Under 11's Junior Development Pathway

Consolidate & Develop Individual skills / Intro to new skills / cont. Develop tackling (Key element / safety)

Evasion

• Swerve and dodge / avoid contact
• Side step off both feet
• Always go forward at space

Handling skills

• Lateral Pass – both hands 8+ meters
• Catching (two hands) off the chest
• Pick & Pass and Sweep Pass
• Decision making (2v1 & 3v2)
• Decision making – creating space, switch pass, loop pass and miss pass.

Contact Skills (3rd year of tackling – But still important to focus on perfecting skills – SAFETY)

• Fine tune tackling skills (Front, side & behind) – SAFELY /
• Falling and placing the ball long and jack knife presentations
• Pop up pass from ground.
• Offload out of the tackle. (push ball beyond the defender)
• Getting back to your feet – re-join game – Bounce

Maul *(slight priority over Ruck, as players less likely to be taken to ground by initial tackle at this age)

• Micro – (3-6 players only).
• Ball carrier – Stability & Ball presentation low and in two hands.
• Link Player – Body position (Tower of power), set height equal to a scrum. secure and deliver ball.
• Defender – secure ball & player by wrapping ball carrier’s arms and ball. Leg drive.

Ruck

• Micro – (6 players only).
• Ball carrier – to ground, then present or pass ball immediately.
• Support player – secure ball or ruck over. (Tower of power),
• Tackler – release, regain feet & contest with leg drive.

Scrum

• 3 nearest players (all should participate, subject to safety)
• Tower of power
• Player in the Hooker position may strike / NO PUSH

Backline attack

• Identify and attack space.  Using patterns like switch pass, loop pass and miss pass
• Re-alignment (attack and defence)
• Recognise and be able to realign on turnover or loss of possession

Kicking & Catching

• Punt, Grubber, Chip.  Catching of high ball (Adjust body position) – No fly-hack

Laws / Ethics

• The tackle situation
• Concept of sporting conduct and Perspective on sport.

The GAME

• Play full tackle games (all abilities)

• Possession – work as unit to source possession
• Continuity – maintain possession / Communication (encourage verbal skills)
• Decision making – allow them to explore various game scenarios and their outcomes
• Vision – Create/be aware of space and how to use it.
• Formation – Different types of attack / defence formations based on what player sees.

Agility

Awareness of body space

Balance – Static & dynamic

Co-ordination and manipulation

Speed, Power & Endurance (Intro – Triple extension)

Warm-up and cool down

Development of Self-image

Social confidence – Response to positive reinforcement

Enthusiasm & Commitment

Communication skills and creative thinking

Work as part of a team……but look to identify positive role models.