Run Fun Starz Group Blog Of The Year 2010

In celebration of the New Year we would like all our viewers and readers to vote on the blog of the year. The majority of the blog posted here are written by professional coaches of our team. Since we have posted quite a few blogs and were unable to decide between us which blog should go up for nomination Run Fun Starz Group's blog of the year 2010 we have decided to pick the Top 5 blog posts with the most views. They are as follows and in no particular order:

1. Why is the standard of Disability Sports activities still lagging behind?

2. How To Help Children Struggling In A Sports Session and PE Lesson

3. Flexy Sports Programme's First Year - There is Still Time To Be Part Of Our History

4. How To Maximise Your Employability As A Community Sports Coach

5. How To Encourage Pupils In London Secondary Schools To Do More Sport

To vote for your favourite blog of the year choose an option on the right side of this blog post. We would like to thank you and everyone that has been coming back to read our posts for the last 5 months. Please continue to come back and also comment on the posts. We wish you a Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Run Fun Starz Group

How To Create A Fun Atmosphere....

Here 7 reasons why you should add music in your drills for yourself or if you lead sports activities:

• Music has a way of making people feel happy and get into 'the moment' and this can be transferred into a sporting context. It is why Football Freestylers use music when they are performing their soccer skills. 

• Using music as a collective group and even having every one singing along to it could create a sense of unity in team environment.

• Music encourages people to move and the essence of many sport is movement.

• The combination of doing something enjoyable and hearing something that is actually music to the ears could be a great way to challenge concentration skills. 

• So you should put on some upbeat music with motivating/fun words in your drills to create a fun atmosphere.

• Music gives you rhythm. In sports like Boxing rhythm is part of being able to throw a punch/jab every X number of seconds, dodging and good foot work. It is about repetition and practice.

• Music & sport can be quite enjoyable for kids and young people especially because the combination  allows individuals to express themselves physically and mentally. 

How To Get Yourself Back Into The Groove

So Christmas and New Year could leave you feeling lethargic and lazy because of all the energy you have exerted. Not to mention the outcome of being over indulging on the festive food. Understandably, a lot of people want to get fit and eating healthy as part of their New Years Resolution. When it comes to improving your fitness and becoming more active you really need to be ready to put in the work. How many of us come up with at least one resolution which we have abandoned by the end of the week? To be honest almost all of us are guilty of it. The truth us many of us don't stick to our resolution and the main reason for this is that we don't plan to see it out in the long term and in practical terms. Below are some tips on how to maintain your New Years Resolution to get fit.

How Much Time Do You Have?

Time is important because this will ultimately decide your ability to commit to a fitness and activity regime. This is the first factor you need to think about carefully. Figure out your work schedule and other responsibilities you have and work around them. You also need to consider days in which you energy levels are high and your mood is upbeat since motivation is key to putting your plans into action. When deciding the times you want to dedicate to physical activity you need to ensure it is a time you do not mind sacrificing. If you choose a time that you treasure and would rather spend elsewhere you are likely to get distracted. So stick to a time that you know you are willing to honour whatever the circumstances may be.

How Do You Want To Get Fit?

You need to decide on how you plan on getting and keeping fit and active. You may be a person that prefers to (a) go to the gym, (b) employ a Personal Trainer, (c) do a home work out (personal exercises, Wii), (d) cardiovascular regime, (e) play a sport or even a combination of the latter. Which ever physical activity you choose to use as a method you need to ensure that it contributes to your overall goals.

Determine Your Goals & Target

One of the many mistakes people make when they decide to get fit or fitter as a New Years Resolution is set goals which are vague and ambiguous. It is all well wanting to get active for the new year and 'saying I'm going to get fit for this yea' but you need to determine whether it is a long term, medium term or short term goal. This blog would suggest you want to get fit as a long term goal as you are more likely to see positive results. You also need to think about picking specific and targeted goals. Begin by setting daily and weekly goals as these will be the stepping stones of the overall goal of getting fit. So an example of a daily goal is to walk 10000 steps in the day. Then you could continue penning your monthly, quarterly and annual goals. 

Write & Record

Writing down or recording your progress, scheduled activities, journals and aims and objectives. This will allow you to see visual evidence of how you are doing and will additionally help you to keep track of where you are in your quest to get fit. It is an effective way of staying motivated. It is important that your plan to get fit is constructed and completed ahead of the first day you begin. Every detail such as how long a particular work out will last needs to be established. 

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Youth sports, What is More Important: Winning or Participating?

How many times have you heard the saying 'Its not winning that is important, its participating'? Probably countless times. Chances are that the answer you will be given to the question will lie with the person you ask. Research from academics like Istvan Balyi who designed the Long Term Athlete Development make the case that winning should not be highlighted to kids until the age of 14 years and over because they are not physically or psychologically matured for competition and winning prior to this age. He also stressed that the risk of overemphasising winning to children could eliminate enjoyment and ultimately deter them from participating because of the pressures of winning.

The UK's National Framework for Sport is based on Dr Istvan Balyi's Long Term Athlete Development. Therefore when we relate the question to government institutions the importance of participation is also the main focus of the National Physical Education Curriculum and Extra Curriculum activities which includes after school sports clubs. This is obviously because local authorities have a duty to maximise the provision of sport and ensure that they remain inclusive as possible. Rightfully, the opportunity for every child and young person to participate regardless of ability, experience, socio-economic background becomes a priority over winning.

The down side to prioritising participation is that you fail to encourage children and young people who have the ability, talents, experience, motivation or confidence to do better. The practice and view that the child achieves to the average standard is often acceptance as ‘good enough’. It is essential that children are challenged and given the means to achieve the best.

