NAYSI Activity Tip

5 on 4 defensive drill

2011-03-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 3, 2011
No. 18

5 on 4 Defensive Basketball Drill

Coach Thad Matta of Ohio State was not satisfied with his team defense on this 2010-2011 Big Ten leading team. The Buckeyes, known for good defense under Matta, were giving up 50% shooting over a five game span.

Matta called Bobby Knight, former Indiana head basketball coach [known for good defense] and former Buckeye sub and 5th starter on the Lucas - Knoll - Havlicek teams.

What was Knight’s suggestion: Have four starters play defense against five offensive players.

In the following two games, it appears that this drill worked as advertised.

21

2010-03-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 15, 2010
No. 17

21

This is a basketball shooting game that can be played with one to five players. There may be too much standing around with more than five players.

Establish a “Long” shooting line. This can be the foul line. Closer for young players. Further to work on 3 point shooting.

The “short” shooting is usually a lay up. This rule can be modified to be right hand, left hand or dominant hand.

• Players get 2 points for making a “Long” shot.
• Players get 1 point for making a “Short” shot.

• To begin scoring, players must make a “Long” shot. Once done, they can start shooting “Short” shots.
• Players who reach 20 points must go back to 11 or 15 points.

• This means that players must reach 21 on a Long shot, not a Short shot.
• When players make a Long and a Short, they can then shoot another Long and Short.
• This can continue until they miss.
• Players may intentionally “miss” shots in order to not land on 20 points.

This game is usually played as one against all others. First to reach 21 wins. Good family game.

Variation: Players must use their non-dominant hand.
Variation: Move the Long and Shot lines in and our and from side to side.
Variation: Change the required game shot to a hook shot or jump hook.

Beach Tennis

2009-03-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 6, 2009
No. 16

Beach Tennis

On a recent trip to the Gulf coast I saw a few guys playing tennis on the beach. Being a reasonably competent tennis player, I ambled over to their court, laid out on the sand, to see what was happening. Sure enough, it was tennis, laid out like beach volleyball. Needless to say, it was a no-bounce version of the sport – a serve and volley game. Here are the details of this version of tennis:

Court is 30 x 60 divided down the middle for singles and doubles.

Net is 5 feet 10 inches high.

The ball is a very soft no-bounce beginner ball.

Scoring is No-Ad – 15 - 30 – 40 – game.

Play pro set [8 games] and win by two games.

Receiving player or team can elect where to receive at 40 all.

Only one serve per point.

Net ball on serve is replayed if the ball lands in service court. Play a “let” and serve gain. Otherwise, it is point lost.

Serve from behind baseline.

Players change ends on odd games.

Touching the net or going over or under the net is loss of point.

Lines are in bounds as in regulation tennis.

This sport seems to be most suitable for teens and older players who have developed some tennis skills. For younger players and beginners, the net can be lowered and a soft sponge ball can be used. In other words, change to game to suit the ability of the players.

For more information, see www.BeachTennis.com.

7 on 7 Football

2009-01-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
January 1, 2009
No. 15

7 on 7 Football

During the BCS bowl football games at the end of the 2008 season, an announcer attributed the success of the Big 12 quarterbacks to this practice activity. It is called 7 on 7 football.

Simply stated, each team is composed of its offensive and defensive players without their respective interior linemen - the big uglies. It is a passing, route running, catching and defensive game. Linebackers and defensive backs do what they can to stop the ends, running backs and quarterbacks. Sounds like a fun game to me. This practice activity is played at a fast pace. Needless to say, it is most helpful if the players are running their offensive plays and defensive schemes.

Suggested Rules: Not blocking. Not hitting. No tackling. Award points to the offense for completions and to the defense for incompletions. Award points for touchdowns and interceptions. Naturally, the winners watch the losers run or the losers carry the winners back to the locker room.

Variation: Add pads and helmets so that players may practice their blocking and tackling.

Special Teams Football Practice Game

2004-09-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

NAYSI Activity Tip
September 1, 2004
No. 14

Special Teams Football

Can you visualize a football game where there are no passing plays and no running plays. What if every play was a kick off, punt, field goal or extra point. If you can imagine this, then you know how Jim Tressel, Ohio State football coach, practices his special teams activities. Use this game to add a little variety to your football practices, class activities or pick up games.

