Introduction
Frisbee has always been an enjoyable sport for me, something I picked up back in Grade 9 and 10. While I was never an elite player, I understood the mechanics well enough to throw decent forehands and backhands. When the opportunity arose to coach younger students in frisbee, I saw it as a chance to develop my leadership skills, share my passion, and introduce them to a sport that isn’t as mainstream as football or basketball.
I dedicated four weekends to this service-learning project, where I structured sessions to teach the basics, including throwing techniques, catching drills, and teamwork-based exercises. While the journey was rewarding, it also came with unexpected challenges that pushed me to grow.
LO1: Identifying Strengths and Areas for Growth
Before this experience, I had never coached a group before, and I initially thought that just knowing how to play frisbee would make teaching it easy. I quickly realized that explaining the mechanics and getting kids to execute them correctly was far more challenging than I expected.
One of my strengths was demonstrating throws clearly and engaging students with fun drills and mini-games. However, I struggled with keeping all students equally engaged—some picked up the skills quickly, while others found it frustrating and difficult. This experience made me recognize the need to improve my communication and instructional methods in both language mediums (hindi, gujarati), ensuring that every child was involved and learning at their own pace.
LO2: Overcoming Challenges & Developing New Skills
Coaching frisbee was more than just running drills—it involved patience, adaptability, and motivation.
One major challenge was keeping younger students focused. The first session felt chaotic because some kids lost interest midway, while others got frustrated when they couldn’t throw correctly. To tackle this, I introduced reward-based challenges (e.g., “Who can make the longest throw?”) and adapted my explanations to simpler, step-by-step instructions.Another challenge was weather conditions—on one weekend, the heat was intense, making it tough for students to stay active for long periods. I learned to adjust training intensity based on conditions, incorporating more breaks and switching to low-energy skill-building activities when needed.
By the end of the experience, I had developed better leadership, patience, and problem-solving skills, proving to myself that I could adapt and handle new challenges effectively.
LO3: Planning & Initiating a CAS Experience
This experience required proper planning to ensure that sessions were structured, engaging, and progressive. Before starting, I created a four-week training schedule, gradually increasing difficulty each session:
- Week 1: Basic grip, stance, and throwing techniques (backhand, forehand)
- Week 2: Catching and defensive strategies
- Week 3: Passing drills and movement coordination
- Week 4: Full-fledged friendly games
Each week, I refined my approach based on student feedback, proving the importance of flexible planning and responsiveness.
LO4: Perseverance & Commitment
Teaching frisbee was more physically and mentally exhausting than I had anticipated. Back-to-back Saturday and Sunday sessions, combined with managing younger students’ energy levels, made it a test of endurance and patience. There were moments when students became disengaged, and I had to reignite their enthusiasm—whether by introducing a fun challenge, switching partners, or adding a competitive element. The most rewarding moment was seeing them excited to play by the end of the program, proving that my commitment had paid off.
LO5: Working Collaboratively & Learning from Others
Sports are inherently team-based, and frisbee is no exception. While I was the coach, I also learned from the students—they brought fresh perspectives, innovative playstyles, and contagious enthusiasm.I also collaborated with school staff to ensure smooth session execution, learning the importance of effective communication and logistical coordination. Coaching frisbee wasn’t just about teaching throws—it was about creating a shared experience where everyone learned together.
LO6: Connecting to Global Issues (Promoting Inclusive Sports & Well-being)
One of the biggest takeaways from this experience was how limited exposure students have to non-mainstream sports. Sports like frisbee, ultimate, and handball often take a backseat to football, cricket, or basketball. By introducing younger students to frisbee, I was contributing to a larger movement of diversifying sports participation and ensuring that kids of all skill levels could engage in a new physical activity.
Furthermore, this initiative aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #3 (Good Health & Well-being) by encouraging physical activity, outdoor engagement, and teamwork—all essential for long-term well-being.
LO7: Ethical Considerations in Sports & Coaching
Teaching frisbee wasn’t just about technique—it was about instilling values like fairness, teamwork, and discipline.
- Ensuring fair play: Some students were naturally more skilled than others. I had to balance teams fairly, ensuring that everyone had a chance to contribute and enjoy the game.
- Dealing with frustration and competition: Some kids struggled to grasp techniques as quickly as others, leading to frustration. As a coach, I had to encourage patience, positive reinforcement, and a growth mindset.
- Being a responsible role model: Younger students looked up to me as their coach. My actions—whether in how I treated mistakes, encouraged teamwork, or handled competition—set an example for how they approached sports and challenges in general.
This experience made me realize the ethical responsibility coaches have in shaping young athletes, and it reinforced the idea that sports are as much about character-building as they are about physical ability.