3.1 Compare aspects that need to be considered when designing a training session for individual and group sports

1. Designing a training session for individual and group sports

Designing a training session means planning a structured period of practice. The goal is to improve performance, reduce injury risk, and support long-term development.

Good session design links:

• the demands of the sport (physical, technical, tactical and psychological)
• the athlete’s needs and readiness on the day
• the purpose of the training program (for instance, pre-season fitness building versus in-season performance maintenance)

The same session elements are used in both individual sports and group sports, but they are applied differently. In individual sports, improvement focuses on one athlete’s execution and decisions. In group sports, coaches must also plan for team coordination, shared roles, and the fact that coaching time is spread across many athletes.

2. Health and safety considerations

Health and safety considerations come first in session design because they link to duty of care. Duty of care means a coach has a legal requirement to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm. Safe planning supports consistent training, protects wellbeing, and lowers injury risk. It is most effective when it prevents both immediate problems (for instance collisions) and longer-term problems (for instance fatigue and overuse injuries).

Example:
At a 6:00 pm outdoor netball session in Brisbane in late January, the coach checks attendance, asks about illness and injuries, then changes the plan because it is 33°C with high UV. The squad warm-up stays progressive, but conditioning is made shorter with two 4-minute blocks and extra drink breaks, and contact-like contest drills are delayed until athletes have warmed up properly.
VS
An elite triathlete completes a solo 90-minute ride on open roads in the same conditions. Before starting, they check tyre pressure and brakes, fill two bottles with electrolytes, choose a flatter route with shaded sections, tell a family member their route, and carry a phone. Both sessions respond to the same heat risk and follow duty of care principles, but the netball coach must manage many athletes sharing space and possible collisions, while the triathlete manages individual exposure, equipment safety, and the added risk of training without others nearby for support.

3. Overview/aim of the session (goal specific)

The overview/aim of the session explains why the session is happening and how it will run. It gives the athlete(s) a clear purpose, helps them train at the right intensity, and makes “success” visible by clarifying the goal and the standard expected.

Example:
At a one-hour tennis session at a Sydney club, the coach starts with a clear aim: “first-serve consistency to the deuce court, with 7 out of 10 serves landing in the target zone under time pressure.” After the warm-up, the athlete’s shoulder starts to tighten and accuracy drops. The coach immediately changes the session by reducing the total number of serves, increasing rest, and shifting part of the block to first-serve placement drills at a slower pace so technique stays safe and consistent. That change affects only one athlete and keeps the goal achievable without increasing injury risk.
VS
At an under-18 AFL session in Wollongong, the coach opens with a team aim: “improve defensive spacing and communication in transition, especially on the far side.” The coach gives role cues for each line (for instance, backs organise the corridor, mids hold inside-out positioning, forwards apply first pressure), then structures training as stations so the whole squad stays active. When the team struggles with spacing, the coach adjusts by extending the transition drill and shortening a planned conditioning block. The goal remains team-based, and the adjustment must keep the entire squad aligned and moving, not just one player.

4. Warm-up and cool-down

Warm-up and cool-down support safe, effective training. They improve readiness, movement quality, and recovery. The same principles apply in both individual and group sports, but delivery changes depending on whether the session involves one athlete or a group.

Example:
At a track session in Melbourne, a 400 m sprinter uses RAMP. They start with light jogging to Raise body temperature, then do hip mobility and glute activation to Activate and Mobilise, and finish with three practice runs that get faster each time to Potentiate speed safely. Halfway through the warm-up, the coach sees the athlete’s steps are shorter and a bit stiff, so the coach adds an extra two minutes of hip mobility and makes the first practice run slower before continuing. After the main training, the cool-down includes an easy jog, calf and hip stretching, then a short hamstring strengthening exercise because the athlete has had hamstring tightness recently.
VS
At a netball training session in Brisbane, the coach also uses RAMP, but needs to get a whole squad ready. The warm-up starts with a group jog and moving stretches, then activation and mobility in lines, and potentiation includes short sprints, quick direction changes, and passing while moving to get ready for shared space and quick reactions. The cool-down finishes with a light jog and team stretching circle, followed by a quick team talk about what got better and what needs work next session. Both sessions use a step-by-step warm-up and organised cool-down for readiness and recovery, but the individual session can be changed minute-by-minute for one athlete, while the group session focuses on organisation, consistency, and bringing the whole squad together.

5. Skill instruction and practice

Skill instruction and practice are central to performance. This includes teaching technique and decision-making, then practising so skills can be executed under realistic conditions, including pressure, fatigue, and time constraints.