League Dodgeball

2004-07-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
July 4, 2004
No. 13

League Dodgeball

No winers here. The GSN network, a cable alternative, featured a show called Extreme Dodgeball. The major sponsor of this program is Burger King. Extreme Dodgeball is played between two teams, five per side, on a modified box type court. Teams consist of two females and three males with colorful names and theme outfits.

The objective, as in the dodgeball games we grew to love in school, was to eliminate your oppponents. Hit them and they are out. Catch the throw from an opponent and the thrower is out. Block a throw from an opponent with a ball in your hands and you are safe. Drop the ball after the block and you are out.

I judged that this made for TV court to be about 50 feet long by 30 feet wide with a center line. There is also a hot spot circle on each end wall about eight feet off the ground. This is a Get Out Of Jail Free spot. Hit the hot spot of your opponent and your teammates who have been eliminated can come back on the court and resume playing.

This dodgeball game is fast paced and played in a best two out of three format. Game One is played with two standard soft red rubbber playground balls. Game Two is played with three balls, one being about twice the size of the other balls. Players just fire away at each other as would be expected. Head shots are not permitted. A Game Three is played if needed. When this occurs, the game goes back to two balls. However, one player on each team is designed as a hot player with a headband. Hit that banded player and the game is over. You win.

As a side light in this program, an announcer interviews people, both male and female, about their experiences in dodgeball. I can see it now. This made for TV program could expand easily into the International Dodgeball League with state and then regional play that leads to elimination tournaments around the globe. Like tennis, there could be leagues for men, women, mixed and seniors. You gotta love it.

http://www.dodgeballusa.com

http://www.Dodge-It.com

http://www.osudodgeball.com

For more information about dodgeball, do a search through your favorite search engine or http://www.naysi.com. For kicks, try this new web search engine called Dogpile at http://www.dogpile.com. -jh

Ghost Doubles (tennis)

2003-12-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
December 5, 2003
No. 12

Ghost Doubles (tennis)

Looking for a way to expand the game skills of young tennis players. Introduce them to the serve and volley game. Divide the court down the middle from baseline to baseline with an imaginary center line. Ghost doubles mandates that players serve and charge the net on every serve, first and second serves. Use the full court but play only in diagonally opposite service courts as with ghost partners. After the serve, use the doubles court alley. Use regular scoring or any tie breaker scoring system.

For variety, experiment with the same serve and volley format but use only one half of the doubles court, rather than diagonally opposite service courts.

Source: Ed Krass, director of the College Tennis Academy

Goofy Basketball

2003-06-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
June 23, 2003
No. 11

Goofy Basketball by Jack Hutslar

Looking for a different basketball game to break up the monotony of same-old same-old end of practice scrimmage sessions. Try Goofy Basketball. It will drive the traditionalists up the wall.

In many gymnasiums, there are usually four or six basketball goals. Start Goofy Basketball with two teams of four or five players each. Use two basketballs. Assign one-half of the goals to each team for scoring and defending. That gives each team two or three goals to shoot at on offense and two or three goals to defend on defense.

Use the entire gym with no out of bounds. Goofy Basketball is not intended to be a free-for-all or no-holds-barred game. Players are to play the game properly and call their own violations. Violations give the ball to the other team. Ball possession goes to the other team after a goal. Make-it, take-it is not used. Players not in the game keep score by loudly calling out the points for each goal their team scores. First team to 10 goals wins, then start a new game.

Variations: Start with three players per team. Add one player per team as each game progresses. Add a third and even a fourth basketball. Experiment with the number of players and basketballs to see what combination works best for your age group.

Jail

2003-03-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
March 28, 2003
No. 10

Jail by Joe Dinoffer

This is an “end of the class” game called “Jail” that kids really love. The
teacher stands on one side of the net with a basket of tennis balls. Children in the class (4-12 children works fine) line up behind the baseline on the other side of the net. The teacher feeds one ball after another in fairly rapid succession to keep the line moving. When the child hits the ball over the net and into the singles court, he or she goes to the end of the line. If the ball goes in the net or out, the player runs across to the other side of the net and is in “jail.” Players get out of jail by catching a ball hit by the children on the other side on a bounce or out of the air.

