Archive for the ‘Midi- U11-U12’ Category
Friday, December 2nd, 2011
In every bone in the body there is a growth plate which is made up of cartilage and on X-ray, looks like a gap across the bone at each end just under the line of the joint. When these growth plates are active they lay bone cells down in this “gap”. This area widens again and the bone is longer. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen like this in the muscles. They have to stretch over the longer bone and as they get used in day to day activities and sport, like playing rugby. This doesn’t happen sat in front of the TV!
Sometimes a growth spurt can be so significant that the growth plate can become a little inflamed and sore. The most common age for these growth spurts is 10-12 years in girls and 12-14 in boys. It is at this adolescent phase that the growth rate can double and growth is only officially complete when all the growth plates are completely converted to bone. This is approximately 18 in girls and as late as 21 in boys, although from 15 in girls and 17 in boys there will be little further increase in height gain.
The muscle that attaches near the plate may also become inflamed or so tight that it pulls on the bone and causes more inflammation. These points are commonly the back of the heel and the boney point at the top of the shin bone just below the knee. The achillies tendon attaches the calf muscle (Gastrocnemius) from above the knee onto the heel. The patella tendon does the same for the front thigh muscles (Quadriceps) from the top of the thigh and over the hip to below the knee. The knee cap sits in this tendon and can also be a source of pain. Pain in the boney point below the knee is known as Osgood-Schlatters disease and unfortunately this and the heel pain do need rest. You may need a week or two out of rugby training. It can be a problem for about 4-6 weeks and there may be more than one episode of it. Ice and anti-inflammatory drugs are effective during the acute phase and once this has settled it is really important that the calf and quads muscles are stretched regularly to minimise any further episodes.
Stretching is best done when the muscles are warm. This can be immediately after a warm bath or shower, or straight after rugby training or a rugby game. At this time you will hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds to try and lengthen the muscle. You should feel the stretch but it should NOT be painful. Stretching before training or a game should be just to move your muscles through their normal range and often these are “dynamic”. When you are trying to lengthen muscles I always ask that you hold onto something stable to minimise the risk of pulling the muscle if you wobble.
Calf Stretch in Standing
Aim
- To maintain good lower limb biomechanics
- To have enough ankle movement for good propulsion during starts and turns
Method
- Standing with both hands supported on the wall or suitable fixed surface
- Start with both feet shoulder width apart, toes forward and arch lifted up
- Keep both knees straight and the heels down
- Lean forward, toward the wall from the ankle
- This stretch may be felt in the calf
Repetition
- 10 seconds to loosen up before exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
- 30 seconds when warm or after exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
Watch Points
- The feet may turn out
- The arch may flatten
- The heel may lift up
- The knee may flex
- Progression
- If the stretch sensation in the two-legged position is mild the stretch may be progressed to step-standing, with the watch points above
Quadriceps Stretch in Standing
Aim
- To allow full extension of the hips during leg kick, without pulling on the lumbar spine and pelvis
Method
- Hold onto a wall or suitable fixed point
- Transfer body weight onto one leg and flex the knee fully
- Take hold of this ankle and regain an upright posture in the upper body.
- Engage the lower abdominals and set neutral pelvis and spine
- Bring the thigh in then start to move the knee back to meet the other
- The buttock should be engaged as the leg is moved back
- The abdominals should maintain the spine and pelvis in neutral
Repetition
- 10 seconds to loosen up before exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
- 30 seconds when warm or after exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
Watch Points
- The lumbar spine may hollow and pelvis tilt anteriorly
- Leg may move outward into abduction
Variation
- As well as adducting the hips, or bringing the thigh in before trying to engage the buttock and extend the hip, the hip may be left in 10-20 abduction, if the Ilio-Tibial Band (ITB) is tight.
Lisa
(Reproduced with kind permission from PP4P Ltd)
Tags: growing pains, lisa sharratt blog, rugby players growth
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Over the last few years many sports through their coaching departments have tried to set up Mentoring programmes as part of their coach development strategy. They will tell you that they have had some success in doing this. The truth however is that by and large they have been a waste of time, money and effort.
