Tacklesport (Consultancy) Ltd is an innovative company breaking new ground in the development of sports coaching through the medium of new technology. Started in 1994, Tacklesport has set out to develop a greater awareness for the use of technology in coaching and teaching sport skills: The aim is to improve both player and coach performance, most specifically through an enhanced awareness of movement patterns within games and a clearer understanding of game strategies.

 

In addition to its own 'in-house' multimedia and coaching experts, TSC works closely with the Governing Bodies of Sport and highly qualified specialist coaches to ensure the quality of the products. The depth and breadth of expertise available to the company makes it unique in the field of sports coaching and sports consultancy. Further, partnerships exist with a range of other coaching and educational bodies; the net result is an innovative and stimulating enterprise producing exciting products for teachers and coaches alike.

 

The unique combination of advanced computer skills, high quality performance and a wide experience of both teaching and coaching enable the company be at the forefront of multimedia developments in sports teaching and coaching.

 

Products and services offered by Tacklesport:

 

Tacklesport provide sports consultancy, delivering workshops, clinics, practical and theory training days and modular courses across a wide range of related teaching and coaching topics. Examples include: Developing games skills in children, Developing unit and team skills for teams and clubs, The application of ICT in teaching PE and Games, Using ICT in teaching and coaching, Effective coaching, Managing teams and Developing fitness in your players.

 

Animated Skill Drills CD-ROM series:

 

Designed for teachers, coaches and players the Animated Skill Drills CD-ROM series is the complete coaching package. Developed and structured to cater for all levels of ability and skill, it is the ideal tool for planning a coaching session or games lesson. Every CD-ROM contains 250 skill drills covering the key components of each game. Access to the drills is through a simple selector allowing viewing of drills in miniature format prior to full screen playing. The animation's themselves include a slider control for play, slow play, freeze frame and rewind. A pop-up text box provides full details for each drill including minimum player and kit requirements, organistaion and coaching points; a full manual with colour screen shot is printable from the CD-ROM.

Tacklesport Animated Skill Drills CD-ROMs are currently being used by:

·         Phil Neale - England Cricket Team Manager

·         Roger Harper - West Indies Cricket Team Manager

·         David Capel - Director of Excellence Northamptonshire County Cricket Club

·         Brian Noble, head coach Bradford Bulls, members of Rugby Leagues Super League

·         Wayne Smith, Head Coach Northampton Saints, members of Rugby Unions Zurich Premiership

·         Clive Woodward, England Rugby Union Team manager

·         Manchester United Football Club Academy

 

 

 

 

Animated Team Packages:

 

Tacklesport have recognised that animation can be a much more effective visual aid than static diagrams. They have used this format well in developing an effective coaching tool.

Designed to individual specification, Animated Team Packages allow you as a coach to design your very own Coaching CD-ROM, containing your own ideas for set moves, team patterns of play and more.

For the first time you will be able to explain exactly how you want the systems of play to work, where the players should be running, when the ball should be passed. Ideal for use before matches, training sessions, and at pre-season training to familiarise players with new moves and patterns, Animated Team Packages are the best tool available for developing player and team understanding.

The Animated plays are controlled using a slider allowing you to play, slow play, freeze frame and rewind. A pop-up 'coaches pad' provides full details for each play including, organisational detail and technical coaching points. Where available video footage may be used to compliment animations.

Additional features include a print facility allowing the coach to print hard copies of the play for themselves to take on the pitch, court or for players to take away.

Tacklesport Animated Team Packages clients include:

·         Great Britain Ladies Hockey team (Sydney 2000 Olympics).

·         West Coast Eagles, members of the Australia Rules Football League.

·         Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club, members of the Zurich Premiership.

 

www.northamptonsaints.co.uk

 

 

Coaching Equipment Shop:

This new website is a one stop shop for all your teaching and coaching equipment needs, all at the most competitive prices on the web. Divided into categories by sport, you will find everything you need to help you become a more successful teacher or coach. As well as Tacklesport's Animated Skill Drills CD-ROM series, you will find kit bags, balls, cones, markers and a variety of fitness training aids.

 

The Coaches Clinic:

The coaches clinic is an online magazine packed full of coaching material you can use again and again. The content of these pages is developed and updated by top national and international coaches world wide. Each page will contain something new and exciting in the development of sports coaching in your specific area. Top level teachers and coaches will identify key areas within coaching.

 

Specific skills:

The basic skills of the game that the performer must possess before they can participate within a game situation, or higher level skills that will develop performance once the core skills have been mastered. For example in soccer, a basic skill might be passing the ball to feet, a higher level skill would be losing your marker .

Team tactics:

When the players can perform all the core skills competently and feedback is no longer necessary to control movement, the coach can progress a step further by focusing the learning towards other concurrent tasks that would be of benefit. For example, how an off spin bowler should bowl to defend a small total in one-day cricket.

Coaching strategies:

Many different tactics may have to be employed within the boundaries of one competitive fixture. A coach may plan to use one specific tactic in a certain situation, only to discover that it is entirely ineffective. There then becomes a need for alternatives to be available in order for the set goals to be achieved. For example, losing a key line out jumper through injury in Rugby Union.

Everything is explained in simple terms using diagrams and, when appropriate, animations to illustrate these points in the clearest form currently available to the coach.

 

Bespoke Projects:

HOWZAT  2^nd Innings CD-ROM

Tacklesport, in partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board and Channel 4, have written and produced Howzat! 2nd Innings. This is a new initiative designed to promote cricket within the new National Curriculum. The launch of the CD-ROM was supported by Kate Hoey, (then Minister for Sport) and David Taylor, Director of Inspections for OFSTED.

Lord MacLaurin, ECB Chairman commented " the launch of the Howzat! education resource packs represents the England and Wales Cricket Boards most significant and important initiative since the inception of the ECB in 1997."

 

Complying with government recommendations for Curriculum 2000, Howzat! will enable teachers to deliver cricket to children across the curriculum. Keith Pont, ECB's Director of Development, said "Cricket can be introduced into the classroom in many different ways. In Mathematics, children could calculate averages, run rates and work with cricket statistics, for example. Studying contrasting writing styles of newspaper match reports could introduce cricket into English lessons, or a Science class could look at understanding how a ball swings or spins."

 

Educational specialists, practicing teachers and curriculum advisers, as well as cricket coaches, have all had input to the development of the resource to ensure that it is of genuine relevance and value. The CD-ROM is user friendly, and teachers without an in-depth knowledge of cricket will also benefit.

Kate Hoey, (then Minister for Sport) said "I very much welcome the ECB's Howzat! education resource packs which should provide invaluable to primary and secondary teachers, and will help to generate interest in cricket among young boys and girls. Investment in the grassroots development of cricket is incredibly important and the Howzat! initiative is further demonstration of the ECB's strong commitment to this policy."

 

David Brook, Director of Strategy and Development at Channel 4, commented "We are committed at Channel 4 to reinvigorating and rejuvenating cricket both on and off screen, and this joint initiative is a vital part of our investment to encourage and build the game from grass-roots level."

Howzat 2nd Innings has been produced in CD-ROM format to reflect the increased technology used in Secondary school education. It is targeted at Key Stages 3 and 4.

 

The CD-ROM includes computer animated graphics, photographic stills and video footage for coaching purposes. It is possible to print the on-screen material for use in the classroom. Internet hotlinks will direct teachers to cricket related web-sites and the Official National Curriculum web-site to provide further assistance.