On the contrary, a week end Community Rugby Club with an Under 12's team is likely to emphasise winning because it is the reason the club exists and it is involved in competing with teams. In addition, some clubs like these require a membership fee. The fact that a financial contribution is made by parents will often mean that the club must give value for money through the supply of a full Rugby Kit, training sessions delivered by highly qualified Rugby Coaches, Social Events and their child's admission to matches as part of the cost. Children and their parents expect to get something out of it and in the eyes of many the best reward is winning tournaments, prizes and medals. Furthermore, if the case is that the funding and operation if the club is attributed to a private donor such as a local business or sponsor there could be specific demands given to the club to obtain the support. Some donors will want the club to be successful to offer a contract/funding. Thus the club will be obliged to win as much as possible. In this scenario winning would be more important than participating.

Clubs like these would argue that winning is more important despite the young age of the children because of the winning mentally it instills into the players. Indeed as a coach you will constantly see that a lot of children love the element of competition. This is the same for activities in primary/secondary school and youth clubs. A question that a community coach is always bombarded with is 'When can we play a match?' This suggest that of course they enjoy the idea of winning and it is not just about participating which matters to them. Clubs who have young people compete on their behalf believe that the prospect of winning for their members is an effective way of preparing them for the future demands as they improve with age, learn their trade and since they are being supported by coaches, club staff, parents and sometimes psychologists the possibility of pressure is minimised.

However, the danger of dismissing participation is forgetting about the effort children put in to win in a loss, personal achievement like a good individual performance and low confidence. Moreover, children who are constantly exposed to the pressures of winning could become disillusioned with participating because the component fun disappearing.         

 

 Overall the question of weather winning or participating is more important is dependent on the vision, objectives, priorities and resources of the host (Coach, Instructor, Club, School, Teacher, Department, Service, Funder etc). Equally, balancing both can be effective to ensure that children in youth sports feel good about themselves, have fun, revel and pushed to do we well as they are able to without compromising their enjoyment.

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What Gets Young People Talking?

One of the most satisfying aspects of organising activities for young people is to see the joy and excitement they feel during the sessions. This sense of satisfaction is elevated when their experience stays with them in the long term or even forever. A key to this kinds response is successful engagement with the young people. By creating surroundings in which children are able to express themselves freely without the feeling of being looked down upon or judged (be it by adults, teachers, coaches or peers) you have created a blank slate. 

This blank slate is paramount to establishing a trusting relationship when young people attend the activities. From the beginning you need to make them believe them that they have a voice that matters and you are interested in their views and experiences. Now you may wonder what their experiences have got to do with playing sports? Encouraging them to express their views is an effective way to engage them. It is also a method of using the information about themselves that you can refer back to in the future when you need to make decisions on how that young person works best. Is it in a leadership role? Or as a key team player? Listening and taking on what they have to say helps. 

The other part to this is about children being able to relate to you. It is easier to make an impression on children when you come from a similar background and you can genuinely understand where they are coming from. Young people are smart and have good social awareness so they are able to tell when it is not 'real'. But when they can feel that you appreciate and care about their experiences they become more open to your advice, ideas and suggestions. This is the beginning of children and young people placing trust in your methods for their benefit.

Finally, when they can see how your approach has enhanced them personally and as a group it brings them a sense of achievement. Many young people feel special in away that two individuals (Coaches in this case) come in to their environment (school, youth club, community activity etc) to share their professional expertise and experience just for them.  In the end the fact that they have learned things (listening skills, discipline, team work, debate) they can keep with them forever, had fun and were able to enjoy themselves all at the same time is what makes children and young people happy. If the experience has them talking about it for days, weeks, months and even years then we have done our job.

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How To Build Good Habits In Your Sport

In almost every sport you are introduced to for the first time as a novice you will always begin with the basic technical aspect of that sport. The main purpose of this is to give you the tools to use in order to have the capability to perform the actions required in the overall game. It is your initial stage of learning the technical skills that will ultimately determine weather you continue to carry good practical habits in your sport. Thus numerous sports activities have a set of fundamental criteria which vary from specific movements to skills, technical proficiencies, fitness or more psychological aspects like awareness. Boxing is a sport where according to Diminti (2001) speed is most significant fitness element. Thus the ability to produce a movement within the most limited period of time is the key fundamental skill in boxing. On the other hand in Floorball it is essential for players to have strength.To build good habits in your sport for the whole team you must first focus on yourself as an individual as the two are interlinked. For this reason this post will focus on the individual fundamentals

Failure to acquire the fundamentals in any sport almost makes it impossible for you to play the sport to the highest standard and to your ability. Of course it is important to note that you are not going to gain these fundamentals immediately. Nevertheless, the quicker you get them right the more likely that you will be able to prioritise other aspects of your game. Take a look at the best athletes in their field. Cesc Fabregas is known as a great passer in football. Why? Because he gets the fundamentals correct through good practicing habits. This has allowed him to focus on other things like his vision to find an area for a great pass to be received by a forward; which is also exceptional. 

Additionally, gaining fundamental qualities must be measured within the capacity of your own ability, experience and training. So do not be concerned if you are unable to cross the football with the pace and accuracy of other members in your team. It is about yourself using good habits to perform this technique. It can be unrealistic to compare yourself to another individual. The most important thing is to grasp this skill correctly. The disadvantage of not grasping it is the possibility of never being able to reverse the incorrect habits; which can ultimately restrict you from performing at your best at any level. 

