To be able and confident when passing and catching a rugby ball while using the correct tecniques
("W" hands for catching a flat pass, "bucket" for catching a high ball. Passing with the nose of the rugby ball pointing to your target, standing hip to hip, passing across your body)
Ask the kids how they should be catching the ball for the different types of passes.
Ask the kids which way is correct for them to pass (change different parts of your body until they get the starting position correct).
Space out a square of cones for players to run around in, appropriate to class size.
Pick 2-3 taggers (dependant on class size), they have a pool noodle each (or tagging object). This is their "icicle".
Also pick 2-3 melters (dependant on class size), they have a ball each. This is their "fire ball".
Other players who don't have a job are trying to run away from the taggers. If tagged by the icicles, they become frozen and can't move from where they were tagged.
To be freed, they must catch a ball from the melters. Once successfully caught, they are now the melters, running around in the boundry waiting for someone to be tagged so they can throw the ball to them. (Melters can not be tagged at any point).
Once a melter has thrown their ball to someone to free them (and it is caught), they become a normal runner, trying to escape the icicles.
Change over icicle players after a short time has passed. Look out for players who are consistently been thrown a ball to become a melter, and choose others to start each round.
Note:
- Ensure the ball is being thrown and caught successfully. If dropped, the melter must throw the ball again.
- Can use different sized balls/objects for ease. (dodgeballs, tennis balls, beanbags etc).
- Choose taggers/melter numbers depending on class size and ability. If it is deemed too hard for melters to free the frozen players, add an extra melter in next round (or take away a tagger).
- Having red/pink/yellow balls and blue/white tagging objects helps children remember their role. (fire & ice colours).
Children must pair up with one ball between each pair and stand opposite their partner roughly 3 metres apart. The aim is for them to complete 10 passes and catches of whatever type of throw the coach asks.
Examples; underarm, overhead, right/left hand, sitting down, kneeling, lying down, backward etc.
Progressions:
- Increase distance between the two people to make it harder.
- Change the item being thrown to change the difficulty - eg. dodgeballs, tennis balls.
- Introduce someone in the middle to act as a intercepter/defender - like piggy in the middle. Middle person must stay inside a hoop but can jump up to intercept the ball. After ball is caught, the person who last touched it becomes the middle person.
Set up an area with a dividing line splitting the area into two. The line can be on the ground or up in the air like a tennis/volleyball net. The class is split into two teams with one team on one side being the "catchers" and the other on the other side being the "throwers". The throwers start with all the items on their side and must throw the items over the division line for the catchers to catch. If an item is caught then it is carried over and placed in a hoop on the side. If an item is dropped then it is thrown back to be tried again. The game finishes when all items are in the hoop.
Change the height of the division line to change difficulty. Adjust the size of the area of play to change difficulty. Change the type of item used for throwing to make the game easier or harder. Create more teams of less people.
Children will stand in two lines roughly one metre apart and will have a partner who is directly across from them in the opposite line. One line is labeled the "rats" and the other is the "rabbits". If the coach says "rabbits" then the rabbits must run away from the rats towards a designated line, and if they reach the line before being tagged then a point is awarded. If the rats tag their partner before they reach the line, then a point is given to the rat.
Children can start in different ways e.g. sitting down.