I'm looking for some fun & creative drills to keep my U12s entertained?

Sportplan TeamAdministrator, United Kingdom

Hi Bee, Here are some quick links to useful parts of the site which should help your find some fun new drills for your U12s:

• Games (found using the search bar
• Warm up section

I've also posted a link to your question on our Facebook page to try and get coaches to share their favourite fun and creative drills.

Best of luck and hope you find lots of great ideas!
The Sportplan Team

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

Last year my daughter joined a new club, and i volunteered to coach.  they gave me the U12C team.  i knew no one in the club, and no one knew me.  i always start by sitting down and talking with the kids.  telling them my background, find out theirs, explain to them my expectations, and the basic way i coach.  then i coach just do the normal type of netball drills i would with any team.  they will get to know you along the way.  its good there are two coaches, as you will be able to do one on one coaching, or smaller groups, which helps hone certain skills.  i never really care whether a team likes me or not.  im a pretty tough coach, and expect full dedication, as i am giving up my time to help these kids.  but dont be afraid to let you hair down and have some fun with them too.  maybe coach the coach, or parents vs kids game.  always fun.

Sharon GarnerCoach, England

Definitely lay down some parameters as outlined by Lee-annes above.

The key to the session though is the warm up! Particualrly if you're joining a club which either hasn't had a coach (for a while) or if they are new to a club environment and have just had school netball. You often find that they have got stuck into a boring rut of a warm up just doing a couple of laps of the court and static stretches.

One of my favourites for adults and kids alike is Toilet Tag, because it always brings a smile to their faces but is a serious warm up.

It's just like normal tag, or stuck in the mud, only if you get tagged you have to squat down and hold one arm in the air. You get free by someone "flushing your chain" in other words tagging your hand.

Make sure they squat correctly (knees not going beyond toes, back straight) and they'll get a good work out.

I normally work in just 1 third, so there's penalities if they go out of the area. I have 2 or 3 taggers and swap regularly. You can vary the way they move to build in some dynamic stretches (toes flicks, heel kicks, high knees, sidestep, skipping). You can also then vary the exercise they have to complete when tagged, so you lose the toilet so to speak, but I have them doing lunges, in plank position or lying on their backs and when released they have to get up without using their hands, and I'm sure you can think of lots more.