With my departure for Argentina just a week away, the excitement is building for the unique opportunity to begin my coaching placement. I have been told that I will be coaching a dedicated hockey session every Monday, which I am incredibly thrilled about. This is complemented by the challenge of going into schools in deprived areas on a daily basis.

​I am very excited about the prospect of getting to play and coach hockey in a foreign country. However, the coaching in the schools is something I am most apprehensive about. This is primarily due to a lack of clear information on what my role will entail and the fact that my Spanish is currently very limited. To manage these feelings of excitement and apprehension, my plan for this week is to dedicate myself entirely to preparation. I have divided this crucial planning phase into three key categories:

​1. Hockey Coach Planning

​My first priority is to plan for the Monday hockey sessions. My goal is to arrive with a comprehensive portfolio of session plans that are both structured and highly adaptable. I will create a core session blueprint which will include a dynamic warm-up, two or three skill-based drills, and a small-sided game to finish. I'll design drills focusing on fundamental skills like dribbling (3D skills, Indian dribble), passing (push, slap, hit), and shooting techniques.

​Crucially, these plans need to be flexible. I don't know the skill level of the players I'll be coaching, so I will design each drill with built-in progressions. For example, a simple passing drill can be made more complex by adding a defender, requiring movement before receiving the pass, or limiting the time or touches a player has on the ball. This ensures I can cater to mixed ability groups, challenging the more advanced players while supporting the beginners. I will also prepare a list of contingency plans for common issues like having an odd number of players, limited space, or minimal equipment. I coach my L2s hockey team some I have some drills already. 

​2. School Teaching Planning

​The daily school coaching presents a more abstract challenge, so my planning here will focus on creating a toolkit of versatile and universally understood activities. Given my language barrier, my strategy is to develop simple, engaging games and physical literacy activities that transcend verbal communication. The key will be demonstration over explanation. I'll focus on activities that require minimal equipment and can be easily adapted to different age groups, numbers of children, and available space: be it a small concrete yard or a larger field.

​My toolkit will include fundamental movement games (like tag variations and relay races), simple ball games that focus on hand-eye coordination (throwing and catching. I will practice demonstrating these games by myself, ensuring my body language is clear, positive, and encouraging. A smile and a thumbs up are universal. The aim is to make these sessions fun, build rapport with the students through positive interaction, and create a safe and inclusive environment for them to be active.

​3. Learning Sport Spanish

​Underpinning both of these coaching roles is the third, and perhaps most critical, element of my plan: an intensive crash course in sport-specific Spanish. Fluency in a week is impossible, but achieving a functional vocabulary for a sports environment is a realistic goal. I will break this down into specific categories. Firstly, essential nouns for equipment, verbs of action and instructional and encouraging phrases. My goal is not to hold complex conversations, but to be able to direct a drill, ensure safety, and offer positive reinforcement to the players and students. This basic linguistic foundation will be vital for building trust and making my coaching effective from day one.

​By dedicating this final week to this structured preparation across hockey, schools, and language, I aim to transform my apprehension about the unknown into a confident readiness to embrace the challenges ahead. The true success of this experience won't just be measured in well-executed drills or organized games, but in the connections made with the young people I'll be working with.

​I am also keenly aware that no amount of planning can fully prepare me for the cultural nuances and on the ground realities I will encounter. Therefore, my most important tool will be an open mind and a willingness to adapt, to listen, and to learn from the community I am joining. My plans are a starting point, not a rigid script.