Teaching kids to play

[Prerube]

Here is wat I do, but I have 6 weeks to teach it.

Day 1. Recognizing the differences between catch discs and golf discs. "how are the different" "which will fly farther?"
Experimenting with throwing both (without teaching any form or giving any hints)
Teach the proper form for catch discs then demonstrate the difference for golf discs (this can be skipped, but I do lots of frisbee games also)
Form: teach reaching back, pull and snap. No footwork.
Day 2. More BH throwing. introduce Hyzer and Anhyzer (discs like to go what ever way the picture is facing). Breifly touch on Nose angle, most will not
understand this and it will not make much difference for those who do. Teach the differences between putters, mids, drivers.
Try to combine 2 throws. Throw, walk to your disc and throw again. (introduce proper order of who should throw next)
Day 3. Quick intro into sidearm, tomahawk and thumber (older students and veterans get to this stage faster and can practice sidearm more)
Day 4. Up to this point all throwing has been for distance now we throw for accuracy. Throwing to land on a blanket 100 feet out. Use this to teach safety and order of throwing. This is when I teach how to tee off properly and focus a lot on the rules of the game.
Day 5. Putting. quick intro on putting, then students practice.
Day 6. review putting and play around the world and horse with discs.
Day 7. (kids least favorite because it is slow) Play 1 hole of disc golf going over more rules and etiquette. learn score keeping and terminology.
Day 8. Play 6 short straight forward holes. watch for safety issues with groups throwing on other groups who are not done.
Day 9. Set up more challenging course. Teach score keeping.
Day 10. Putting challenge day. impress upon the students the importance of putting and make a competition of it.
Day 11. mini disc golf tournament (this is the only time students have multiple discs)
Day 12. Make up day or introduce best shot doubles.

[Timko]

I wish I had that kind of time, but they're trying to earn a disc sports belt loop. So I have to do all of this with them tonight.

1. Explain the rules of ultimate or disc golf to your leader or adult partner.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing ultimate or disc golf skills.
3. Participate in a game of ultimate or disc golf.

[JR]

What would you define as "basic throwing instructions?" It's not like I'm going to talk about mechanics; I'm trying to find simple analogies to describe what we're doing.

Forehand = start the mower and slap the midget


I've handed out a few Vibram minis to kids since they are prob too soft to break windows and small enough to play with in the average yard. Show them a few adult 150ft+ mini bombs and they won't think the discs are just wimpy kid models.

Most people have thrown FHish snow balls, roksc etc. Please do not tell the kids to slap the midgets, because they are the size of midgets. They may not take it more kindly than the situation i witnessed last summer, when a guy was talking about a thing being as easy as beating a child. In front of a child, when the kid was standing right behind him. Oh well... That did not go well, especially, when the guy was the host for the evening and a close relative of the kid

[ke7wda]

Simple...

After safety and courtesy, show them how to simply throw backhand, and tell them to point with their lead foot so it goes that basic direction.

Those that have genuine interest will come back for more, those that don't will have a great time without bouncing discs off of all their friends.


Shawn

[Timko]

It turned out all right. I explained safety, fun, and courtesy. I showed them the forehand and backhand throws, and how to use a mini. We got through 5 holes in an hour, which I think was a pretty successful venture.

[Cuthahotha]

It turned out all right. I explained safety, fun, and courtesy. I showed them the forehand and backhand throws, and how to use a mini. We got through 5 holes in an hour, which I think was a pretty successful venture.

Timko, sounds like you handled it pretty dang good.

In another life (figurativly) I'm an Olympic Archery Coach. One thing I've learn over the years when working with young kids is to keep it simple, and keep it close. Give them good opportunities to have some success. (in archery we pull the targets up to about 5' away). They don't understand or care about perfection, just being on the target butt is a major source of smiles.

Never ever "demo" the wrong way to do it. Too many people will teach by saying "don't do it this way". Most of the kids won't catch most of what you saw, but they will repeat what they see. Give them the right (abiet basic) way and then get out of the way and let 'em have fun.