As the game progresses there might be many children in jail. The game ends
when only one child remains on the baseline and when the last ball is
successful hit over the net and inside the court with no one in jail
catching it.

Variations can include catching the ball with one hand only, or
even left-hand only to challenge older children.

Note: This Activity Tip was provided by Joe Dinoffer is the President of Oncourt Offcourt. Inc. He has 50 trend-setting articles, audio tips, and video clips at www.oncourtoffcourt.com.

Joe Dinoffer
President
Oncourt Offcourt. Inc.
5427 Philip Ave.
Dallas, TX 75223 USA
Tel: 214-823-3078
Fax: 214-823-3082
Email: joe@oncourtoffcourt.com
Website: www.oncourtoffcourt.com

Jack's One Step Basketball Game

2003-02-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
February 24, 2003
No. 9

Jack’s One Step Basketball Game

Improve your basketball shooting skills with Jack’s One Step Basketball Game. It can be used as an individual warm up drill or a team game.

Start under the basket from where a lay-up should be taken and take a shot. If that first shot is made, get the rebound and take one more step away from the goal for the next shot. If that shot is made, take two steps away from the goal and shoot again. Miss and go back to step one.

Every time the shot is made, take the next shot one more step away from the goal. Every time the shot is missed, go back to the starting point one step from the goal.

Variation 1: Shooters are given two attempts to make the shot before returning to step one.

Variation 2: Use Jack’s One Step game on bank shots from the right and left side of the goal.

Variation 3: Draw an imaginary circle on the court about five feet from the goal. Use Jack’s One Step game to shoot from five to 10 spots around this imaginary circle. Then, move the circle back to 10 feet from the goal and repeat your five to 10 shots from around the circle. Move back to the 3 point line and continue the game.

OSU Anti-Turnover Practice Scheme

2002-12-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
December 13, 2002
No. 8

OSU Anti-Turnover Practice Scheme

Jim Foster, new ladies basketball coach at Ohio State, has this little practice scheme to help his players learn to protect the ball and cut down on turnovers.

He starts practice with 12 basketballs. When a turnover occurs, that ball goes back in the ball bag. They now practice with 11 basketballs. Every turnover costs the team one ball. When they run out of basketballs, they run.

Source: On line report in www.1460thefan.com on 12/13/2002

Carolina Football

2001-09-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
September 1, 2001
No. 7

Carolina Football

This is a highly aerobic, free form, touch or flag football game with the emphasis on passing the ball. First down lines are optional. Teams have four downs to score after returning a kick off. Players, up to seven per team, can run and pass the ball in any direction at any time. The ball may be passed any number of times without regard to the line of scrimmage during each down. An incomplete forward pass or fumble ends the down. A forward or backward pass that is dropped is returned to spot from which the pass was made. When the ball touches the ground on a fumble, that spot establishes the line of scrimmage for the next down.

A score results in six or seven points. If extra points are desirable, use one point for a pass and two points for a run. Players may not block but they can obstruct opponents with screens and picks as in basketball. The “touch” to down the ball carrier must be made with at least one foot on the ground. This prevents diving injuries. Variations on these rules are encouraged. The game is the thing, not the rules.

For more activities like this, see the NAYSI Compendium of Beach Games. It is found on the Resource List at the NAYSI Mall.

NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity here that your players, students or campers can play. You can played some of these at home with your own kids. You can even play them on the field and court with your group or team. Past issues are found in the Archive at www.NAYSI.com.

Shinny - a favorite of Joe Galat

2001-07-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
July 27, 2001
No. 6

Shinny - a favorite of Joe Galat

A favorite street game of Joe Galat of American Youth Football among his playmates when he was growing up in Western Pennsylvania.

Shinny is an ice hockey type game that was played on paved streets. The sticks were discarded broom sticks. The puck was made of crushed soup cans and the goals were old lawn chairs. The distance between the goals changed according to the number of players and where the cars were parked. The game stopped to let cars pass.

In Shinny, there were two, three or four players per side, always boys. The girls did not play shinny in this neighborhood. Players were generally divided into attack and defense. A goal keeper was used if enough players were available. It was a rough game the way they played it but gloves, pads, helmets and other protective gear was not worn. Games were played to any number of points agreed upon or until they were called home to eat.

