Game-Intervetion-Game (GIG) Metholology

Based on tapping into children’s natural desire to play more games

Reflects ‘Whole-Part-Whole’ model of ‘Game Sense’ approach to coaching

Provides opportunities to combine explicit (step by step teaching) instruction with implicit (game sense) learning

Encourages greater decision making and more game-specific ball contacts during practical sessions

Develops ‘thinking players’

Closely resembles the demands of the real game

The FUNctional Activity

A FUN activity incorporating football-specific movements in the initial 5-10 minutes of the session.

Engages all players, focusing on developing fundamental movements at high speed for high success rates.

Tailored to enhance core skill performance at high speed, setting the tone for the session.

Aims at developing confident movement patterns for daily life through FUN and skill-linked activities.

Activities may include games, circuits, or juggling tasks that are both FUN and educational.

The initial phase of the ‘Whole-Part-Whole’ model, embracing the game's true spirit without specific conditions.

Features overloads to promote certain actions, focusing on specific core skills within a real-game setting.

Utilises two goals and goalkeepers to mirror the real game, fostering an authentic gameplay environment.

Post the initial five minutes, introduces a scoring system to encourage specific actions while preserving expressive freedom.

Incentives like triple points for scoring post a 1v1 duel encourage players to engage more in such duels, yet every goal counts.

Key sub-phases like 1v1s, 2v1s, and 2v2s form this crucial second phase, focusing on game-realistic practices.

Organised for 2-4 players to ensure maximum engagement and real-game scenario application.

Incorporates a scoring objective for comprehensive involvement, including goalkeepers.

Encourages repeated practice of a core skill in simple tactical contexts, alternating focus between attacking and defending.

Aims to introduce children aged 9-12 to foundational principles of play, enriched with Key Coaching Questions and Words for cognitive development.

Opportunities to develop or refine technical skills through core skill breakdown between games.

Encourages demonstrations by coaches or model players to support learning of functional technical skills.

Practices that resemble real-game conditions to effectively break down core skills.

Uses Key Coaching Questions to stimulate thinking, fostering self-discovery instead of direct answers.

Incorporates child-friendly Key Coaching Words as reminders during pre-action, action, and post-action phases.

Focuses on either Attacking (BP) or Defending (BPO) principles, supported by tailored Coaching Questions and Words.

The concluding phase of the ‘Whole-Part-Whole’ model, assessing learning through unrestricted play.

Reflects real-game rules and settings, with no specific conditions or incentives, to gauge understanding.

Offers a choice between revisiting the initial ‘recognition game’ or designing a new unrestricted game.

Utilises two goals and goalkeepers, mirroring the real-game structure for authentic evaluation.

Encourages ‘coaching on the run’ with in-game praise and targeted encouragement, maintaining game flow.

Advocates for individual coaching or use of Key Coaching Words for in-game adjustments without halting play.

Ensures that all game restarts, like goal-kicks and throw-ins, adhere to real-game practices for true assessment.

Coaches assign tailored ‘challenges’ for players to practice at home, enhancing personal bests and skills.

Aims to accumulate deliberate practice hours, fostering ‘technical expertise’ in players.

Utilises an online portal for access to home-skill activities, including instructional videos from pros.

Provides step-by-step instructions and Key Coaching Words to assist in skill execution at home.

Measures progress at the start of training sessions or incorporates it into FUNctional Activities for monitoring.

Encourages consistent home practice of technical skills for overall player development.