On a lighter note to be able to build a set of good habits in your sport also you need to get the fundamentals of the sport correct. You must acquire these fundamentals through consistent, appropriate practice and interventions. Having good habits will especially benefit you in highly technical sports such as Tennis because it could make the difference between you ever being able to hit a tennis ball using a form arm shot with the best accuracy. And due to the your inability to fully grasp the correct method it could mean that your efficiency as a player is compromised. Consequently, you are now probably going to be forced to increase your work rate and fitness due to lack of efficiency. It could also mean you will spend less time elevating your other elements of play. The point is that practical good habits will assist you in enhancing a number of other qualities.

In Basketball the technicalities of footwork, passing/receiving, shooting and dribbling are vital for the individual player. Take footwork for example, your footwork in terms of moving towards an advanced direction (Basketball hoop) you need to practice stance and pivoting. Pivoting helps you stop with the ball and handle it with control. If your stance is not learned with the correct intervention or correction from the person who is coaching/teaching you you will fall into bad practicing habits. The result of it may be constant errors like dropping the ball when it is passed with speed due to lack of balance in your stance. Or dropping the ball because you caught it at an awkward stance. You may recover 9/10 by catching it straight after it has bounced and before your opponent manages to take advantage. Yes this shows your reaction is good but like the Tennis example discussed earlier you will now need to focus and rely heavily on your reaction which is not guaranteed to get you out of trouble all the time. So why not get it right in the first place? 

Both of the latter are instances can happen to anyone but when it continuously occurs after months and years of practice and you are still unable to receive a quick pass it indicates you have fallen into bad habits due to failure or laziness to apply the correction needed for the fault. A good habit to take on for footwork like the which relates to practice involves running, stopping, receiving, turning and passing respectively. When working on footwork in basketball it is important to connect these movement in a sequence because it is realistic to how you would apply this movement in a game and therefore the training should imitate it.

In conclusion to be build a set of good habits in your sport acquire all the individual fundamentals necessary first. Ask yourself: what are the fundamentals in my sport? How well have I acquired them? Do I have good practicing habits?

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How Have You Rated Run Fun Starz?

As an organisation we take pride in the way the people who use our classes view us and the quality of their experience. The Run Fun Starz Group always encourages feedback from those directly as well as indirectly involved in our ethos. Are pupils are made up of children from in School PE or Extra Curricular classes (7-10 years) and week-end and after school sessions and young people and adults (age range of 17-38) in our evening activities and training. Our pupils are of mixed level of ability. The majority pupils are reside in East London as this is the location most of bookings for Flexy Sports Programmes have been demnaded from.

In November we reported that overall 60% of pupils who had experienced playing sport through our 6 Week Flexy Sports Programme (6 WFSP) declared the sessions as 'Very Good'. This figure rose to 65% amongst those who had attended and completed the 12 Week Flexy Sports Programme (12 WFSP). In a quick quiz designed by Run Fun Starz Group 73% of pupils felt that the sessions were fun. We were rated higher in the concept of fun with children aged 7-10 years and young people aged 12-15 years respectively. The prime reason we believe this was is due to the constant reference to taking part in competitions and ample amount of time spent actually playing the sport itself. 

With regards to adults and young people aged 18+ the most important fun factor for them was the challenge of their fitness and the continous learning of techniques and tactics; which are associated with the nature of some of the classes. The educational approach has ensured that pupils regularly acquire knowledge about how to utilise the information given to them by the coach and other session materials. As a result of being involved in our sessions many talked about that they had learned:

•     How to perform skills and techniques                                 

•     When to perform skills and techniques in a game

•      Rules of a sport

•      Team Work and Fair Play

•     How to lead a Warm- Up and Cool-Down

•     Training techniques

•     How to keep fit in a personal capacity

•     About confidence and motivation

•     Benefit of the sessions

When pupils were asked about their feelings during the classes and on average 7/10 participants agreed they felt motivated and confident in the 6 WFSP. This is of a huge significance as we aim to create a relaxing and comfortable playing environment at all times. The theme of being set challenges is a largely popular in the 12 WFSP. Furthermore here on average 8/10 agreed that the 12 WFSP has improved their ability in the sport they had been involved in. We are also happy that we met 71% of our pupils' expectations of the activities they took part in.

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Is Physical Activity and Playing Sport Enough?

If you want to maintain a good and balanced health then the answer is no You need a carefully planned combination of both to see real results in terms of your performance. Our pieces of writing highlight the significance of participating in regular sport because after all it is the sector we operate in. At the same time it is still vital that you also have a good diet to see the real benefits of playing sport. In fact past studies by the Journal of the American Dietectic Association have shown evidence that those who play regular sports have better eating habits. 

You don't have to be an athlete to control and manipulate your diet for an improved sports performance. If you are already a member of sports establishment and regularly compete/train, you are probably already conscious of the food intake that is most effective for you. It is always positive when you want to balance your diet. Physical activity make a good combination for a healthy lifestyle. A monitored diet will not mean that you will turn into a top flight athlete. However, it could help you give you that physical and mental edge with the correct training. The general diet for a person that plays sport consists of a good mix of carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and normal portion of protein consumption.

The inclusion of carbohydrates such as brown bread and pasta, potatoes is appropriate because it acts as your fuel if you are in endurance (middle/long distance running) or speed-endurance (Floorball) sports. An example of a meal for person that plays football who has an evening football match to look forward to could be some sort of Meat (Lean) Pasta with a Salad, a bowl of muscles with semi-skimmed milk for breakfast Almonds, Nutrition Bars, Orange Squash and Bananas. The protein in the pasta in the form of mince meat is useful for sports which require power. Banana is particularly popular as it serves as a good source of potassium and is easily digested. It is recommended that any meal eaten prior to training or competition should be eaten approximately 2 hours before to allow your digestive system to do its job. Additionally it should prevent you from feeling over loaded.