That said I for one am a great advocate of mentoring. I have had a mentoring for twenty five years, though I never knew it, and certainly never called him a mentor. He was and is someone who I can go to and talk through any issues around my coaching, and use as a sounding board. Someone who I trust and someone who is always honest. It’s at this point I should perhaps give you the dictionary definition of a mentor, which is “a trusted friend or advisor”. Herein is the problem with most mentoring programmes that I have witnessed. Imposing a mentor or even trying to match one with a coach does not work. A successful mentoring relationship only exists when the mentor and mentee have a genuine affinity.
So in finding a mentor I would suggest that this is going to be someone you already know. It could be a more senior coach at your club if you are a new coach. If you are a more senior coach it could be someone you have worked with in the past. It must be someone you trust and respect.
The other thing that is crucial for a mentoring relationship to work is that it must have a purpose. That could be as simple as the coach just wanting to generally improve, or improve in a specific area. If there is no purpose then the relationship is doomed to fail. Lack of commitment from either party will also see the relationship doomed.
Next week I will look at the roles and responsibilities of a mentor and the pitfalls to the mentoring process.
Haydn
Tags: finding a mentor, haydn walker rugby blog, mentoring, rugby mentoring
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Coaching, Colts- U18-19, Midi- U11-U12, Role, Ruckipedia, rugby development | View Comments
Thursday, November 24th, 2011
Traditionally Wasps are the bastions of `Up and in’ defence.
Big hits, cutting off passes, denying space and time – that’s how they’ve been defined for what seems like ages.
Even when the style was in the minority, Wasps refused to waver. In many ways their approach acutely mirrored their nickname (sting) and, thus, a certain aura was created.
Yet even the most assured and knowledgeable of rugby union coaches will tell you that the game is about adaptation as much as anything.
Attacks are a lot smarter these days, players are aware of how to exploit different areas, more so than they were in the past.
Also players are getting bigger and stronger every year- 100kg centers in the past were freaks now they are the norm.
Wasps haven’t won a trophy or been near a final/playoffs now for 2 years and only just scrapped into the Heineken Cup this season. Is time for them to change or adapt their system?
I think so!
You’ve got to move with the times. If something’s not working as well as it once did, you’ve obviously got to change it.
But that’s easier said than done!
Coordinating and then adjusting a defensive system for the whole squad can prove intricate and difficult; to keep 15 moving players in symbiosis relies on several key factors, such as trust, awareness and communication.
In the early stages of evolving your defensive structure communication is vital in order to build the trust you need to be great a side.
Some coaches would view communication more important than technique, the way players talk and gesture to each other is a good indication to see if they are ‘on their game.’
A team can hide lapses if it talks; it’s everyone’s responsibility.
Defence just like all aspects of the game need to evolve- even if you think you are on the right track -If you stand still, you are sure to be run over!
Keep working hard to be one step ahead.
Tags: blitz defence, Defence, defence attitude, defence system, rugby coaching defence, rugby defence system
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, Defence, Defence, Midi- U11-U12, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, Tactical, rugby development | View Comments
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
The Quote
“Of the mental hazards, being scared is the worst. When you get scared you get tense, and when tense you don’t perform” – Sam Snead (US Golfer)
The Lesson
Fear comes in different shapes and sizes: fear of winning, fear of losing, fear of looking foolish, fear of letting people down, fear of injury. The list is endless. No matter what we fear, it can paralyse us to the extent that we cannot perform. It can make us forget how good we are, or what to do at any given point in the game. We need therefore to overcome fear when we feel it coming on.
How we do this is simple, we regroup mentally. We slow down take a deep breath and refocus. We use positive self talk to remind ourselves of how good we are. We visualize the perfect performance. We seek reassurance from team mates and coaches.
The Action
I will have no fear.
Tags: commitment, Mental toughness, positive attitude, rugby mental preparation, rugby mental qualities, rugby mental skills
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Concentration, Confidence, Game Preparation, Goal Setting, Mental, Mental toughness, Midi- U11-U12, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, rugby development | View Comments
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
One of the best bits of advice I was ever given when starting out as a conditioning coach was to always train with the ball. This initially proved to be a problem because growing up in Northern Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling were the sports played in schools not rugby. With rugby therefore being a pretty new sport to me I went and observed as many conditioning sessions of rugby league and rugby union, and also observed as many different sports as I could.
