Young Athlete

Warmup

GAMES

  • Since this is our first time together, I want us to go around and say our name and if you could have any superpower what would it be?

    Has anyone played the game Ninja before? The way it works is we will all stand in a circle and when I say ‘Go’ you must pick a pose and freeze. Then when it’s your turn your goal is to try to move your arm and hit the persons arm next to you before they move it out of the way. If they hit your arm, you must put that arm behind your back, if both of your arms get hit you are out. The last person left is our winner. Okay. Ready. Set. Pick a pose!

    Q. Have you ever felt tired and exhausted while playing your sport? Q. Do you ever feel like you need a break in order to be better?

    RESET 2: SIMON SAYS

  • Raise your hand if you have ever played Simon says? Great! If you have not played, all you have to do is listen to what I (Simon) says to do, and you only do the action if I start the sentence with “Simon says....” If I don’t say Simon and you do the action, then you are out.

    After playing a few rounds go up to a kid and invite them to come back into the game, after one more round so the same to another kid that was out. After you are done, have all kids sit down.

    Call on a young athlete that got invited back into the Simon says game.

    Q. How did it make you feel when you got to start over and come back into the game? Q. Did you deserve to be invited back into the game?

  • I need one volunteer who would like to be the main participant in our game today. Make them walk away/cover their ears while you give instructions to the other kids. Take the rest of the kids and split them into two groups, one group will be telling your participant the right directions and the other group will be telling the wrong directions at the same time. The participant will be blindfolded and will have to try to locate the object by the mixed directions of the two groups.

    Invite the participant back to the group and either blindfold them or have them close their eyes. You place the object somewhere near and when you say go the participant will start walking around looking for the object and changing directions based on what they are hearing. They will be confused because the participant doesn’t know that one group is telling them the wrong directions and one is telling them the right ones. Play two rounds about 1-2 mins long or until they find the object, the last round as they are searching and struggling you come up and guide the participant to the object so that they can get it much quicker than the previous times.

    Direct this question to the participant. Was it confusing hearing different directions from both sides, how did you know who to trust? Was it easier the third time when I guided you to the object?

  • Before we get started with the rest of our story today I want each person to grab a partner. Now with your partner I want you to tell them what sport you play and your position. (Give them 1-2 mins to do this) Now tell your partner why your position is important to the team or if you play an individual sport tell them what specific skill you do well.

    Q: Can I get a few to share what their position is and why its important to the team or what skill you have that is good?

    Now go back to your partner and both of you answer this question; (1-2 mins to do this)

    Q: Other than your position or skill, what other purposes to you have on your team or in your sport?

  • Ask players to form a circle facing inwards and standing shoulder-to-shoulder. If you have a large group split up into groups of 5 or so. Each child begins by using their left hand to hold the left hand of the person next to them. Then, they cross and extend their right hand to have the person’s right hand on the other side.

    How to Play: Once everyone has their hands crossed in front of them and are holding the hand of the people next to them then instruct them that they have to try to untangle themselves without letting go of anyone’s hand.

    They can adjust their grip, but they aren’t supposed to unclasp their hands. If they break they have to start all over, encourage them to work together and communicate as a team. If there are multiple teams then the first team to get untangled wins. You can play 1-2 rounds of this game.

    Q: What was the hardest part about the game we just played?

  • Today we are going to play Hype Man Rock Paper Scissors, it’s the same rules as normal Rock Paper Scissors, but after you lose you are now following around the person you lost to and cheering them on.

    If you won your match you and your hype man go find another person to battle that won their match. You keep playing until you lose, whoever you lose to you join in and become a hype man for them.

    At the end we will have 2 competitors and the rest of you all will be on their teams cheering them on. Play about 2-3 rounds.

    Q: Was it fun cheering on your teammate even though you lost to them?

  • Who thinks they are fast? Today, we are going to test that with a game of duck, duck, goose! Everyone form a circle, take one step back and then sit down. The person that can tell me one of our key points from yesterday's lesson will get to be first to go.

    Our tagger will walk and tap each head and say duck and then when they are ready to pick someone they will say goose and the goose will get up and see if they can catch the tagger before they sit in the goose’ seat. If the goose tags the tagger, then the tagger has to sit in the middle.

    If the tagger sits down before getting tagged the goose now becomes the tagger. Play for about 3-5 mins.

    Q: What made it hard to catch the person after they tagged you?

  • Since this is our last meeting together, I want you to find a partner and share what was one thing you have learned from this week?

    Now find another partner and share your favorite activity/game you have done?

    Lastly, find one more partner and share something you discovered that you need to work on once we are done here and you are back home.

    Q: Can someone share what they plan to work on when they get home?