Following your workout wheather it is after a training session or match you need to immediately replenish your body for the lost glucose with more carbohydrates with plenty of fluids. Some people like to refuel with sports drinks like Lucozade and Powerade. Sports drinks are taken as they are also full of carbohydrates. If you are not a fan of sports drinks you can make your own sports drink. Dilute some squash and add a pinch of salt.

 

What is your diet like as a person who plays sport or takes part in physical activity? How has it helped you?

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This post referred to The Private Healthcare UK guide website as its source.

Sport Means Many Things To Many People. What does It Mean To You?

Sport is watched, coached, played and more importantly admired by millions of around the world. According to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) approximately 700 million people across the globe watched the FIFA World Cup Final 2010 in South Africa. More than 19 million viewers were said to have watched England against Germany in the same competition in the UK alone. For people who participate in sports the feeling of excitement, fun, thrill and belonging attracts them to this phenomena. The vast variations of emotions that can be experienced within a single moment is often what attracts people to watching and/or playing sport. It means many things to many people.

So what does sport mean to you? Do you play? Are you a spectator?

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How Do We Provide Exciting Sports Provision in Schools?

The key and most effective way why we provide exciting sports provision to schools is delivering  Flexy Sports Programmes according to the requirements of a school. The Flexy Sports Programme offers unique, modern, flexible, friendly and child and participant centred sporting activities through a set of key objectives.

Our Objectives

1. To raise children, young people and adults self-esteem, motivation and opportunities in the community through the participation of Run Fun Starz Group's Flexy Sports Programmes

2. To provide inclusive sessions that will facilitate each and every individual child, young person and adult’s level of sporting experience and ability through fun and enjoyment

3. To be a platform for children, young people and adults who seek ample practice to enhance their skills

4. To help children, young people and adults build and enhance basic social skills required to continue a healthy and active lifestyle in the future

FSP gives the participants the experience they want through key elements. This the reason the Run Fun Starz Group makes an effort to understand why participants take an interest in the programme from the beginning. according to the answers provided in the Session Interest Form. There are three main elements which are incorporated in the delivery of a FSP: Experience, Physical and Psychological. The Flexy Sports Programme has an Educational Approach to make the participants feel involved in their development during the programme. As participants progress in the Flexy Sports Programmes they will go through three main Phases:

1. Learning: Understand the benefit of the Flexy Sports Programmes on their skill learning, development and overall motivation as well as confidence.

2. Development: Learn, recognise and accept the way of the Flexy Sports Programme methods, approaches and techniques in their given sports.

3. Perfect Practice: Participants are now committed to the Flexy Sports Programmes through effort and time taken to attend and practice.

These three phases have been implemented because they will reduce the likelihood of confidence, trust and faith in the Flexy Sports Programmes because they have been clearly understood.

According to Pro Active East London (2007) only 18% of East London pupils (Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, London City, Newham, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets) participate in activities run by clubs/organisations linked to their schools compared to the UK average of 27%. We give a chance to schools to change this by providing an extension of curriculum PE and provide further enrichment of skill development. Ofstead suggested that schools need to provide at least 2 hours of physical exercise a week to children. With our 15 minutes extra policy we aim to give back free play time to our pupils so that they are able to enjoy the classes for longer. Its no wonder 65% of our pupils rated our 12 Week Flexy Sports Programme as 'Very Good'. It is indicative that the longer free play available to pupils the more exciting it is to them.

The fact that the programmes offer children the opportunity to play certain sports they have never been exposed to is what differentiates the Run Fun Starz Group from others and is additionally a unique feature of the service. The Run Fun Starz Group is committed to developing a forward-looking and comprehensive Flexy Sports Programmes that will meet the needs of the children at all levels and help children become better at sports. How children think during the programmes also matters because this will ultimately affect how they feel. Subsequently, the programmes focus on psychological elements as well as physical. We can form part of schools out of school hours learning programme and support the key stage attainment targets in primary school curriculum Physical Education.

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How To Stay Content Focused In Individual Sport

When you play an individual sport like Athletics, Judo, Polybat or Tennis it is critical that the content of the training session is focused because drifting to irrelevant topics could restrict your progress in an area  you  want improve in. The reason it is significant is that in an individual sport you will often rely on your own technical ability to excel and get get out of  times of adversity which are game related. This will apply to you at some point wheather you are a novice, beginner, amateur or professional athlete. Whereas, in a team sport like Handball although technical ability is also important their is more of a reliance on the whole team and fellow team mates' strenghts to progress.

The first step to stay content focused is to practice EVERYTHING technically correct during training. This is particularly the case for Athletics as it is highly technical sport. Practicing correctly involves how you practice in order to reach a technical standard using the appropriate methods. For example if you are a 100m sprinter working on your body posture you could practice running on your toes with your knees high, head still and  running in natural alignment. This is an example of how you practice the technique of posture correctly. It is also realistic of how your body should be positioned when racing against opponents; in a very mechanical and smooth way. 

Moreover the training always has to be specific. If you are working on developing a certain aspect of your skill or game concentrate on that alone. For instance if you are practicing a back hand tennis shot it is essential that you hit decisively even if it is not perfect. It would not be necessary to practice a shot hit from between your legs. Firstly, because it is not often you will be required to make a shot like this during a tennis match. Secondly, it would probably only be necessary if you have exceptional skills to complete this shot successfully. Finally, it would make little sense to practice something that is unrelated to the overall technical requirements of the sport. Thus everything done in training must be related to the game/event itself to ensure you remain focused on the content of your learning.

