What: You ask your players to verbalize their level of energy before the warm-up.
Why: This tool helps your players to become more aware of their level of energy.
Motivational line: “The exercise creates understanding and empathy within the group, as children come to training with different energy levels. It helps me as the coach to adjust expectations and the intensity of the session if needed.”.
Materials needed
A whiteboard with a magnet/sticky note for each player.
Or: 3 cones and a water bottle for each player.
Preparation
Prepare any warm-up drill (i).
In case of using the whiteboard: draw a line, with five levels.
In case of using the 2 cones and water bottles: use the line of the pitch and place one cone at the beginning, and one cone at the end of the line (approximately 10 meters in between). Make sure the players have their water bottles.
(i) example exercise:
This can basically be any warm-up drill.
Let’s do it!
Before the warm-up, give each player a magnet or sticky note with their name on it, or their own water bottle.
Ask the players: how much energy do you have at this moment?
The players put their magnet/sticky note/water bottle at a spot at the line that corresponds to their energy level.
Ask each player to explain their choice. If the group is big, ask a few of the players to do this. Next time (practice) you use this tool, ask this question to other players.
Then start the warm-up.
