Working on Throwing & Catching this week

Last Saturday's session was aimed around the sports of Handball and Volleyball but generally the session focused on a number of throwing and catching games before culminating in a volleyball game.
As usual the session started with a warm up and with coach Al feeling a bit under the weather (ahh!) Ollie and Ray stepped up to lead the session. The group then moved on to throwing and catching by forming a large circle and throwing across the circle to another player, who had to catch the ball. This developed in to a game where one player was chosen to run around the outside of the circle with the aim of all the others to pass the ball around the circle faster. The winner was the runner if they got back first but if the team passed the ball all the way round before the runner got back then they won.

Next, the coaches came up with a game devised to help with aim when throwing. They set up two "courses" consisting of cones, benches and markers. The kids had go around the cones at the far end, then walk down the bench balancing then collect a ball from one of the coaches. Then, whilst balancing on the bench, they had to throw over a row of numbered cones and aiming at specific markers on the floor. This meant that an overhead throw was required, throwing downwards towards the marker but avoiding the cones first. Hopefully some of the photos below will explain it better - they do say a picture paints a thousand words!
HandballSkills and DrillsThrowing a ball at a marker from a bench.

The next game that the coaches devised was to practice bounce passes and catching. The coaches lined up two rows of benches for the kids to stand outside of. The kids partnered up with one on each side of the benches.  They then threw the ball down so that it bounced in the gap between the benches and then bounced up so that their partner could catch it. Making sure the throw was straight was key but also bouncing in the middle so that the ball made it to the other side and at the correct height for catching.
The last game of the session was more a proper game of Volleyball. The little ones had disappeared off to the ball pool again - supervised of course! Those left behind split in to two teams. First they practised in their teams hitting the ball and passing to each other. Initially they did this sitting down in a small circle, then standing up.  Finally, the two teams faced off for a game against each other.​

Anand won star of the week - pictured with Ray

It was another fun packed session. Hal even gave blood for the cause (he had a nose bleed mid session!). At the end the coaches awarded the Star of the Week award to Anand. Well done Anand!

Although this coming weekend is the start of half term, Sportability Club WILL be running as normal so see you all at 10:00 as we have session of Hockey based fun.