How to Plan Training

Image: Discgolf Club Göttingen e.V. / Bernie Rehberg

Children’s training should be planned to include as much activity as possible and as little waiting as possible. Each child should feel the joy of success and achievement, so each activity should be planned so that it can adjust to different skill levels.

This page has some ideas on how to plan and structure a training. You can find a lot more info about this in the Instructor Course on this site.

Venue

A good place to run a training group is a sand field. It is easy to mark spots for throwing, it is a safe place with no other users, it is easy move participants around between activities without waiting. If you use a football field, you can also use the goals as targets or osbtacles.

Field (sand/grass) recommended!

+ can be reserved for your own use
+ enables many throwing positions under the supervision of the instructor
+ suitable for versatile exercises

Disc golf course

+ disc golf specific

Equipment

  • 1-3 movable baskets
  • cones and markers
  • practice discs (putters or mid ranges)

Preparations

  • Think about how to explain.
  • Think about how to demonstrate.
  • Write a plan or “script” for the training session.
  • Use checklists.
  • Adjust the plan when necessary.
  • Plan to maximize reps. For example, queuing in soccer is a good recovery time from running, but in disc golf you often need less recovery, so you should avoid queuing.
  • Set up enough spots to perform.
  • Small groups/teams, for example, in relays.
  • Avoid elimination games where the least experienced gets the fewest reps.

Safety

  • Let’s agree on the safety rules
    • Discs are thrown only when agreed.
    • Everyone is responsible for their own discs.
    • Do not retrieve the discs you have thrown until it is safe.
  • Consider throwing lines and sectors for training.
  • Think about and manage retrieving the discs.

Planning a Training Session

Disc golf is not a running sport, but junior sports should always include versatile physical activities that develop fitness and motor skills as well as social and cognitive skills.

Here are some examples of how to structure a training session. The main blocks are

  • Warm up: time for various running games and motor skill training
  • Disc golf drills: can include technique training, throwing, putting etc. If you have more than one instructor, it’s a good idea to have more than one exercise going on at the same time to maximise repetitions and minimize waiting.

These should be supplemented with extra blocks depending on the time available.

  1. Setup
    • See who is present.
    • Explain what will happen this time and why.
    • Which equipment will be used.
  2. Warm up
    • 1-2 warm up exercises
    • Running, jumping, games to get the body warm.
  3. Drills, exercises
    • Playing disc golf is walking and throwing. Training for juniors should be versatile!
    • 2-3 main exercises
    • You should get out of breath at disc golf training too!!
    • Let’s have fun together with exercise.
    • Repeat previous exercises to enforce learned skills
    • Learn new skills
    • Plan how to explain how and why
    • Show how
  4. Cool down
    • 1-2 cool down games
    • Relaxation exercises
    • Reflection
  5. Conclusion
    • Put away equipment
    • Any info about the next session

Examples of Full Sessions

90 minute training

5 min Setup block

20 min Warm up block

60 min Drills and exercises block(circuit training, 2 groups and 4 stations)

  1. station (putt technique)
  2. station (putt president)
  3. station (rhythm of the throw)
  4. station (Closest to Pin)

5 minute Conclusion block

  • Cooldown
  • Feedback
  • Clean up

60 minute training

5 min Welcome block

  • info: welcome and what we will do today
  • briefing: OB-rules

10 min Warm up block

40 min Drills and exercises block(circuit training, 2 groups and 2 stations)

  1. station (3 meter challenge)
  2. station (Wheel of Throws)

5 minute Conclusion block

  • Cooldown
  • Feedback

Templates