Aide Memoire

From 2026-Trojans-RFC-Volunteer-Handbook.pdf · Transcribed 2026-09-13 · Revised 2026-09-19

Coaching Habits

APES (Active / Purposeful / Enjoyable / Safe) will be seen as a minimum for our coaches.

Our ambition is to establish a simple set of coaching habits that ALL coaches use as their anchors / reference point to enhance their deliver to players. These are based on a wide range of teaching and coaching theories.

Trojans coaching habits explanation:

  • It assumes that each level is in addition to the previous (cumulative effect!).
  • This is not a judgement on the coach, rather needs lead by the players.
  • The Established level is where we see player ownership embedded.
  • Examples are under each area as a `kit bag' of approaches / tools.
  • Technical / rugby specific elements sit within the Coaching Matrix.
  • The principles of the Trojans Coaching Habits* can be applied to ALL rugby specific elements to enhance delivery.

The three levels run Emerging habits (Coach led) → Developing habits (Shared / shift) → Established culture (Player led).

*Adapted for Trojans FC with permission by Create Development 2023

Shared Purpose
Emerging habitsSessions have a planned purpose drawn from the `Trojans Player' shared between coaches
Developing habitsSession purpose is shared with coaches, players and parents ahead of session. e.g co-coaching plan / roles, pre session whats app message
Established culturePlayers support the development of session purposes (personal). e.g. at players / parents meeting ahead of season
Progression
Emerging habitsEach activity starts with something EVERY player can achieve. e.g. catch & pass, follow an instruction etc
Developing habitsEach activity has planned progressions to ensure constant challenge. e.g. dominant / non dom direction / hand, new rules in a game, scorer changes sides
Established culturePlayers seek and create their own challenge seeking their personal best. e.g. players given chance to set rules / conditions, personal best scores etc
Praise
Emerging habitsPraise is given to all players early in session. e.g. praise of behaviours to whole group
Developing habitsPraise is specific to the purpose of session / TREDS and personalised. e.g. freezing session to highlight a core value
Established culturePlayers praise each other as part of session. e.g. players given opportunity to give positive feedback to others, high five etc
Review
Emerging habitsWhole group review at the end of sessions. e.g. coach led WWW / EBI
Developing habitsQuestion based review throughout session. e.g. tell/sell/ask/delegate
Established culturePlayer led reviews. e.g. telling each other their work on, setting target for what to do between sessions
Choice
Emerging habitsOne choice or option given to players during activities. e.g. choose a partner, pick a ball, choose a way of....
Developing habitsA range of choices given to players during sessions. e.g. `this or that', level 1/2/3
Established culturePlayers engaged in shaping rules and conditions. e.g. player led huddles/freeze frames, players given chance to set rules / conditions, personal best scores etc

Trojans Player

Developing the 'Trojans Player'. The Trojans Player is based on developing the 'whole player', providing a clear and shared journey of learning across age groups.

This list is not complete.

How to use this: sessions should be focused on these areas in various combinations as determined by the lead coach, co-coaches and the needs of the players. They should form the purpose of the session.

Behaviours

  • Teamwork
  • Resilience
  • Enjoyment
  • Discipline
  • Sportsmanship
  • Creativity
  • Awareness
  • Resilience
  • Decision making
  • Self-organising

Skills

  • Agility
  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Footwork
  • Pass / catch
  • Tackling
  • Fitness
  • Body control
  • Core strength
  • Flexibility

Knowledge

  • Offside
  • Run forward / pass back
  • Scrum
  • Lineout
  • Playing positions
  • Defensive line
  • Attacking shape
  • Kicking
  • Age group rules
  • Ruck / maul

Principles of Play

The Principles of Play should be threaded throughout sessions, with the 'Trojans Player' elements acting as tools to enable these principles to be achieved. For example, go forward cannot be achieved without pass / catch, footwork, teamwork etc.

Loss of possession moves Attack into Defence; regaining possession moves Defence back into Attack.

Attack

  • Gain possession
  • Go forward
  • Provide support
  • Maintain continuity
  • Apply pressure
  • Score

Defence

  • Contest possession
  • Go forward
  • Provide support
  • Apply pressure
  • Regain possession

TREDS

Learn and model TREDS rugby values (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship).

APES

Ensure each session is APES (Active, Purposeful, Enjoyable and Safe.)

APES will be seen as a minimum for our coaches.

STEP

The progression lever set, introduced during RFU endorsed coach training as a standard tool in the coaching toolbox.

Session Shape

90 minutes, fixed.

15 + 70 + 5 = 90.

Wayne's Own

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