Variations: Today, there are many ice hockey and field hockey type games based on Shinny. It can be played indoors or outdoors on on ice skates, on in-line skates or roller skates and in tennis shoes using balls or street pucks. Goals can be nets, markers, lines or anything else that defines the target. There are other forms of hockey that are played with soft foam balls and heavily padded sticks.

Artificial ice is also available. It comes in sheets and can be installed on all kinds of surfaces. It acts much like real ice but needs no refrigeration.

Safety tips: There are two rules that are important in Shinny. First, players should not be permitted to lift their sticks above the waist or hit other players with the stick. Second, players should not be permitted to block (check) or trip other players. Emphasize skill, not brute strength and aggression.

In games involving sticks, rackets and moving objects, it is wise to use the proper safety gear. Protective equipment can include helmets, mouth guards, eye protection, gloves, as well as arm, knee and shin pads.

For more about Shinny, see the following Britannica link:

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=114961&tocid=29690

About Joe Galat: Shinny was a favorite street game of Joe Galat when he was six to 10 years of age growing up in Cresson, Pennyslvania. Galat is the President of American Youth Football and owner/operator of Camp America in College Corners (Oxford), Ohio. He is the former head coach and general manager of the British Columbia Lions in the Canadian Football League and was an outstanding lineman and linebacker at the Cradle of Coaches, the Miami of Ohio Redhawks (formerly Redskins), coached by John Pont.

Tiny Tennis - for more advanced players

2001-06-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip

Tiny Tennis - for more advanced players
June 27, 2001
No. 5

Tiny Tennis is a game that helps players, from beginners to the advanced, develop their soft touch skills around the tennis net. It is played using only the service courts. Tiny Tennis can be played as singles using two or four service courts or doubles using four service courts. The backcourt and alleys are not in play.

The skills emphasized are racket control, hitting soft accurate touch shots
from the forehand and backhand side, reading the opponent’s racket, and quick foot movement. Younger players learn to judge where the ball will land and move to the proper position to play a bouncing ball.

During play, the ball must bounce in the service court to be considered
good. However, players may move outside the service boxes to play the ball.

Balls that hit the lines during play or on serves are considered good or in
bounds. Slams are not permitted at any time. Volleying can be prohibited or allowed.

Serves are done with a drop and hit underhand stroke from below the waist starting outside the service court. Points may not be scored by the server on the serve.

Players keep score just as they would in regular full court tennis. The server's score is announced first.

Tips: Youngsters can be taught the novel scoring system of tennis by starting with a 0 -1 - 2 - 3 - 4 scheme, with 4 being game. Ad scoring or advantage to the server (ad in) and advantage to the receiver (ad out) can be modified by telling the players than they must win by two points. Once they understand the 0-1-2-3-4 scoring, then simply switch them to the regular love - 15 - 30 - 40 - game scoring.

Play Tiny Tennis for beginners with used tennis balls. New tennis balls
bounce more than used tennis balls. Low bouncing balls make judging the
flight of the ball easier.

Reference: For more tennis games for children nine and younger, see Munchkin Tennis at Books, etc. at www.NAYSI.com. Cost is $14.95 plus $3.50 postage.

NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity that can be played at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team.

Tiny Tennis for Beginners

2001-06-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip of the Week
June 17, 2001
No. 4

Tiny Tennis for beginners

Tiny Tennis is a game that is useful for introducing young beginners as young as 7 or 8 years of age to the sport of tennis. Teenagers and adults will find this game interesting, for a short time. It helps them all become accustomed to the racket and a bouncing ball as they develop eye-racket coordination.

In its most simple form, two players (a child and a parent for instance) tap a tennis ball back and forth to one another. This can be done over a tennis net, across any line on the court, over a bench, or over a ribbon between two chairs at home in the driveway.

For beginners, the rules are very simple. Play Tiny Tennis in one service box on each side on the net. See how many times you can pass the ball back and forth across the net. Let’s go for five. Now let’s go for 10 in a row. Do not be concerned about how many times the ball bounces or even if the ball bounces over the net. Just get the ball over the net using the racket. Make it an enjoyable cooperative game.

