Frustration, fair play, quitting on time
Ready when: A practice session with a purpose (b1) started.
What you are learning
Staying calm when a game goes badly, talking kindly to team-mates, and stopping on time. These are the habits that let a child keep enjoying games.
Words on this card Session, Round, Team-mate, Losing streak
- Session
- One block of practice or play, with a start and an end time.
- Round
- A round is one part of a game; a match is the whole contest, which may be several rounds or games.
- Team-mate
- A team-mate plays on your side; an opponent plays against you.
- Losing streak
- Losing several games in a row.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Agree three rules together and write them down: when to stop, how to talk to team-mates, what to do when angry.
- Act out a bad round yourself: say one blaming line, then one helpful line, and ask which is better.
Your part while they practise
Talk, do not lecture; agree the rule together before play.
Step by step
- Agree three rules: when to stop, how to talk to team-mates, what to do when angry.
- The child says them back.
- Before each session, read the rules once.
How much: 3 rules 5 min a session once a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Calm team-mate
You describe a bad moment in a game; the child says what they would say to a team-mate.
Who plays: the child against you; swap so you answer too.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Describe a moment: "Your team-mate missed an easy goal", "You lost three rounds in a row", "Someone typed something rude"
- The child answers with what they would say or do
- 6 moments, then swap
- Fair play
- A grown-up must also name one feeling in each answer.
- Points
- 1 point for a calm answer; 1 more point if it helps the team next round.
- Fouls
- No points
- Blaming a team-mate
- A rude word
- "I would just quit" without a plan
- Winning
- More points after 6 moments each.
- 5 points for 1 star
- 8 points for 2 stars
- 11 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
One rule.
Add a plan for a losing streak.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child blames team-mates
What could I do next round?
One thing in your own play. - the child cannot stop
Timer rings, game ends
Finish the round, then stop.
Self-check
The child stops when the agreed time ends on 4 of 5 days.
Stop and get a coach when
The child is distressed after losing for a long time.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains emotional control, fair play.
Basic is done when the child sets an aim before 3 sessions in a row and stops on time on 4 of 5 days.
awiseathlete.com/sports/esports/esports-b2