Planning a Football Training and Competition Season Planning a Training Session Tips for Conducting Successful Training Sessions Assign assistant coaches their roles and responsibilities in accordance to your training plan. When possible, have all equipment and stations prepared before the athletes arrive. Introduce and acknowledge coaches and athletes. Review intended program with everyone. Keep athletes informed of changes in schedule or activities. Alter the plan according to weather, and the facility, to accommodate the needs of the athletes. Change activities before the athletes become bored and lose interest. Keep drills and activities brief so athletes do not get bored. Keep everyone busy with an exercise, even if it is rest. Devote the end of the practice to a fun, group activity that can incorporate challenge and fun, always giving them something to look forward to at the end of practice. If an activity is going well, it is often useful to stop the activity while interest is high. Summarize the session and announce arrangements for next session. Keep the “fun” in fundamentals. Special Olympics Football Coaching Guide Created: February 2004 15