Another way to stay content focused in your sport is that it may be helpful to pick a particular model or athlete to use as a guide to train the technical aspects that you want to improve on. In doing this you must also be realistic in your capabilities in comparison to the person you are modelling. 

So to stay content focused in an individual sport practice everything technical to the sport correctly, make your training session as specific as possible and model an athlete's training approach and adapt it to your level of fitness and ability.

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How To Explore Whether Your Sporting Needs Are Being Met?

So you attend your regular sports club sessions to train and get involved in matches/competitions. But are you actually getting what you sought out to? Are your needs being met? If you are then that is great and if you are benefiting in other ways that you had not anticipated then that is a plus for you too. However if you are not getting what you wanted or needed for your participation it is important you start to consider how to change this. At Run Fun Starz we investigate our pupils' needs before they begin any programme. You should consistently evaluate how you are doing and if you are getting the desired outcomes you had expected. The key with assessing and evaluation is to also devise an Action Plan. You would be surprised at the number of people who fail to do the latter.

You can begin by selecting one or two aspects of your participation that you would really like to work on first. For instance many of our pupils in our classes join us because they want to enhance their technical skills.  So this may be an aspect you would also personally like to develop. Then you can start to rate yourself on this specific aspect and come up with a rating that you would like to achieve in three months time. Thereafter as yourself; How will I work on this? With regards to your technical skill it may be a good idea to ask your Coach to help you with it. This leads us to the next stage, which is about investigating who or what you will need to help you? When it comes to improving technical skills you need time and adequate tools to see a difference. Consideration of when you will start working on your aspects should be a top priority and establishing how you will know when you have made progress. It is vital you think about how committed you are to making an improvement as this will ultimately determine how effectively your needs are met.

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How To Keep Moving At Home During The Snow

It is snowing and the weather is terrible out there. It does not look like it is going to stop any time soon if we go by the weather forecast for the coming weeks. You should get involved in things that are a little bit physical to help maintain your immune system. While you are at it encourage others in the home to join you as you are more likley to enjoy it. So if you have children  Below are some ideas to think about to at least get your muscles warmed up if you are usually an active person. Some of these activities are more game/fitness related but nevertheless are useful activities for you to take part in.

 

Basketball - If you have a Basketball hoop in your home then take some time and shoot some hoops. If it is located in a garage, basement or an area where there is space make sure take advantage by moving around. It is good to get your heart racing a bit.

Play Music - Another way to keep your body alert is to put on some music and do a work out and even put on an fitness video to move to. Alternatively, you can play the music and dance to it. Its a great way of letting of some steam and having fun.

Table Tennis - If you are lucky enough to have space to have a table tennis in your home use it.

Video Games - Get on your Wii Fit and other movement games when you get the chance. After all games like these were designed to get you off your sofa.

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How To Apply Your of Problem Solving Skills In Sport

Problem solving is a fantastic skill to have. It is also an invaluable quality to have when playing sport as it means you are able to anticipate situations well and know the correct action to take. Learning in a sport is also about understanding play. To improve you must be placed in the correct conditions. So here are  two main phenomenas that could help you heighten your problem solving skills:

Re-creation

When you are out practising during training session you should re-create situations in a drill or game to help you figure out how you can do better. For example when you aim to dribble the football past a defender and into the space behind and the defender intercepts the ball you need to create this situation again. Firstly because you have lost the ball it indicates you need to control better and keep the ball closer to your feet. Thus you need to LEARN and UNDERSTAND what you did incorrectly. But DO NOT PRACTICE what you did incorrectly as this can encourage bad habits. Nevertheless, by setting up the same occurrence over and over again it could train your thinking to better anticipate the movement the defender attempts to make in this instance and how you can proceed forward with the ball to avoid losing the ball.

Be Your Own Teacher

Sometimes the your best teacher is yourself. There are certain things you learn that can only be taught by you putting a large amounts of dedication, time and effort into the task. For instance a gymnast that aims to perfect his or her specific movement requires them to work out how to position their body comfortably enough to execute the movement as perfectly as possible. This requires trial and error to master the skill and teaching yourself to adapt a movement when the performance of a sequence goes wrong. When there are a series of  errors there is an opportunity to discover a new technique that you would not have used in other circumstances and work out when it is necessary to apply it.

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Looking For Sports Inspiration? Two Key Points To Consider

We all have our own personal reasons we love participating and competing in sport. Similarly, every individual is inspired by something or someone which plays a huge part to their interest and enjoyment of sport. Different people are inspired by different things. When it comes to finding inspiration as a sports participant, the themes that you should take a look at are: humour and building relationships.

Humour

The presence of humour opens the possibility for many positive experiences and a fun (positive) time in sport can inspire you to try harder. Humour through banter can turn out to be the number one reason you enjoy playing in your local Sunday football team and love being in the presence of your team mates.

Building Relationship

Build relationships with people directly (team mates/coach) and indirectly can give you inspiration by receiving praise, learning about individuals that you can relate to you and gain invaluable knowledge from.

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How To Create Better Understanding Between Team Mates

To create better understanding between team mates it is a good idea to welcome other ways of enhancing and accommodating the various patterns group dynamics can go through within one team. This blog post will outline how Team-Mate-To-Team-Mate-Mentoring can help you and your team. This may already have been adopted into the facility, club or classes you attend but could still be useful to learn more about it.