As racket and ball control are developed, add a few new elements. Keep the ball bouncing inside the service court. Play the game with four players using all four service courts. Repeat the idea of seeing how many consecutive taps can be done that day. Make it progressive: five taps, rest, 6 taps, rest, 7 taps, etc.

Tips: Play Tiny Tennis for beginners with used tennis balls. New tennis balls bounce more than used tennis balls. Low bouncing balls make judging the flight of the ball easier.

Reference: For more tennis games for children nine and younger, see Munchkin Tennis at Books, etc. at www.NAYSI.com. Cost is $14.95 plus $3.50 postage.

NAYSI Activity Tip is a feature of www.NAYSI.com. Find a new activity that can be played at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team. Past issues are found in the Archive at www.NAYSI.com.

Run the Gauntlet - Dodgeball

2001-06-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
June 5, 2001
No. 3

Run the Gauntlet - Dodgeball

This is one of the many popular forms of dodgeball. It can be played either
as an elimination or non-elimination game. Learning occurs best, and it is
more fun, in non-elimination games.

The number of players can range 10 to as many as 25. Divide the players into two equal groups. The throwing team, using soft playground balls or
sponge-type balls, is stationed in two parallel lines about 30 to 50 feet
apart depending on their ages. The other team is challenged to run between
the two parallel lines while the throwing team attempts to hit them with the
ball. In running the gauntlet, the running team can either make one trip or
be challenged to run "down and back" to complete one trip. Pick some
suitable number of runs, say five round trips, and then have the two teams
change positions.

Teams can each take two or three turns running the gauntlet. Count one point for each runner hit with the ball. Should a runner catch the ball, a point
is awarded to the running team. Play the best of three sets.

Safety Rules:

- Players must be hit below the waist or shoulder. Decide which rule you wish to observe.
- When a player hits an opponent legally with the ball, the throwing team is awarded one point.
- When a player is hit illegally, the offended team can receive 1 or 2 points, and the thrower can be banished for the remainder of that game.

Teaching suggestion:

This game, as with many forms of dodgeball, emphasizes the skills of throwing, catching, running, jumping, dodging, agility and alertness. For players who do not already possess these skills, it is suggested that a few practice sessions or lessons be planned to help them become more familiar with these skills. This can be done quite easily with simple throwing and catching lessons involving 2-3-4 players at a time. Start slow and then increase the pace. Make this a game by challenging the players to make 20 passes. First group to do this wins. Players can also learn to run and catch as can occur in the basketball fast break. Fast or quick throws help the players become more accustomed to the fast pace of dodgeball.

Blanket Badminton

2001-05-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
May 27, 2001
No. 2

Blanket Badminton

Players (2 to 4) hold onto one towel or blanket and pop a volleyball or other soft ball back and forth over a badminton net as in tennis or volleyball. The blanket team must catch the ball in the air and then pop it over the net. Players must pass the ball from where they catch it. They many not run or carry the ball toward the net.

This game can be played in the back yard, at the beach or at any gathering of playful people.

Variations: The number of players can range from 2 to 8 or 10 depending on the size of the towel or blanket and court. Blanket teams can pop the ball into the air to make a pass to themselves. Play the game on a volleyball court or a tennis court. To add more excitement on hard court surfaces, allow the ball to bounce once before catching it.

Teaching tip: Practice the popping skill by having teams pop the ball into the air and catch it. Then work in pairs by passing the ball back and forth. Once a little skill has been developed, add in the scoring system of your choice.

Good Hands

2001-05-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

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NAYSI Activity Tip
May 12, 2001
No.1

Good Hands

What: Have a little fun in the backyard with your baseball and softball kids. Get two to five or six people spaced several feet apart in a pair, triangle, square or circle. Spread your legs apart, bend over at the waist as in fielding a ground ball. Then, simply bat a baseball or softball back and forth on the ground to each other with one hand. Keep the ball moving on the ground. It is fun, makes you watch the ball, and develops quick hands.

Who: This can be played by boys and girls from preschool through the pros.

Variations: Use the dominant hand. Use the non-dominant hand. Use both hands. Start with a larger playground ball if the smaller ball proves to be too tough to handle.

This is the first installment of NAYSI Activity Tip. Look here to find an activity that you can play at home with your kids or on the field and court with your group or team.