, give some guidance, explain controlled speed.

COMMON PHASES OF JUMPS

• Run up – fast, accurate, consistent.

• Take off – Tall position, flat fast planting of take off foot, free knee is punched through from hips, take off leg fully extended at hip, knee and ankle, opposite arm drive.

• Flight phase - athlete holds take off position in air.

• Landing – arms and legs into position out in front of body in preparation for landing, feet close together, bending at the knees.

Remember technique, drills, run – up, practiceAustralia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Triple JumpRefer to your manual pages 149 – 155

• Pit preparation same as long jump.

• Important to explain the teaching sequence, use coaching cues:

» Same foot, opposite foot, together. Then introduce hop, step and jump.

• Hop, Step, Jump, in equal distances. Use lane lines, cones to reinforce the equal distances.

• Gradually increase the distances between the markers.

• Reinforce active foot plant, flat footed not on toes.

• Athlete runs off the board / mat with eyes up.

• Reinforce a high knee held up for both hop and step phases.

• Run up similar to long jump. Explain run up needs to be fast but controlled so that it allows the athlete to take off.

• Landing same as long jump.

COMMON PHASES OF JUMPS

• Run up – fast, accurate, consistent

• Take off – Tall position, flat fast planting of take off foot, free knee is punched through from hips, take off leg fully extended at hip, knee and ankle, opposite arm drive.

• Flight phase – athlete holds take off position in air.

• Landing – arms and legs into position out in front of body in preparation for landing, feet close together, bending at the knees.

Remember technique, drills, hopping, bounding, run – up, practice

Australia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

High JumpRefer to your manual pages 132 – 140

• Scissors is the preferred coaching method to precede flop.

• Scissors teaches the technique of jumping off the ground, vertical alignment rather than falling over the bar.

• Scissors must be taught with a bent lead knee at take off, this produces vertical height.

• Run up should be 8-10 steps in a straight line, approximately 30° from the bar.

• Running drills, high hips, tall posture. All from running events.

• Practice accelerating through last 3 strides (rhythm – 1,2...1,2,3).

• Take off foot is farther away from the bar.

• Inside leg is the free swinging leg.

• Take off is flat footed.

• Inside shoulder is not dropped towards the bar.

• Inside leg swings up over bar, and take off leg scissors over and onto the mat.

• Athlete lands on both feet, not the back.

• Explain direction of run up, take off foot, practice both sides.

Remember technique, run-up, sides, scissors

Australia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

Shot PutRefer to your manual pages 104 – 114

• Demonstrate the grip, shot held at base of fingers, 3 fingers behind, thumb and little finger on either side.

• Use cues such as “reach for the sky” & “lock & load”.

• The shot is held against the neck, not behind the ear.

• Elbow out to side, not down.

• Demonstrate – Chin – Knee – Toe – Power position.

• Rotary event, not a rocking event.

• Introduce weight transfer, rotation through the legs, hips.

• Add arms after rotation of legs, hips.

• Offset feet position (heel of back foot lines up with toe of front foot).

• Punch the shot away from the neck, keep the elbow high.

• Finish the release with a flip of the wrist or “high 5” position.

• Chest up and proud, reinforces correct weight transfer.

COMMON PHASES OF THROWS

• Starting position – balanced.

• Build up of momentum – transfer of weight from one foot to the other.

• Throwing position – tall delivery position with a braced front leg.

• Delivery – rotation of hips, chest and shoulders to front, Arm last action.

• Recovery – remain within the throwing area – circle / sector.

Remember technique, drills, positions, practiceAustralia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

DiscusRefer to your manual pages 115 – 121

• Work on confidence to hold the discus correctly.

• End of fingers over the rim and thumb rests on top for balance.

• Explain the correct direction of spin, how it comes from the front of the hand, not the back.

• Bowling the discus, other games or drills reinforces the grip and spin.

• Rotary event same as Shot Put, legs, hips and then shoulders/ arms.

• Offset feet position to start, balanced with knees slightly bent.

• Demonstrate braced front side, use of non throwing arm.

• Hips in front of shoulders, trunk rotates.

• Wide arc of throwing arm, release at shoulder height.

COMMON PHASES OF THROWS

• Starting position – balanced

• Build up of momentum – transfer of weight from one foot to the other

• Throwing position – tall delivery position with a braced front leg

• Delivery – rotation of hips, chest and shoulders to front, Arm last action

• Recovery – remain within the throwing area – circle / sector

Remember technique, drills, positions, practiceAustralia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

JavelinRefer to your manual pages 122 – 129

• Reinforce Safety above everything else. How to retrieve the javelin, when to retrieve the javelin in training.

• Demonstrate the grips. Claw grip reinforces palm up, ideal for beginners

• Javelin held above shoulder in the approach, with palm facing up.

• The javelin is taken back, shoulders turn and arm straightens, hips face forwards.

• At beginning of throw, athlete has a pronounced backward lean.

• Drive through the throw from the back leg, to give a long throwing stride with the front leg, well in advance of the body.

• Throwing hand kept high and passes over the top of the shoulders in delivery.

• Arching the body, the throwing shoulder drives up and through with the elbow high.

• Same pattern as other throws. Hip then block, high arm, palm up, elbow high above the ear.

• Demonstrate position at delivery in relation to the foul line.

COMMON PHASES OF THROWS

• Starting position – balanced

• Build up of momentum – transfer of weight from one foot to the other

• Throwing position – tall delivery position with a braced front leg

• Delivery – rotation of hips, chest and shoulders to front, Arm last action

• Recovery – remain within the throwing area – circle / sector

Remember technique, drills, positions, practiceAustralia

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

ConclusionRefer to your manual pages 1 – 10

• Role of the coach

• Responsibilities

• Code and Ethics

Refer to your manual pages 157 – 161

• Coaching young athletes with a disability

3

Introduction

Welcome

Young Athletes

Warm Up / Cool Down

Running

Hurdles

Relays

Race Walking

Long Jump

Triple Jump

High jump

Shot Put

Discus

Javelin

Conclusion

Links

For further information on national programs, courses, education and accreditation, please follow the links below.

Australian Track and Field Coaches Association (ATFCA) – www.atfca.com.au For details on further education, coaching resources and membership.

Athletics Australia – www.athletics.com.au For details on coaching accreditation, competitions and development opportunities.

Australian Sports Commission – www.ausport.gov.au/participating/coaches/education/onlinecoach For online coaching courses and resources developed by the ASC and AIS. ‘Community Coaching General Principles’ course. ‘Intermediate Coaching General Principles’ course.

Jetstar Little Athletics Australia – www.littleathletics.com.au For information about the National Sporting Organisation governing Little Athletics in Australia.

Click the icons below for information on programs available in your state.

Links