You always hear about teams speaking about having team spirit or using some kind of term to describe the togetherness within the team. Anybody who plays a team sport will know that without co-operation it is highly unlikely you will succeed. As a group of people who aim to achieve the same thing whether it is winning competitions/medals/prizes, having fun and/or developing as an athlete, you need to act as support systems for each other at some point. A study by Herrera (2004) showed that sports mentoring improved peer to peer relations and social skills; two components that are arguably useful in a team sport setting.  Sports Mentoring is quite common, where by a coach or an employed psychologists mentors players. Similarly, a strategy that perhaps has not been looked at much (as far as this blog is aware of) is Team-Mate-To-Team-Mate-Mentoring.

Team-Mate-To-Team-Mate-Mentoring is like per-to-peer-mentoring however it is set up for team mates. to mentor one another. It can be organised by a coach, teacher, club, activity leader, team captain or the team mates themselves. One way of structuring the scheme is for somebody responsible and respected by the group to lead it. The first task is to designate each individual with a team member they are responsible for mentoring. Team mates work in pairs.  It it is to the person in charge's discretion whether the same individuals mentor each other. Nevertheless, this blog would suggest that individuals mentor a different person to they are being mentored by. At the same time it is also important to match individuals that get along.

The first step to introducing it is to suggest it to the team as a whole to get an idea of hat their views are about the possibility of mentoring each other. The response may be negative or even non-existence at first. Inevitably there will be people who will be against anything like this due to dislike of certain team mates or genuinely believing it is not needed. Be prepared for criticism and try to address any concerns. If this is the case it is particularly important to perhaps invite professionals who are trained in mentoring. There are a number of charities who can offer assistance free of charge if money is an obstacle. This is may make it more likely that people become open to the idea when someone from the outside comes in and talks about the advantages of mentoring.

Depending on the group dynamics of the team the mentoring scheme can be casual   or a strategy implemented in the long term. It is advisable to organise it in the long term as Johnson (1998) study showed the positive outcomes of mentoring occurred over a long period of time. The basic aim of Team-Mate-To-Team-Mate-Mentoring is to heighten the camaraderie and relationship between team mates. It is also a method to build trust and encourage people to get to know each other a bit more in a social context.  This is especially beneficial for teams or training classes where individuals just turn up to train and disappear. It is additionally opportunity for individuals to disclose views in confidentiality. You must stress the condition of confidentiality if you decide a mentoring scheme is for your team . Of course there is not much wrong with that but there more team mates who play together can relate to each other this allows the possibility for it to be replicated on the game itself in terms of team work and support. It can also do wonders for the atmosphere during training sessions if it is applied successfully. 

The most important point to take from this blog is that it all has to be judged in the context of the nature of interaction and relationships among your team. Team-Mate-To-Team-Mate-Mentoring may not be for you and your team mates. But it is something worth exploring.

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How To Maintain & Increase Your Motivation To Keep Fit and Active

One of the hardest things about keeping fit and active is having the motivation to continue the effort you have put in. This often the situation when you are tired and/or you are seeing the progress that you expected. To give you an idea of how you can personally maintain your motivation take a look at the following:

1. Re-focus on what really motivates you. It is important that you continually remind yourself of the reasons because it can help you keep on track especially when you feel like giving up. If you are a person that is motivated by external expectations like medals and prize money you should consider re-living the experience of success and winning. For example by targeting challenges that you are likely to succeed in you can gain some confidence which then feeds you with the motivation to keep it going.

If you are someone internally motivated, i.e you are motivated by feeling fit/healthy, having fun and enjoying yourself you need to be in the conditions which create the possibility for the former. For instance when you enjoy the social aspect of physical activity it is best to find an environment (e.g. a fitness class) that is friendly and encourages interaction between yourself and others.      

2. Learn New Things

Seek to consistently learn new things because learning new things like how to master a Judo movement or how to physically condition yourself for high intensity period of competition is a way for you to develop. Learning gives you the tool and knowledge to improve. This can be very effective for your motivation levels when the application of what you have learned has produced the positive outcomes that you targeted.

3. Mentoring

Whenever you want to pursue something which requires long term dedication you are in need of support and some sort of a mentor. Having an individual that can mentor you throughout your involvement in physical activity can be a great motivator. The words of encouragement given to you is highly likely to give you a boost and belief in yourself. Although the role of the mentor can be taken by anyone who is supportive of you it is more beneficial when it is a Coach/Teacher directly involved with your participation as they will have a better understanding to your aims and concerns.

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How To Effectively Manage Your Communication With Team Mates

Your success in communicating effectively in team sports is about communicating to and with team mates.

So do you play a team sport like Football, Handball, Dodge ball, Floorball, Hockey or Netball? Then you will know that there are times where communication is absolutely non-existence for reasons ranging from disagreements on issues, lack of confidence, poor co-operation/team work and sporting culture. All of these can cause a break down in communication. Below are two points to think about to get your view across in a way that is effective. Good communication is important in any social context and this couldn't be more relevant in team sports where a player's ability to perform well is sometimes dependent on the communication of a fellow team mate. Get it right and you will see a better team effort and co-operation. Get it wrong then you risk increasing  low morale or failing to improve cohesion.

 

Communicating To Team Mates

Firstly, communicating effectively is about understanding and appreciating that certain team mates are more responsive to a certain approach. Communicating to your team mates relates to how, when, why and what information you pass on to your team mate when communicating. You may have a team mate (s) that doesn't listen to your sound suggestions no matter what. They may be stubborn or too arrogant to listen but you need to consider  is it perhaps the way you communicate that is the reason you cannot get the response that you expected? Because people like to be communicated to in a way that acknowledges their strengths. So you need to be sensitive to their personality, views and experiences. This will impact on how they communicate to you in return. In your team you may have an individual that likes to be respectfully be given advice that doesn't embarrass them in some way. In fact this can hurt their confidence if they have the perception that they are being picked on or being barricaded by a fellow team mate. It is not a good feeling. For an team mate like this it may be best to praise them as well as giving constructive criticism.