These visits to other establishments proved very worthwhile from the point of view that it taught me the basic principles of what a conditioning session on a field should entail. The skill was taking what I had observed, adapting the relevant components and applying it to the team I was working with. For example, one of the teams I visited was the Brisbane Broncos whose strength and conditioning programme is one of the best in the world. It was far from suitable though to apply to Workington Town (the team who I was working with at the time). It was during this particular visit that I learnt the value of doing all of the rugby conditioning with the ball. Before this experience I would have made players do the classical interval style training. Upon my return from Australia I set out to actually measure the difference between training with and training without the ball.
Mikey
Tags: Fitness, fitness programme, mike mcgurn rugby blog, rugby conditioning
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, Midi- U11-U12, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, Strength and Conditioning, rugby development | View Comments
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
What Can happen to knees?
The ligaments on the sides of the knee can be sprained if the foot stays on (or in) the ground but the rest of the body goes in the other direction. It is more common for this to happen on the inside “medial ligaments” and can be very sore and painful to walk initially. You will often find for the first couple of days that the knee is most comfortable in a slightly bent position, which takes the strain off the ligaments. Following the PRICE regime that we have mentioned in the overview of common injuries can help with any immediate pain and swelling. Then start to try and bend and straighten the knee as much as the pain allows. A physiotherapy assessment is always beneficial to determine if this is all that is injured and to what extent.
The cruciate ligaments are inside the knee and stabilise forward and backward knee movements. Excessive push or pull on the lower leg can cause strain or rupture of these ligaments. There is usually a lot more immediate swelling and often unable to weight-bear through the leg. This needs urgent medical attention and an MRI scan will need to be arranged if a cruciate injury is suspected.
The meniscus is another vulnerable structure at risk of injury in the knee. This is usually referred to as the cartilage and is the shock absorber in the knee, injured most easily in twisting movements. Again there will probably be some swelling but the classic sign for “cartilage” problems is locking of the knee, where it gets stuck in a particular position. There are tests medical staff can carry out to decide if this is the problem but ultimately an arthroscopy, where a tiny camera is used to explore the joint, will be required to trim and stabilise any tear.
An “unhappy triad” is a very sorry combination of all three!
What would rehab involve?
Pain relief is important to help get the knee moving again and PRICE will help with controlling this and the swelling. After the first few days it is really important to get full movement back as it will be limited by the swelling and pain. The thigh muscles control the alignment of the knee cap and they become weak with this sort of injury so strengthening these is also important. Often much of the emphasis is placed on getting back into running but not on balance.
A player should not return to play if they cannot change direction, stop and start and accelerate and decelerate without hesitation.
Can any of these problems be avoided?
Obviously if the knee is in the wrong place at the wrong time there is little anyone can do to prevent an injury but if you are quick and light on your feet you have a fighting chance of getting your knee and the rest of you out of there! Balance reactions also help so next time you are warming up, try passing the ball stood on one leg. Try this again whilst hopping.
As I will say at the end of every article, if you are in any doubt go and seek qualified medical advice.
Next time, how does growth affect the legs?
Lisa
Tags: lisa sharratt blog, rugby injuries, rugby injury management, rugby knee injuries
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Friday, November 11th, 2011
Union Handball
Aim:
Develop Grip, Carry, Passing & Catching, along decision making skills and spacial awareness.
Set Up & Rules:
Game is played 4 v 4 with each team allowed a goalkeeper.
Teams score by passing the ball into the goal.
No players other than the goalkeeper allowed in the ‘goal area’.
Players may run with the ball and pass in any direction.
Defenders look to force an error or intercept a pass.
After a score the non-scoring team start with a pass from the goalkeeper.
All errors (knock-on’s, etc) result in a turnover.
Coaching:
Hold the ball in two hands with thumbs spread greater than a right angle in the centre of the ball with arched palms and elbows out.
Hold the ball out in front of and central with their body when running with the ball.
Communication between players – finding space.