Athlete

Warmup

GAMES

  • Everyone get up and form a circle. Have enough space to move in place. On the leader’s command, start moving around (jumping jacks, running in place, doing the robot, etc.) until the leader says, “Don’t move!”

    For the next 60 seconds, do your best to be completely still. The leader will watch for motion and tell anyone who moves to sit down until either the time has run out or there is only one person left standing.

    Q: How hard was it to stay still and why?

    Q: As an athlete, why do you think it’s so hard to take time to be still?

  • Let’s have a race, but first, let’s make things a little more interesting. Everyone take off your shoes. Half of you will have another person use your shoelaces to tie your shoes together. The other half will have your shoelaces untied (this includes anyone with slip-on or Velcro shoes).

    On my command, everyone will put on their shoes and run to a pre-determined destination (flag pole, telephone pole, tree, basketball goal, etc.) and back to our location. The ones who had their laces tied together will have to undo their laces and tied their shoes before joining the race.

    First one back wins!

    Q: For those with untied shoelaces, how did it feel knowing you were freed up before the race started?

    Q: For those with tied up shoes, how did it feel knowing you were going to have some work to do before you could join the race?

    Q: What are some things that have been tying you up lately and making it more difficult for you to be freed up to do your best in sports and in life?

  • No one is 100 percent happy with the things they say, think, and do. Changing those things and living in a new way, however, usually means breaking some bad habits.

    Just for fun, everyone stand up and be prepared to get honest about your bad habits!

    If something listed is one of your bad habits is listed, take a seat. We’ll keep going through bad habits until everyone is seated or we have one person left standing. Depending on how quickly it goes, we might play the game again.

    (Examples: picking your nose, biting your fingernails, oversleeping, belching in public, forgetting to brush your teeth at night, misplacing important items like your keys or wallet, staring at people, etc.)

    Q: Why do you think it’s so hard to break bad habits?

    Q: What are some things you’ve done to break bad habits in your life?

  • There are many different ways that athletes develop the physical power necessary to achieve their competitive goals, but all of them require things like research, planning, hard work and dedication.

    Let’s go around the group and have some of you share the most effective ways that you have found to increase power as it pertains to your training and your sport.

    Q: How does increased power help you in your sport?

    Q: What makes it so difficult to increase your athletic power?

  • Your ability to compete at a high level is often determined by how you fuel your body. There’s good fuel and there’s bad fuel. Good fuel works perfectly with all your natural systems— nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, etc. Bad fuel might give you a temporary boost, but will run out quickly and can do long-term damage.

    Q: What are some good fuels that you physically consume that help you do your best during training, recovery, competition, etc.?

    Q: What are some bad fuels that drag you down and keep you from doing your best during training, recovery, competition etc.?

    Q: What are some things that you do to fuel the mental side of your athletic life?

    Q: On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being not important at all; 10 being the most important thing), how would you rate the importance of properly fueling your body and mind?

  • The Lopsided Relay

    Let’s start off this huddle with a different kind of relay race. We will break the group into teams of three or four people. Anyone left without a group will race alone. If there are no leftover runners, we will break up one of the groups in order to ensure we have some solo competitors.

    On my command, the relay race will begin to a destination of my choosing (flag pole, telephone pole, tree, basketball goal, etc.) and back to our location. Each team member will run to that destination and back one time. Those who are running alone will have to run equal times to and from the destination.

    Q: For those running alone, how did having to do all the work by yourself make the relay more difficult?

    Q: For those running with a team, how did knowing you had other runners on your team impact the way you ran your leg of the race?

  • Every athlete as a pre-game or pre-match routine—something they do that gives them a shot of confidence right before the competition begins or a consistent ritual or series of motions right before they’re about to make an important play or take a big shot. This is true for batters, pitchers, kickers, golfers, runners, field athletes, and so on.

    Let’s have a few volunteers stand up and show us what you do in those moments before you hit, pitch, kick, swing, shoot, race, throw, etc.

    Q: What are some things you do before a game or match that gives you more confidence?

    Q: Why do you think having a particular routine before a competition or before an individual play helps you in that moment?

  • Let’s get some volunteers to lead the rest of the group in two or three stretching routines they go through before training, practice or competition. Make sure to include at least one of the more difficult stretching methods.

    Q: What part of stretching do you enjoy?

    Q: What part of stretching do you not enjoy?

    Now, let’s talk about stretching as a metaphor for doing what God has called you to do— showing boldness in your faith, sharing the Gospel with others, and serving those in need.

    Q: How does the idea of responding to God’s call stretch you mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually?

    Q: In what ways do you find serving others challenging?

    Q: Are there some people or groups that you find more challenging to serve than others?

    Explain.

