We (ČAAF) started to introduce flag football to primary school teachers and students in 2018. The most important thing was to create a database of contacts to primary schools and their principals. Till today, we created a database that has over 600 contacts to primary school contacts.
Then we started reaching out to the principals of each school and arranged meetings with them to present the whole project. In the same time we offered them the possibility of demonstration sessions for their sport classes. In total, we managed to reach and implement demonstration lessons in 69 schools in 12 cities.
In case the teachers like the lessons we involve them in the project by offering them additional lessons and lend them a flag football set for free to the school. This set includes 12 flags, 2 balls, cones to mark the pitch and a booklet with basic rules and drills. We try to implement at least 6 lessons in each school, so that the teachers can learn the rules and principles of the game perfectly and can play flag football with the students in the following lessons without our help. All classes take place under the supervision of the program leader.
The demonstration lesson
Most schools in the Czech Republic have only two sport lessons per week, which are also divided into two days. Therefore, in most schools the lesson for one class is only 45 minutes. From that reason was important to structure it in such a way that we could present what flag football is during this short time, but at the same time make the lesson attractive and fun for the students and teachers. So we set a few rules in advance that the lesson had to meet.
1) Involve all students at the same time
2) Involve the teacher in the games and drills
3) No drills where there are students waiting in lines
4) Individual challenges for the students according to their ability, so they don’t feel unable to perfom
5) No complicated rule explanations
After these considerations, we composed the sample lesson as follows:
1) A short introduction of flag football, as an ideal after school aktivity for everyone. A sport for the whole class, where it doesn’t matter if you are small, big, fast, slow, strong or skinny. There’s a position for everyone. The big advantage of flag football is that can be played in mixed teams. Girls and boys together.
2) Catching and throwing the ball. On the beginning of lesson coach starts with a short demonstration of how to catch the ball above the waist and below the waist. Following activities like familiarization with the ball and take away the fear of the ball, we consider as important, because if they have never saw the ball before, the concern from catching the ball at flag football can hurt or can may inflict injury is valid. After a brief explanation of the catching principle and an description of ball, we will show how to throw the ball. We will explain to the students the basic grip and the principle how to throw. This is followed by a drill where the students toss the ball in pairs. First at a short distance and then, when they handle the principles, we can increase the distance between the students. We try to involve the teacher first in pairs with the coach so that he/she also learn catching and throwing the ball. Later on we try to involve him in the correction of individual students, where we make sure that the correction of grip and feet positioning is right. Most of the students in the lower grades have problems with foot placement even when throwing regular balls (wrong feet in front).
3) Flag pulling. While some students may have an advantage in experiences with catching and throwing the ball from other sports and thus be more skilled than their classmates in flag pulling they are equal. In flag pulling, everyone starts at the same level. First comes again a brief explanation of how to grip the flag correctly. An explanation of the principle flag footbal is important, to explain the purpose of flag pulling, the player is stopped as a flag is pulled. It is also important to explain the illegality of the flag guarding. We are using easy game in which all students are involved at the same time. The principle of the game is to collect as many flags as possible from your classmates. The students then use the whole space of the gym and try to take each other’s flags. This game is very fast, so we usually repeat 2-3 times. The game is very simple to learn and the advantage of involving all kids at the same time is desirable.
4) Game. At the end of the lesson comes the simplified flag football game. Since we don’t want to specialize any student as QBs at the first demonstration lesson coach can play this position. We want all students have the chance to try all the activities (throwing, catching, flag pulling) during the game. The principle of the game is the simplification of flag football rules. Students try to get the ball into the opponent’s end zone. They just don’t have 4 attempts to attack, if student is stopped by a pulled flag, the ball immediately goes to the other team. Then they have to pass the ball to one of their teammates from the spot where was the flag pulled. Players are free to run with the ball. Players may pass forward or backward, but if the ball falls to the ground during the pass, the ball goes to the opposing team. This game is very popular with the students and they also learn basic skills such as catching, throwing, pulling down flags and orientation on the field. During the game they also learn the basic principles of the game and the rules for end zone plays.
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