Tags: core skills development, haydn walker rugby blog, rugby core skills, skill development games, skills development rugby
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, Handling, Midi- U11-U12, Parent, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, Technical, Technical, rugby development | View Comments
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
When you ask a rugby player, junior or senior, what does discipline mean? They invariably answer ‘not to concede any penalties’. And they wouldn’t be wrong but the word discipline means many other things too not just in sports but in life as well.
In rugby when you have set goals you have to be discipline enough to reach them-
So, what does that mean?
Well, you need to plan, to organise you training schedule, to train when you are not feeling 100%, to train when it’s cold and wet, to train harder than the last session, to train smarter after a loss, to train everyday.
How many rugby players do you know that have trained enthusiastically and hard for a short period of time then fell away- never to be seen again? They miss their first training session because it’s raining or they miss their first weight session because they are ill- missing the first session is like telling a lie- the next lie comes easier!
Be disciplined to follow your goals everyday.
But it’s not on the rugby pitch were you need self-discipline- it’s off the field too, it’s everything you do!
Your school work, your homework, your rest and recovery, the way you eat, spending time with your family and friends, having the discipline to relax in the right way at the right time, your planning of your work schedules and sticking to them, your time-keeping, answering messages, your appearance, your attitude, the way you conduct yourself in public- discipline needs to be with you everywhere.
So discipline is not just following a game plan or not conceding penalties, it’s an everyday, every time thing!
Tags: Mental toughness, rugby discipline, rugby mental qualities
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, Concentration, Game Preparation, Goal Setting, Mental, Mental toughness, Midi- U11-U12, Parent, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, rugby development | View Comments
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Waves (6 v 3+3)
Aim:
To develop grip, carry, pass (north/south) and catch skills with support play and decision making
Set Up & Rules:
Players are divided into 1 team of 6 ‘attackers’ and 2 ‘teams’ of 3 defenders.
The defenders are positioned at each end of the channel, with the attackers in the central area (defenders are not allowed in central area). 3 balls are placed on the ground on each side of the central area. The coach passes a ball to the attackers from the side line to start the game: the 6 attackers attempt to score over one end of the channel. Defenders may move to challenge once the attackers have left the central area. When a try is scored, or the attack breaks down/is stopped or the ball carrier is touched 2-handed (a ‘tackle’), the attackers turn, collect another ball from the central area and attack the opposite end of the channel. The ‘game’ continues in this manner until all six balls have been used; attackers and defenders then rotate and the game continues. The coach may stop any attack for incorrect grip carry, (one or two handed), pass or a catch that hits a receiver’s shirt; all result in a turnover of possession.
Coaching:
Communicate with team mates; support ball carrier with good shape lead into space to receive pass(north/south); hands up to receive; catch ball away from body; good grip, centre body carries, pass in front of receiver; run at pace; head-up to scan/read movement of defenders; vary running lines to penetrate gaps/overlaps in defensive alignment; re-align quickly to attack in opposite direction.
Tags: basic skills, developing rugby skills, haydn walker rugby blog, rugby core skills, skill development games, teaching games for understanding rugby
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, Handling, Midi- U11-U12, Parent, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Technical, Technical, rugby development | View Comments
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
The Quote
“It’s unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life” – Mickey Mantle (Baseball Hall of Fame)
The Lesson
Sometimes we can best learn lessons about rugby when we step back and try and look at things with a pair of fresh eyes. We can take things for granted very easily and sometimes can’t see the opportunity for learning that is under are noses. Take time to look for new learning in all aspects of the game. Could you execute that pass differently? Is there a different line out technique that would help me? The opportunities to learn are infinite. Opening your mind is not as easy, but if you look at all the worlds great sportsmen they are students of the game on a constant quest for knowledge.
The Action
There is always something to learn. I will try to learn one new thing today and everyday.
Tags: Mental toughness, rugby learning opportunities, rugby mental preparation, rugby mental qualities, rugby mental skills
Posted in A, Adult- Community, Age, Category, Coaches, Colts- U18-19, General Advice, Midi- U11-U12, Player, Role, Ruckipedia, Site Articles, rugby development | View Comments
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