Coaching juniors can be a challenge – in this article we’ll look at some ways in which we can keep them engaged and productive during your coaching sessions.
Firstly – some golden rules:
Warm up – Use the warm up to bring them to life and also to engage the parts of the body needed to be a good squash player – balance, agility, stability. We have looked at running up and down with direction changes over each shoulder at the command of the coach, also the same with side steps. Then we tried the footwork patterns to improve agility and rhythm in movement patterns. Lastly we tried the balance routines with focus on posture, control and a relaxed foot during the process. (Time: 10-15 minutes)
Introduce and demonstrate clearly what you are going to do. Example: simple volley ball control (Time: 5 minutes intro)
Use a pupil or coach to demonstrate the routine – solo/pairs hitting close to the wall. The three main teaching points-open racket face/swing length/movement of feet. You will refer to these throughout the session.
Set up routines in solo and/or pairs of similar standards and set a challenge for each pair – eg 10 shots consecutively. (Time: 10 minutes – 5 minutes on forehand and backhand).
Drink break 2/3 minutes
When you return regroup and review asking the pupils for the the 3 main teaching points and any other things they realised during the routine (as coaches we must remember to discuss with pupils rather than dictate too much, this breeds thoughtful and interactive juniors. (Time: 5 minutes)
Volley based game intro.
Demonstrate a high repetition game – e.g. a short game with all shots above service with volley option below the line. This can be progressed into the players needing to be in front of their opponent and on the volley to allow hitting below the line, this promotes good tactical awareness.
Again refer to the 3 key teaching points during the demo. (Time: 5 minutes for demo).
Volley based game
Now modify the routine to introduce scoring and king of the court to keep motivation and competition (Time: 10-15 minutes)
Review and stretch
More Q&A while stretching and reference to the 3 teaching points
When you return the following week ask what happened last week and what did we learn?
We recommend charging – €5 per session payed per term. The bigger the group the more coaches you need so as numbers increase the €5 per person helps pay for extra courts and assistants. You should try to keep a maximum of 5 pupils to 1 coach ratio.
Aim for groups to be standard based and identify your potential players and look to create an extra/separate group for these players. Long term call the groups something like ‘junior potential’ and get t shirts printed with this on the back.
Use the court shapes and condition we looked at on court to ensure all players have a relevant challenge in each routine.
The Mount Pleasant Open takes place between the 25th – 27th January 2013
We look forward to seeing you there and wish all players the best of luck.
Entries are now closed.
Leinster Junior Squash Open 2013 takes place in Carlow on the 19th & 20th January 2013.
For further information please visit www.leinstersquash.ie
The Munster Mens Masters tournament takes place in Limerick LTC on 4th and 5th January 2013.
Additional information can be found on www.munstersquash.com
We look forward to seeing you there and wish all players the best of luck.
In the ladies tour event – Breanne Flynn beat Griffin Gillanders in a close 3-1 match which showed great skill and improvement by both players. The future of Irish ladies squash looks to be in good hands. Congratulations to both players who played a great battle.
In the mens A event and competing for the Irish National title – in a thrilling battle in Fitzwilliam LTC Derek Ryan and Arthur Gaskin battled for the 2012 Irish National title. In a marathon 1 hour 43 mins the pair played a tough five set thriller that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Gaskin played a hard hitting game wearing down Ryan. Ryan however stuck to his plan and played a steady and accurate game. In what was one of the most exciting finals in recent years and an exhibition of some really fantastic squash from both players – the momentum switched between the two players as Derek and Arthur played the game we all love pushing themselves to the very limit.
Ultimately Ryan prevailed – and went to win his 9th Irish National title – his most recent 8 years ago.. making history and a great start for what is sure to be a very exciting year ahead. Final scoreboard : 11/3; 4/11; 11/8; 8/11; 11/9.
Brian Byrne finished in third spot with a 11/7; 11/5; 12/10 win over Niall Rooney.
Interestingly and promisingly for the future there were three juniors in the top 12 this year, Michael Craig (6th), David Ryan (11th) and Sean Conroy (12th). You can find the full results here.
Madeline Perry ensured her place in the WSA Cayman Islands World Open quarter-finals last night, following a consummate performance against the teenage No.8 seed Nour El Sherbini.
Perry, seeded tenth for the event, got off to a flying start against the higher ranked Egyptian and stormed to a first game lead with Sherbini managing just two points in response. The second game started in similar fashion, with the Irishwoman taking another strong lead, but Sherbini began to get in to the match, chipping away at the deficit to draw level at 9-all. Experience and confidence in her game saw Perry extend her lead to two games, and tied again at 9-all in the third, she claimed a stroke either side of an unforced error from the teenage to book her quarter-final place.
“When we played in the British Open the court was really cold and I knew these conditions would suit me more but I didn’t expect to get a start like that,” Perry told SquashSite after the match. “At 7-0 I had to try to keep my concentration as I knew she’d be coming back into it.
“I’m really pleased to get through here, my form has been a bit up and down but this is the world open and I really like coming here, so I wanted to be able to perform here.”
Perry will face six-time World Champion Nicol David in the quarters, following the top seed continuing to power past her opposition. Her deconstruction of ninth seed Annie Au took just 25minutes, with the Hong Kong interntional managing just eight points in the match.
Round two continues later today from Grand Cayman…
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [10] Madeline Perry (IRL)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v [6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
TBC vs TBC
TBC vs TBC
2nd round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [9] Annie Au (HKG) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3 (25m)
[10] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [8] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-2, 11-9, 11-9 (37m)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [15] Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-5, 12-10, 11-3 (29m)
[6] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [14] Camille Serme (FRA) 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8 (58m)
19:45 – [7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [12] Kasey Brown (AUS)
20:30 – [3] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
19:00 – [5] Joelle King (NZL) v [11] Natalie Grinham (NED)
21:15 – [2] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v [13] Dipika Pallikal (IND)
Congratulations to David Ryan (Sutton) who won the u17 Swiss Open at the weekend – fantastic result.
Seeded at number two, he beat Adrien Grondin of France 3/0 in the Final. Adrien had knocked out the number one seed in the semi’s.12
David now looks to be over last years injury, is obviously training and playing well, and is now ranked number one in the European rankings.
Full results on the Tournament Software website.
Other results:
Venue: Mount Pleasant Squash and Tennis ClubHadrian Stiff, Irish National Coach – will deliver a 1 hour seminar focusing on keeping sessions fresh and interesting for juniors using well thought out lesson plans and reviews. He will also discuss pricing and group structure to ensure high quality sessions.
The seminar will be followed by a Q&A session where Hadrian will answer any of your coaching questions.
All coaches and those interested in squash development are welcome to attend.
This year once again Old Belvedere will host its annual post-Christmas tournament. This year’s event helps celebrate 50 years of Old Belvedere club.
We look forward to seeing you there and wish all players the best of luck.