Example:
At an athletics throwing session in Perth, a discus thrower does sets of throws while the coach focuses on one technical point, such as keeping a longer arm path through release. After almost every throw, the coach gives immediate knowledge of performance feedback (“your trunk opened early, keep your shoulder closed longer”), and uses the distance achieved as knowledge of results to check whether the change made performance better. The athlete repeats the skill in a controlled environment with enough rest to keep technique safe.
VS
At a hockey training session in Adelaide, the coach introduces a passing pattern that must be done at speed, with correct timing and clear communication. The coach demonstrates first, then sets up two stations so the squad stays active. Players practise the pattern in groups, then use it in a small-sided game where defenders create pressure and athletes must make quick decisions. The coach cannot correct every athlete on every attempt, so players use peer cues (“hold width”, “call early”) and self-monitoring while the coach stops play briefly to correct common mistakes. Both sessions build skill, but the discus session relies on repeated attempts with immediate individual correction, while the hockey session relies on interaction, timing, and decision-making under pressure across a whole group.

6. Conditioning

Conditioning develops physical qualities that support performance, including aerobic capacity, strength, power and agility. Conditioning can be completed as a separate block (for instance intervals or gym work) or built into skill and game-based drills (for instance conditioned small-sided games).

In both contexts, conditioning should match the demands of the sport and the phase of the season. Conditioning design also needs to manage fatigue so technique and decision-making stay safe and effective.

Example:
A surf lifesaving athlete does a sand-based conditioning session designed to improve repeated high-intensity efforts. The set includes short sprints with changes of direction, and the coach watches technique quality, especially foot placement and trunk control on the softer surface. When the athlete’s movement quality drops, the coach adds 30 to 60 seconds of extra rest so the next repetition stays safe and technically sound.
VS
A rugby league squad trains the same quality through a conditioned small-sided game. The coach sets constraints such as a 20-second shot clock and limited rest between sets, forcing repeated accelerations, tackles, and quick transitions. Because the coach is managing a squad, they monitor intensity efficiently and change loads by adjusting roles and rotations, such as reducing contact exposure for a return-to-play player while keeping their running contribution. Both sessions develop repeated high-intensity efforts, but the surf lifesaving session is individually controlled with precise rest adjustments, while the rugby league session uses group constraints and rotations to deliver the conditioning stimulus across the squad.

7. Strategies and tactics

Strategies and tactics training develops decision-making and the ability to apply a plan under pressure. It includes reading cues, selecting options, and adapting when conditions change.

Example:
A middle-distance runner getting ready for a 1500 m race practises tactics in a session of intervals that copy important race moments. The coach creates a plan that includes a steady first 400 m, a faster push over 200 m in the middle, then a fast finish. The runner practises reading internal cues (breathing rate, how heavy their legs feel) and external cues (the speed of a training partner) to decide when to push harder and how to respond if the pace changes in an unexpected way.
VS
A basketball team practises a defensive strategy based on rotations and communication. The coach runs a scenario drill where the offence repeatedly creates a drive-and-kick situation. Defenders must rotate at the right time, call switches clearly, and recover to shooters. The team then uses the same tactic in a scrimmage, where timing and spacing are messier. Both sessions develop strategies and tactics under pressure, but the runner’s success depends mainly on individual pacing and decision-making, while the basketball tactic depends on coordinated actions, shared triggers, and communication across the whole group.

8. Athlete reflection and/or coach evaluation

Athlete reflection and coach evaluation finish the session and support improvement. They should connect back to the overview/aim of the session and also consider safety, fatigue, and training load.

Example:
After a 1500 m track session in Canberra, the coach looks at the athlete’s split times for each repetition, checks whether the pacing followed the plan, and notices where technique changed when the athlete got tired (for instance leaning forward more and lifting the knees less in the final reps). The athlete writes a short note in a training log about how hard it felt and any soreness. Using this information, the coach adjusts the next training block by keeping the next quality session but reducing the total distance and adding an extra easy run to help with recovery.
VS
After a team football session in Newcastle focused on pressing triggers, the coach checks whether the squad used the triggers consistently, whether communication stayed clear when players got tired, and whether spacing broke down late in the session. The coach runs a short team discussion to highlight what improved and identify one priority for next time, then follows up with two players who looked sore and are under return-to-play restrictions to change their next training load. Both evaluations are linked to the session aim and supported by evidence, but the individual context allows very detailed feedback and quick programme changes, while the team context balances squad outcomes with targeted individual management.