Communicating With Team Mates

Secondly, you need to listen carefully. This means that you sometimes need to communicate with team mates  by  sitting back and allowing them to interact with you. Part of communicating with individuals is also about learning  about the other person and to learn we must listen at some point. Communication is also about taking in information accordingly as well as giving information. Your team mates are much more likely to be open to your views if you listen to their concerns and opinions because then they can at least trust that you understand. The ability to listen well to your team mate and respond accordingly is a skill that can help you pick up cues about how to approach your team mate.

Flexy Sports Programme's First Year- There is Still Time To Be Part Our History

 

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The year 2010 has almost come to an end. In celebration of our launch for this year we have given discounts to people who have requested our services for the first time. It is available for both the 6 Week and 12 Week Flexy Sports Programme. It means that every individual participating in one of our programmes for the first time will be handed a number of sessions free of charge. Additionally, it is important to that as a member you are actually able to spend quality time playing and learning sport. There is nothing more annoying when the preparation of participating (getting changed to appropriate clothing and foot wear etc.) taking time out of your practical enjoyment. Which is the reason we also have a 15 minutes extra policy.   

As a result the responses to our many programmes have been extremely positive. We attribute this many things. The main reason is the good relationships we have managed to build within a short space of time. 10 months to be precise. We have built relationships with people who are directly and indirectly involved in our programmes: teachers, carers, mentors and sports co-ordinators in the schools we work with, the Youth Workers and young leaders in youth clubs, the children, young people, adults attending sessions in local communities and parents. But what has really been popular amongst the pupils is the exciting and dynamic experience they have been given through new sports like Handball being introduced to them and the familiarity of sports such as Football.

Like the majority of organisations we constantly monitor and evaluate how pupils are finding their experience. One of our key findings is related to the standard of our classes. Thus we are happy to report that 60% of people rated the sessions they had attended in a 6 Week Flexy Sports Programme as 'Very Good'. The figure for the 12 Week Programme was 65%.  The increased rating in the 12 Week Programmes is an indication that the longer the programmes last the more pupils enjoy it due to the additional quality sporting experience. We will announce the outcome of the rest of our results in the coming weeks on our website.

There is still plenty of time to experience the Flexy Sports programme and all the benefits that come along with it. We are confident that we can deliver the experience that you want. So if you are a school, charity, community group, a sporty individual or have children around the East London area and would like to join in on the fun then log on to our website and make a booking. There is still time to receive extra hours of physical activity before the offer ends by Christmas. The worse thing that could happen is people have a really good time.

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How To Maximise Your Employability As A Community Sports Coach

Here we discuss themes that will help you stand out as a Community Sports Coach. The following themes also give an idea of what organisations like the Run Fun Starz Group looks for in employing coaches. If you are serious about your employability you will consider the points discussed in detail.

As the practice of sports coaching is transforming to become more and more professional, recognized by institutes and accessible to members of the community. It is also becoming very competitive amongst Community Sports Coaches in the capital  as employers have a higher number of people to choose from. In 2007 the extensive market report Sports Coaching in the UK II written by Rosie Townend and Julian North showed that professional coaches account for 30% of the workforce. This is an increase from 19% in 2004. The majority of existing coaches are community coaches working with with children and young people. Thus the participant level of coaching is getting increasingly competitive. As you move up the ladder there is more room to manoeuvre in relation to the career options available to you and financial opportunities.

The UK Coaching Model

The first step to making yourself more attractive to potential employers is to prove your dedication to coaching. One way to do that is to have a record of volunteering. So if you are just starting out as a coach get going and volunteer as much as possible. You do not have to spend all day volunteering (although it would be good if you could) but sparing a couple of hours each week is reasonable. There are a lot of organisations and sports clubs such as Newham and Essex Beagles Athletics Club who would appreciate your offer to help out in training sessions. You must ensure that whilst you are volunteering that you are actually given some responsibility which involves practical coaching. It is not just about the fact that it looks good on your CV. Consequently, you could be missing out on vital experience. An example of an invaluable experience is the chance of coaching athletes and potential elite athletes. An experience like this shows that you have a some insight to how to coach at a higher level due to observation of senior coaches and through personal application.  

Its fantastic when you have coached a multiple number of sports because that shows flexibility and it is a great asset to have in any field of employment. Nevertheless, it is no good being able to work within so many contexts of sport development and coaching and failing to discuss or even state that you personally enjoyed it. A Community Sports Coach needs to enjoy coaching even more because this needs to reflect on to the children and young people involved in your sessions. It is common knowledge amongst coaches that fun is the most important factor for people being coached especially children. This is why you need to show that you actually enjoy what you do.

A community coach's career is very dynamic and the coaching hours offered can often be limited. As a result coaches are sometimes forced to seek employment from a number of organisations at one time to support themselves financially. Many employees appreciate this. You should use it to your advantage as it means you have acquired knowledge about best & effective practice, coaching skills, research and planning from different sources and employers. You should clearly state and demonstrate what you have learned as an employee from working with each previous or current company. Employers want you to bring the key elements that you have learned to the table to their organisation as this shows that you can develop personally, professionally and boost the expertise of their workforce. You can express what you have with a line on your CV and you can propose how you can apply it into their set up if it is desirable. 

