With all the uncertainty that our nation is facing while dealing with COVID-19 (Coronavirus), and the cancelling of all our sports events and community gatherings to help flatten the curve of the disease, it can feel overwhelming for our young athletes and coaches. If you’re feeling helpless, we’ve got a dose of inspiration for you!
While social sports and events have to be put on hold right now, individual fitness and working out are still possible. We already know that regular exercise can help to ease anxiety, and there seems to be plenty of that going around right now. If you’re a coach or athlete feeling the self-quarantine blues right now, we have a few great no-contact ways to connect with your team, and help to unite you, despite the social distancing. We’ve got 4 ideas to help you navigate the new digital coaching and team building landscape.
- DIGITAL DRILLS
Facebook and Instagram Live features give you the power to host online practices with your team. These can look like real-time collective workouts that can be done at home, and are great to put those conditioning drills, lunges, squats and push-ups to keep your players active and fit during this off time. The best part is, you get your workout in as well, because you are demonstrating and performing all the drills right along with your team. Win/win! - CREATE A TEAM PLAYLIST
Use Spotify or Apple Music to create a team playlist. Ask each of your athletes to come up with a song and an exercise to go along with it, then post it to your team Facebook group or whatever communication app you use. If just nine players chose 3-4 minute songs and exercises each, you’ve easily got a 30 minute workout that players can access and follow along with. - VIRTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS
Pair up your athletes as fitness partners. They can schedule daily FaceTime workouts (or use an app like Marco Polo) together and discuss their process, help with technique and encourage each other. - ACTIVATE NO-CONTACT COMMUNITY SERVICE
You can employ your team to act as food runners to your community, delivering needed items to doorsteps with zero contact, just drop and run on to the next destination. Work with local food banks and other services to assign athletes who can physically run food to neighbors in need. This one will take a little extra research on your part to see what is happening within your community, but it’s a great team building exercise that will help your athletes find purpose in these trying times.
For more ideas on drills you can do at home, Sport Fuels Life has a few videos to get you started. Check them out here!