Learning a sport can be difficult for people of all ages. Between covering new motions alongside the rules of the game, there’s a lot to take in. This is why we introduce the fundamentals though a combination of short, memorable teaching cues. Hot Dog in a Bun ~ Diamond in the Sky ~ Make a Cradle ~ T, Check, Fire are recognizable phrases for children, and our coaches translate them to golf, flag football, volleyball, and tennis techniques. Let’s take a look.
Hot Dog in a Bun
There are three ways our coaches introduce holding a golf club: a 10 finger grip, an overlapping grip, or an interlocking grip. It doesn’t matter which one our kids use, as long as they’re comfortable and their hands stay connected. Hot Dog in a Bun is the teaching cue associated with grip to make sure students properly hold the club and keep their hands together. For right handed golfers, picture your left hand being the hot dog and your right hand being the bun. This ensures that both hands stay together throughout the swing. See image on the left for an example.
Diamond in the Sky
Diamond in the Sky is one of our favorite volleyball teaching cues because it’s fun to say, students start picturing diamonds in the sky, and it’s effective for getting them in the ready position for setting. When anticipating a set, players bend their knees, make a diamond in the sky with their hands, and explode through the ball with their finger tips. The diamond in the sky position keeps them from catching the ball, which is against the rules. See image on left for an example.
Make a Cradle
What do cradles have to do with football? Glad you asked! Coaches instruct students to make a cradle with their arms in anticipation of receiving a handoff from the quarterback. This teaching cue is effective in making sure the running back is in the proper position to receive the ball while also relaying the importance of protecting the ball. See image on right for an example.
T, Check, Fire!
When it comes to serving, TGA participants are introduced to three types of serves: bounce, drop, and overhand. T, Check, Fire! helps students execute the more complex overhand serve. They form a T with their arms, make a checkmark with their serving hand, and fire away!