As a coach you should always be prepared to enhance your personal and professional development because you never stop learning. New research and revamps of coach education is constantly occurring. You need to adapt to it and be willing to absorb the information relevant to you. Therefore your skills and experience have to be aligned with updates if you want to stay in contention for a position. Due to the ever approaching Olympics funding for coaching is expected to continue in London. Of the last government's funding made available to sports £60 was earmarked for sports coaching alone.

You are probably already aware that a huge amount of funds has already been invested into Coach Education. So you need to make sure you attend workshops like How To Analyse Your Coaching provided by Sports Coach UK and gain additional National Sports Governing Bodies coaching qualifications as the year progresses. Target particular courses you want to do each year. This blog would suggest at least gaining one qualification and attending one workshop each year.The courses and workshops can be  expensive but are largely worth it because they are so educational. But understandably in this economic climate it is difficult to find extra money to spend. Occasionally there are discounts and even courses and workshops offered free of charge. You can be informed of these offers by signing up for newsletters on sites like Pro-Active East London. Alternatively, join as a Sports Coach UK and/or National Sports Governing Body Member.

Finally building a good network of contacts you have previously worked with can help your prospects. So if you have done a really good job for an employee or even for an individual include them in your contacts. Add your contacts by storing them in your email account or by writing it down as a list of people who can further your claim to a position. It is best that the individual has credibility. For instance the opinions of  Managers or a person with a senior role within the company you worked for will hold more weight. This means you are more likely to have a high quantity of contacts as well as quality. The more positive contacts you have the better your employability should be. Thereafter, when are asked about references you now have a wider choice. You should seek to match the right contact for the right coaching position. For example if you have been asked for references from a charity that is looking for someone to coach week end Dodge Ball sessions to Under 8's give them references that can specifically talk about you effectively coaching Dodge Ball to that age group and within a similar community setting. It makes sense because it also should help your case that you are the right person they are looking for. Ensure you always ask for permission before using your contact as a reference.


The main points to take:


A. Volunteer as soon as possible, as much as possible. It shows dedication to your role.


B. Express your enjoyment of the job and what you get out of it. Show what makes you different.


C. Regularly update your practical skills and knowledge with more Coach Education


D. Use the appropriate contact/reference to enhance your case in being the right Community Coach


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How To Find A Suitable Place To Play Sports

One of the most difficult things for a female who is active and enjoys playing community sport is finding a place that meets your needs and expectations. This even more relevant within inner city areas like East London. Although some sports are more female friendly than others in general it is still a male dominated field. If you are seeking a place to play your favourite sport it can be particularly daunting when you have been a way from the sport for a long time. However, the most common barrier women and girls are faced with is the lack of regard for their provision, organisation and opportunities in sports. Thus if you are a woman or a young girl looking for somewhere to play regularly there a few signs you need to look out for and questions you need ask yourself to ensure that the environment is for you.

1. Safety & Security


Safety must always be your first concern. Facilities are required by law to provide safety for people. However in instances like returning from a training session late in the evening where the risks are higher for women and girls are still a possibility. Sport organisers are often very helpful when it comes to this so if you have any concerns by all means raise them. You have a right to feel safe. 

2. First Impressions

Consider your first impressions when you arrive to the facility. Is the person in charge present? When it is visible that an individual is in charge you can have some confidence that the activity is going ahead. Is the area of play set up accordingly and prior to your arrival? An area that is laid out shows that there is a preparation. Equally, you need to bare in mind that it may not have been set up by the time you arrive because the facility is occupied by another activity, sport, group or individual. Has the information provided to you prior to your arrival been useful/adequate? If the information given to you has been descriptive and beneficial it is a good sign that there are good procedures in place. It is helpful that you arrive to the sessions, classes, programmes or whatever activity you wanted to take part in with a clear idea of what you are letting yourself in for.

3. Do You Feel Welcomed?

Assuming you want to get the best out of yourself when you attend sports sessions you need to feel welcomed. Your enjoyment of your chosen sport is linked with enjoyment. Now this may not happen on the first day or even in the next coming classes. So do not give up straight away. It could take time before you feel 100% comfortable in your surroundings. This is because you are amongst strangers and getting used to the whole set up. Chances are that your counterparts are feeling exactly the same as you do. Relationships with strangers take time to build. Nevertheless, once you have settled in you could end up making some really good friends because of your shared interests.

4. Organisation

The overall organisation of the provision should be at a good standard. This involves that the turn out number is reliable and adequate. This is more significant if you want to play team sports/activities. Additionally, training should consistently begin and finish on time. In relation to consistency it is important that the Coach/Personal Trainer/Activity Leader is the same professional delivering the activities. Regularly organised competitions or participation shows a commitment to development and opportunity. 

5. Long-Term Aspirations

You should think about the long term standing of the group, organisation, club etc. If they are already established it is a huge advantage as you can be sure that there will be regular training session. You need explore their long term plans if you are looking for stability.  Will activities scheduled be on next week? At the same time this might not be an issue for you if only one-off or short-term provision is only available to you.  

6. What is your aim?

One of the most essential things you should find out before committing yourself are the aims and objectives of those hosting you. Do they fit in with yours? Are able to help you reach your goals by joining? How can they accommodate you? In fact are they willing to accommodate you? If the answer is yes then it is definitely worth trying out what they have to offer. 

7. Communication

A good communication avenue between you, the leaders and other individuals attending is beneficial. Most places use an email system to inform its players about forthcoming training sessions and updates. This lets you know that there is at least some system in place to let you know about future plans. It is always a good when people make the effort to keep you informed as they care about your contribution.

So keep all of the above seven points in mind to find a suitable place to playsports and do not be afraid to try different places until you find the right one for you.

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