The Training Environment

Consider the number of players you have, the amount of space available, what equipment there is, and any possible safety hazards, e.g. wet floors or uneven surfaces.

Ensure that there is enough equipment for all the players to practise with. Keeping the equipment well maintained will save both time and money - there is nothing worse than arriving at training and finding all the balls are flat or a piece of essential equipment is broken. Adapt the activities and equipment to meet the players' developmental needs and to suit the skill practice. For example, try using less time and space for the more skilled and more time and space for the less skilled players.

Managing Time

The amount of time devoted to training is an issue when planning a skill. To reach a high level of skill ability, the player needs to perform the skill thousands of times during their sporting life.
It is important to give the players many opportunities to practise and, where possible, minimize the time that players are not on task. Establishing organisational routines for your training sessions at the beginning of the season can maximise use of time. For example, a signal for players to come in, a routine for dividing into groups and for getting equipment out etc.
Other factors that increase time practising a skill include providing activities with high participation rates, decreasing instruction time (focus on the key factors), and decreasing the time it takes to move from one activity to another (transition).
We are what we repeatedly do...excellence then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle

Organising Groups and Formations

Organising the players into groups so there is maximum opportunity to practise can be a challenge when planning to teach a skill. There is a multitude of ways to organise players into groups. One of the quickest ways to organise groups is to say, "get a partner" or "get into groups of four". To organise teams, use the numbering-off system or have your teams pre-organised in your session plan.
A coach should be aware of the players' self esteem when organising groups. For example, when players choose teams themselves it is often the same person who is chosen last. They may be a player who either has low skill level or has a behavioural problem. The coach should consider appropriate ways to deal with these individuals so that they are included.

Training Grids

Planning activities to practise the skill that involve all players in the space and time allocated can be a challenge. The grid system has evolved as a means of achieving this.
A grid is an area of playing space that has been sub-divided using lines or cones. The number and size of each grid depends on the number of players and type of activities, and the players are divided accordingly. The principal advantage of using grids is that large groups can be organised efficiently. The coach can observe the activities from outside each grid or as he/she walks through and is easily able to monitor player skill acquisition, correct individual faults, and acknowledge correct skill performance.