Stick it and Stick it good!

Stick It is a classic game that is played in all gyms across the country. While there are many ways to play Stick It with different versions of the rules, this past weekend I came up with my own new version of Stick It on the Double-mini Trampoline (DMT)

Set up:

1. A Double-mini Trampoline or Mini Trampoline.

2. You will need five poly dots with numbers on them (4, 3, 2, 1, and 0). Place the numbers along the side of the landing zone. Place the number four closet to the DMT. Approximately 2.5 feet away from the end of the DMT. Place each number along the side approximately 1.5 or 2 feet apart. You can use odd number (7, 5, 3, 1, 0) or even numbers (8, 6, 4, 2, 0) as well. See the picture below.

3. If the player lands between the two numbers the player will receive the lower score. Example if the player lands between 4 and 3, the player will receive 3 points.

4. Make a score sheet using Excel. The names along the sides and the numbers of rounds along the top (10 rounds) with each round being different skills or passes. Make sure the skills are level appropriate for your group.

Rules:

1. The score is determined where the athletes land on the landing zone. If the player lands on the landing zone next to the number 3, the player will receive 3 points.

2. The player must land with control. If the player cannot land with control, take the appropriate deduction in tenths from their score. Example,  if the player landed on 4 and took 3 steps on the landing. The player get .3 deduction from his/her score from 4. The player will receive 3.7 points. See deduction below.

3. If the player land outside the zone close to the DMT, you will deduct 1 from the highest number. Example, if the player land outside the landing zone his/her score will be out of 3 (4-1). Take any additional deductions from the score of 3.

Landing Deductions:
1. There is no cap deductions.

2. Each step is -.1( one tenth)

3. Falls such as hands and knees, knees, or whole body on floor or on apparatus is -1 (one point)

4. Fall such as hand down on floor or on apparatus is -.5 ( five tenths).

5. Deductions is taken from the score the player receive.




































Have fun! Stick it!

Fun Games in Practice

Practices at times should be serious when getting ready to prep for a big meet. However kids are working hard and doing the assignement that the coaches gives them. In most cases these hard working kids should be awarded for it. In most studies, kids stay in sports becuase it is fun. Fun should always be part of the equation in youth sports. Fun also keeps their minds off of those hard practices.
 
My team kids are always working hard and its important to me that the kids know that I do appreciate their hard work. On occasions we play a few games. Games are often played during the off season, pre-season, holiday season, and after championships.

Here are some games ideas:
1. Candy Land: Candy Land is a classic childhood game of learning colors. I bring this game to life. Each color represent either an event, conditioning, skills, or drills. The activity should be ability and age appropriate.  So for example, if you land on red they do 5 backward rolls. If they land on green, they do 5 forward rolls, etc. If they land on the cupcake, lollipop, cinnamon bun, ice cream, gummy candy, ice pop, and the gingerbread man they choose what they like to do. If they land on the licorice, then it's the coaches choice (yes, coaches have fun too).

2. Chutes and Ladders: Chutes and Ladders is another childhood classic game. This game is about numbers. Numbers can represent an activity they have to do. You can break the numbers down between odd and even numbers or you can split the numbers 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, etc. Make sure the activity is age and ability appropriate. I made conditioning cards using index cards. If they slide down the slide they pick a conditioning card from the pile.

3. Gym Pong: Ok, its like beer pong but this version appropriate for kids. This game is set up the same way as beer pong. You can use plastic cups or brown paper bags. Take each index cards and cut in half. Write an activity (age and ability appropriate) on each of the index cards and place them in the cup or bag. The opposing team will try to get the ping pong ball into the cup or bag. If the ball lands inside, then the other team must to the activity.

4. Stick it: Stick it is a fun game and its played in so many ways. My favorite one doesn't require elimination. I make a list of skills (age and ability appropriate) and they have to go through the list. If they stick it then they can move to the next skill.  I usually have 10 skills list. You keep playing until you get through the entire list. If you don't stick it then you stay at that skill until you stick it. If you fall down on any part of your body, you must start all over again at the top of the list.

5. Trampoline add on: Add on is one of our favorite game. To play add on, the first person does a trick. The second person does the first person's trick and add on of their own trick. Its best to play with at least 3-5 students. This is a great game and practice to pay attention and remembering the order. Each students will have three tries. If they used all three tries then they are out.

6. Doing the trampoline routine backwards: This is my personal favorite. The students will do their routine backwards. It's great to learn how to work into and out of skills by doing the routine backwards. Make sure they go back and do their normal routine so they don't get confused. I haven't had that happened yet. The students have a blast trying their routine backwards. The level 6 trampoline routine is quite challenging doing it backwards!

Have fun!

Trampoline- Getting Your Bounces in Control.

The trampolines in your gym is by far the most popular equipment in the gym. Not to mention the most dangerous piece of equipment than any other equipment in your gym. Kids get on the trampoline and the first thing they attempt to do is to try to bounce really high. Not to mention that they don't realize how much core strength and balance it takes to bounce high. Without proper training and instruction serious injury can occur. It is more important to bounce with control rather than how high they jump. Today I will be sharing my workout that I do with my class and team kids to learn body control on the trampoline.

Drill #1: Knee bounces:
    The knee bounces are great to work on proper body alignment when bouncing on the trampoline. It really target the core muscles, lower back muscles, and the glutes muscles. This drill also serve another purpose on working the quads muscles for kicking the feet through when doing front drop to seat drop, back drop, or doing a cody.
    I have my kids set up a throw mat on the trampoline and they get on their knees with arms up by their ears (hiding their ears) and glutes tuck under. They attempt to start bouncing by pushing down with their legs by slightly extending the legs (kicking). Bounce 10-20 times.

Drill #2: Bounce with arms down:
     Bouncing with arms down focus on good body position and alignment. Most important body control. The kids will attempt to bounce with good control while maintaining a strong body while their arms are pressed against their sides (hand in pockets). The goal is to keep their core area strong and not allowing the shoulders to move forward or backwards. Everything should be in a straight line in which they stack the bones. Again bounce with control. If they start to bobble and wobble then they need to lower their bounces. 10 bounces

Drill #3: Bounce with arms up:
   Bouncing with arms up is very challenging due to changing their level of center of gravity. Therefore making it more challenging to balance themselves when they bounce. The kids will attempt to bounce with the arms up, hiding their ears while maintaining good stability and control. 10 bounces.

Drill #4: 4 count arm swings
    This drill allows the kids to learn the proper arm swing when bouncing n the trampoline. It has been common for kids to do full arms circles creating unnecessary shoulder movement that causes imbalance while bouncing. I have created the 4 count arm swing to help solve this issue. The goal is to be able to swing the arms while maintaining good body alignment and control.
    The kids will start off by bouncing with control starting with the arms down to the sides. When you the coach will start the four count arm swing. ONE- arms extended in the front. TWO- arms extended up above the head with arms hiding the ears. THREE- arms out to the side creating a letter "T". FOUR- arms press down to the side (back to the starting position). One and two should be moving on the way up and three and four is on the way down. You can count on every three jumps, every other, jump, or every jump. I would recommend to count on every three jumps so they can learn the arm count and body control. Once they can do it will with body control then they can bounce with the arm swing on consecutive bounces.

Again nothing is more important to bounce with control and quality body movement then how high you bounce. At a developmental stand point it is not how high you go its how well you can control your body. Once they get to the higher developmental level then height start to become important as well because you need more air time to complete the skills. To develop good height is good body control. Having good body control is having good focus.

"I figure in practice you put your brains in your muscles" - Sam Snead

Best of luck with the new TnT routines in the upcoming season.