Ball exercises
The ball exercises can be performed with a small ball, an inflated ball, and a stuffed ball of different weights. It is important to choose a ball size and weight appropriate to the children's age, experience, and according to the nature of the exercises.
If possible, everyone should get a ball, if not, they need to carry out the task in pairs, or threes, taking turns. Let us teach catching the ball, let us not allow the tool to fall because a rolling ball is prone to cause accidents.
The balls should be prepared before a class or session, e.g. placed in a net, in a chest, on top of a cabinet, on the wall bars, etc. It is important that we also have a ball, and should not use children’s equipment for presentation. Let us strive and arrange the balls of the same weight, color and quality so that the students do not choose from among them.
The assignment of balls can be done in several ways:
- in one place, e.g. .: we hand the balls from the net,
- as the pupils move: they receive the ball from us or form an exempt pupil (It is not really good if the children themselves take the ball, because they start to choose, and a lot of unnecessary time elapses)
It is important that before the assignment we tell the kids, what they can and cannot do with the ball. (They may throw it up a few times, but they cannot dribble, kick it, etc.)
We also need to determine how to carry the ball. It is essential that it is carried in a uniform way, e.g.:
- with their left hand, under their arm;
- Before their body, with arms straight, in a downward position.
Before starting the exercise, let us draw their attention to the danger of injury!
Ball exercises can be performed in the following formations:
- in an open formation, children placed at a distance bigger than the whole distance space;
- a circle;
- a dispersed formation.
When using hand equipment, thus also when doing ball exercises, it is a rule that the professional description should mark the tool’s (the ball) place and movement.
(E.g.: Starting position: standing astride, ball in hand, arms down at both sides
- beat: swinging the ball in front, to shoulder level;
- beat: bringing down the ball into the starting position.
Between the practices (during a presentation or verbal instruction), the balls, especially the heavy ones, may be placed on the ground. It is important that the balls should not be thrown down, but placed down, and one must not sit or stand on them!
After completing the free form ball exercises let us, as far as possible, carry out throws, rolling the ball, knock-downs, leading, passing the ball and shots.
Before exercises with stuffed balls some free practice warm ups should be introduced. Taking the balls and stacking them back in their place should also be done orderly, just as their distribution. Particularly when exercises are held in the open air we have to count the number of balls before and after the class. (Table 14)