Must coaches deliver Activate in a set way, or can they change aspects of the delivery?

 

A number of things can influence how coaches approach using Activate. The background and training history of the players, training session aims, the duration spent at a given level of the programme, the facilities and equipment available to use, and the playing environment can all influence how coaches deliver the programme.

Regardless of these factors, there are a couple of considerations that coaches should keep in mind.

When planning how to deliver the Activate exercises to players, coaches must be mindful that the activities they use:

• Maximise the time players spend being active while completing the exercises
• Remain purposeful and enable players to complete the exercises properly
• Are enjoyable for the players to complete but while challenging players' athletic capabilities
• Are safe and do not place players at undue risk of injury

Keeping to these guiding principles still gives coaches a lot of flexibility in how they deliver the programme. The diagram below illustrates the ends of a spectrum for the level of structure that is applied to delivery Activate exercises, and some of the characteristics of these delivery models. 

Structured delivery models can see the exercises delivered in a single block at the beginning or end of a training session, with the time dedicated specifically to completing the exercises under the coach's direct supervision. These models are useful when introducing players to the programme or a new level within the programme, as this allows time to build understanding and to practice the exercises. Structured Delivery can also be useful for coaches that are unfamiliar with using Activate, or if a coach is working with a large number of players and so can monitor players while they perform the exercises.

The following playlists contain some sample sessions featuring Activate being delivered using a structured approach:

Structured delivery - youth session

 

Structured delivery - adult session

 

Unstructured Delivery models may see the Activate exercises integrated into the main body of a training session, with exercises completed throughout the session as games or contests between players. These delivery models may be useful once players and coaches are familiar with the exercises and understand what is required, and so may require time before exploring these models, but players may regard these sessions as more engaging and fun to complete. Unstructured Delivery sessions may also be more effective when coaches are working with fewer players so that they can continue to monitor players and intervene to correct if necessary.

The following playlists contain some sample sessions featuring Activate being delivered using unstructured approaches, such as delivering the exercises within games or as games themselves. Some examples have also been provided to show how Activate can be linked to the activities in other educational programmes like Tackle Ready and Breakdown Ready.

Unstructured delivery - Activate delivered within games

 

Unstructured delivery - Activate delivered as games

 

Unstructured delivery - Integrating Activate with Tackle Ready

 

Unstructured delivery - Integrating Activate with Breakdown Ready