Fast Feet, First Touches

Fast feet, first grips and a gang of friends — a camogie player starts here

Camogie
U8
45 min
10–24 girls (pods of 4, never queues)
3 coaches
Effort 2/5
Quarter pitch or indoor hall
fun-games
grip
striking
movement
nursery

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: Short hurleys sized to each girl (stand it beside her — the top should reach her wrist bone), first-touch sliotars (one each), helmets for every striking game, 20 cones, 6 hoops, 8 bibs, a few pool noodles if ye have them

Warm-up7 min

Foxes & Farmers

Setup: 20×20m square, hurleys stay in the gear pile — this one is legs and giggles only. Every girl tucks a bib in her waistband as a tail; three foxes wear helmets-off armbands or hold a noodle.

How it works: Foxes chase, farmers dodge. A fox who snatches a tail hands it straight back and the farmer does three star jumps to rejoin — nobody is ever out, nobody ever stands still. Every minute swap the foxes so every girl gets to hunt. Last round: farmers pair up holding hands, foxes hunt the pairs, and the shrieking tells you the bodies are warm.

What to say

“Tell them: 'dodge with a zig and a zag — straight lines get caught.'”
“Tell them: 'eyes up, find the empty grass.'”
“Swap foxes fast and often — chasing is the best warm-up ever invented.”

Easier

Bigger square and walking foxes for the smallest group.

Harder

Two tails each so a caught farmer plays on; foxes hunt in pairs and must tag hands before snatching.

Activity9 min

Magic Hands

Setup: Helmets on, hurleys out. Big circle with a hoop on the ground in front of each girl, ball resting in the hoop, two hurley-lengths between neighbours — walk the circle and check the gaps together first.

How it works: Grip magic, taught as spells. Spell one, THE HANDSHAKE: shake hands with the very top of the hurley with your strong hand and squeeze — that hand never lets go. Spell two, THE HELPER: the other hand holds on just underneath. Now the games, thirty seconds each, any order, grip check between rounds: PAINT THE PITCH — sweep the bas along the grass in big slow rainbows. EGG AND SPOON — ball balanced on the bas, walk around your hoop without dropping the egg. SUPERHERO STATUES — ready position, hurley in two hands across the body, hold strong while a mentor tries a gentle wobble-check on each statue.

Common mistakes

Hands swapped or drifting apart mid-game — replay the handshake spell, never a lecture.
Ball balanced on the flat of a shaking bas — soften the helper hand and slow the feet.

What to say

“Tell them: 'shake hands and squeeze — that's YOUR hurley now.'”
“Walk the circle checking thumbs and gaps: strong hand on top, hands together, not split apart like a brush.”
“Tell them: 'statues breathe — strong hands, soft knees.'”

Easier

Kneel for Egg and Spoon; paint the pitch with two hands touching for extra control.

Harder

Egg and Spoon walking to a neighbour's hoop and back; statues hold the ready position balanced on one leg.

Activity10 min

Knock the Castles

Setup: Pods of three or four at spot markers, all striking the same direction. Five metres out, each pod's 'castle' — a big cone with a small cone balanced on top. Mentors behind the strikers, spare balls at every pod.

How it works: First strikes with a target worth attacking. The ball sits still on the grass beside the front foot. Big slow swing, brush the grass, send the ball at the castle — a wobble is a cheer, a topple is a riot. Everyone in the pod strikes, then the whole pod runs out together, rebuilds the castle, collects the balls and runs back. Count topples as a pod, not as girls — castles fall to teams. Halfway through, each pod steps its markers one giant step back and the castle survives a little longer.

What to say

“Tell them: 'look at the ball the whole time — the castle isn't going anywhere.'”
“Tell them: 'brush the grass, low and smooth — chops bounce over castles.'”
“Strike on the call, collect on the call — the rhythm keeps every swing safe.”

Easier

Two steps closer; push the ball at the castle along the ground with the bas instead of swinging.

Harder

Castle gets a moat — a hoop the ball must pass through on the way; the confident few try one strike from a gentle self-toss.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

PitchPlans coaching team

Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.