FUNdamentals
Boys 6-9 // Girls 6-8
OBJECTIVES:
Learn fundamental movement skills and build overall motor skills.
FUNdamentals CHECKLIST:
✔ Practice becoming more proficient in fundamental movement skills before more sport-specific skills are introduced
✔ Emphasize the overall development of the child’s physical capacities, fundamental movement skills and the ABC’S of athleticism: agility, balance, coordination and speed
✔ Teach appropriate and correct running, jumping and throwing techniques
✔ Introduce basic flexibility exercises
✔ Develop speed, power and endurance using games
✔ Encourage participation in a wide range of sports
✔ Develop linear, lateral and multi- directional speed with short bursts of activity (less than
five seconds), allowing for full recovery between repetitions
✔ Include strength training exercises using the child’s own body weight
✔ Ensure that sporting and disability equipment are size, weight and design appropriate and that communities explore ways to share and provide access to appropriate equipment.
✔ Introduce very simple mental skills
✔ Ensure that activities change during the school year and are enhanced by multi-sport camps during summer and winter holidays
✔ Participate once or twice a week in a preferred sport, so long as there is
participation in many other sports or activities three or four times per week
NOTE: IF DURING THIS STAGE, CHILDREN ARE FAILING TO DEVELOP FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS, THEN REMEDIATION IS DESIRABLE (RECOMMENDED WITH FURTHER PLAY). IF CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ACTIVITY SKILLS AS THEIR PEERS, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO BE INCLUDED IN PEER-GROUP ACTIVITIES AND WILL HAVE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE.
FUNDAMENTALS GOLFER DEVELOPMENT#
ATHLETIC SKILLS
Agility, balance, coordination, skipping, hopping, throwing/tossing and catching away from body with either hand, flexibility, strength.
TECHNICAL (SKILLS) DEVELOPMENT
Continued focus on Fundamental Movement skills and ABC’s of athleticism. Developing Putting, Chipping and Full Swing skills.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Concentration, teach-ability, learning to make choices, respect, understanding rules, how to cope with success and failure, learning to solve problems.
SOCIAL-BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT
Learning to cooperate with and help other children. Learning to consider other people. Learning through familiar activities. Want to do their best. Can show responsibility through completing simple tasks and requests.
PRACTICE
No formal guidelines for practice. At this age, it’s about positive experience and participation based on a child’s interest level. Practice can include on course time to ensure fun and games are also suggested for engagement.
COMPETITION
Focus at this stage is continuing to have fun and improving upon skills as a focus and not competition for score or against one another. Fun activities in a group environment.
EQUIPMENT
Age appropriate clubs should include: putter, lofted iron, appropriately loft and length driver (avoid too long and heavy) or hybrid at a minimum.
WHERE TO PLAY
Everywhere! (Golf course, park, gymnasium, mini golf, backyard, school playground, living room, etc.). 3, 6 or 9 holes when on course (at shortened yardages). Par 3 courses. Putting and chipping practice
WHAT A PARENT SHOULD KNOW
Parents must educate themselves about local sport programs at this age and decide which are best for their children. During this stage it is vital to participate in multiple sports. Parents should also provide time for unstructured ‘fun’ play with their friends or siblings and ensure screen time is monitored and healthy foods are introduced.