TeaM

Warmups

  • Before the first practice, teams including players, coaches and support staff, pause to think about the year ahead. They may review what went well the previous season and what activity needs to continue.

    It’s a time to acknowledge the strengths, weaknesses, unique contributions and needs a team.

    Take a moment to sit as a team (or individually) to review the last year.

    Discuss:

    • What worked well?

    • What improvements need to be made this year?

    • How can we make the most of what we have currently?

  • Discuss times you’ve had to pause as a team in the middle of the season. It could be because of a

    significant change or some interruption to the program. How did you reset?

    Younger teammates and teammates new to the team share your experience and personal reset

    moment. What impact has that had on you as a person and as an athlete?

  • Each player gets a turn on the “hot seat.” The rest of the team takes turns sharing the contributions of the teammate on the “hot seat.” Share contributions from both on and off the arena of play.

    1. Share your experience being on the “hot seat.” (How did it feel, etc.?)

    2. What contributions mentioned by your teammates were you unaware that you were making?

  • Let’s get to know our teammates and ourselves on a deeper level. What are some habits that you struggle to stop? What has been helpful as you try breaking that habit? What has been unsuccessful? If you are truly honest with yourself, what habits might you not want to stop?

  • As a team, discuss these questions by allowing each teammate to share or designate certain teammates to answer certain questions.

    Discussion Questions:

    1. What are the most effective things you do during the offseason?

    2. What are the benefits for the offseason and rest time for you as a team?

    3. What activities (or lack thereof) give you the most satisfying rest and refueling?

  • Earlier, we placed each teammate on the hot seat, and you each got to hear from your teammates about the value you bring to the team.

    This time, each player shares with your team the value of having your teammates and what being part of this team means to you.

    • How does thinking about and sharing the value of your teammates impact your perspective of your team?

    • How did this activity encourage you as a teammate?

  • Let’s acknowledge the younger players on your team. The athletes who will carry on the legacy of your program when the older players move on:

    • Younger player (underclassman): Share what you would like to learn from your older teammate before they move up.

    • Older players (upperclassmen): Discuss ways you can invest in your younger teammates to help them grow and carry the success of your program even after you’re gone. What examples do you want to set for younger teammates to emulate when you get into the arena to play?

  • What’s the problem? When growing as a team, you grow together. Part of growing together is having the ability to have healthy loving disagreements (even confrontations) with the goal of clearing the air to play honestly as a team. This is a vulnerable place. But vulnerability is key to honest growth.

    Let's take some time to clear the air as a team. This starts with trust. Do you trust your teammates? Can your teammate trust you? Affirm your trust for another. Assure your teammates that you are for them and your success as a team.

    Surender your offenses, take a breath and each teammate take a moment to share what grievances may be on your heart that could be causing you to hold back when you play.

Coach

Warmups

  • Q: What was the major battle for you last season? What left you the most worn down?

    Q: What is your go-to comfort when the fight leaves you too exhausted to continue?

  • Exercise: Have the leader put a timer on for 2 minutes. During these two minutes, have everyone in the room close their eyes, relax their bodies, and focus their minds on the presence of God.

    Q: Was that exercise difficult? Why or why not?

    Q: What thoughts or feelings surfaced during those two minutes?

    Action Step: The New Testament also encourages us to confess our sins to each other. Find a trusted, faithful, Christ-following friend to whom you can confess your sins.

  • Q: What does the word renew mean to you? Share a story of how you had to bring renewal to a team or a program.

    Q: If you are willing, share a story of personal renewal. Have there been times where you are stuck in life and you needed God to bring a major renewal?

    Action Step: Stop right now and spend time praying and asking God to move in power wherever you and the coaches around you need it. He is faithful!

  • Q: Where do you see brokenness in the lives of your coaching staff and your players?

    Q: How do you sense God wants you to engage with them and help bring renewal into their lives?

  • Action Step: Take a few minutes and have a few coaches in the room read Ephesians 3:19 aloud. As each person reads, have everyone else close their eyes and listen intently to what is being read.

    Q: What are tangible ways we can know Christ’s love?

    Q: How are we to measure how much we are being filled with the fullness of God?

  • Q: Where are specific areas in your life where you desire to have God’s abundance?

    Action: Pray Paul’s to the Ephesians prayer for the coaches around you and the spouses, children, coaching staffs, and players they represent.

  • Q: Paul uses “one another” and “everyone” as objects of love. Who do you think falls into the category of “everyone?”

    Q: If love is the motivation for mission, is your love tank full? If not, how can you fill it?

  • Q: Were you trained to view coaching as a commitment to love well? Are you teaching and mentoring others to coach this way?

    Q: Who are examples of coaches you would like to emulate in the way they love and serve? Why?