Week 2 - Squash
Skill focus: Hitting and serving
Session equipment:
Markers or cones
Racquets
Balls
Buckets, hoops, targets
Rebound wall
Download Squash - Week 2 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.
Fast start - Ready, set, go
Equipment: 8 markers to set up 25m x 25m playing area
How to play:
Students scatter in the playing area. On the teacher’s signal, they start running around in the space. Students are given the following instructions to respond to:
Red –freeze on the spot
Yellow – leap around the area
Green – run around the area
CHANGE IT!
Increase the complexity of the three movements. For example, jumping jacks, high plank, and balance on one leg.
Decrease the complexity of the three movements. (eg. balance on one leg, clap hands, do arm circles)
Students move in one direction only (e.g. clockwise/anti-clockwise).
Vary the locomotor movements.
Select card to download
Skill development games
Activity 1 - Pepper
Equipment: Cones, 1 hoop, ball & racquet per group
How to play: One hitter, one catcher and the remaining group members fielding. Whoever fields the ball, bounces or throws the ball immediately to the hitter. This game aims to develop ball control by encouraging hitting from a side on stance position and using an open racquet face.
Hitter stands inside the hoop.
Fielders start with a bounce delivery.
Rotate positions after every 5 hits
Adapted from 'Hit the Target - Playing for Life Activity Card'
Activity 2 - Hit the target
Equipment: 1 racquet per group, 5 balls per group, 2 cones per group, variety of targets per group, rebound wall.
How to play: Targets are set up randomly between a ‘hitting zone’ marked by 2 cones and the rebound wall. Players score points by hitting a bounce serve to the wall, to land on/in a target. Play in small groups, dependent on available wall space.
Players hit the ball from a bounce serve to hit the wall and land in targets.
Each player has a set number of throws, e.g. 5.
Play is stopped to re-position targets that have been knocked over.
Activity 3 - Bucket and hoop
Equipment: 1 racquet per group, 5 balls per group, 3-4 hoops/buckets per team, cones
How to play: The ball is bounced with the non-dominant hand and struck using a serving action to land in any one of a number of hoops and buckets to score points.
Each player has 5 hits, then rotate
Non-hitting players act as fielders who roll balls back to the ‘keeper’ who places balls into the bucket for next hitter
Safety:
Spread pairs around the available wall space ensuring enough safe swing space.
Activity 4 - Hit and catch
Equipment: 2 hoops/markers per pair, 1 racquet/ball per pair, rebound wall
How to play: Form pairs. One player performs a bounce serve to the wall so their partner can catch it without moving from a spot.
Use hoops/markers to designate hitting & catching positions.
Swap roles after 5 hits.
If wall space is limited, pairs can share i.e. 5 hits each, swap with pair waiting.
Modified small-sided games
It's time for competition!
Teams compete against each other in the game outlined below. You can use the Squash draw as a guide to organise the competition across the 4 sessions try to ensure each team has a fair number of games.
Allocate 3 points for a win, 2 points for a drawer and 1 point for a loss for each game played. Record results and points in the School sport program results spreadsheet.
Remember, to give students an update of the leader board each week.
Shared court rally
Equipment: 1 racquet per player, 1 ball per group
How to play: Two players face a wall. One player hits a bounce serve onto the wall above the line to land in the opposite half of the court. The receiver hits their shot to the wall after one bounce or on the full. A rally of alternating hitting continues until one player cannot return the ball onto the wall above the line before it bounces a second time. After the serve, players can move anywhere. After 3 minutes, a new pair rally.
Split teams into 2 groups, eg. 4 players per team.
One player from each team rally.
Players who are not playing can score or umpire.
Play first player to five points wins, then swap with the next players.
Encourage ‘friendly’ serves.
Players alternate serves.
Winner of the rally scores 1 point.
Use the ‘let’ rule where necessary.
Encourage players to hit the ball out of reach of their opponent.
Scoring
Winner of the rally scores 1 point.
Reflection
TAG
Ask students to form pairs with a student from their team.
Inform students they are going to give feedback to their partner using 'TAG'.
Tell your partner something they did well in today's session.
Ask your partner a question.
Give your partner some feedback on a skill or tactic they could focus on during next weeks session.
