help needed to show 1-5 graders how to play disc golf

[Erin Andrews]

My church is running a camp that has a sports section to it and we are hoping to do a few hours of disc golf as many kids have never been exposed to the sport.  I am looking for someone to help either July 18 or 19 or 20 from 10am-12:30pm.  Just looking for the basics to be taught and hoping for them to play a short game.  If you are interested and would like more info please email me at dandrews5@comcast.net.  Thanks.....Erin

[whofarted]

i'd say the first most important thing is to get them engaged in it - make it fun and as hands on as possible.  if they strike the intrest at a young age then they have many many years to perfect the skill.   

one simple way to explain the motion of a good throw is to tell them to simulate the motion of pulling a lawn mower string, then snapping a towel.  that will get them a good throw.

[paultimore]

i do this with inner-city youth a few times a year at druid hill dgc in baltimore.

pics here.

obviously, the more volunteers the better (more volunteers = smaller groups).

granted, a lot of these kids aren't exactly angels, but the hardest part is keeping them interested.  the first thing i did with my group of kids was ask if any had played disc golf before.  a few said they had come out to one of these events last year.  i asked if they were excited to be back.  one of the older kids gave a sarcastic, "yeaaaa".  i had to laugh (it was 90+ and very humid).

we set up stations for putting, driving and a mid-range ctp and alternated the groups around them every 20 minutes or so.  then we took them off in small groups to play 3-4 holes.  i found it nearly impossible to keep the kids from chasing after their disc as soon as they threw it.  figuring that safety was more important than keeping score, i made it a priority to make sure they understood who was out and who's turn it was to throw.  after one or two events with that method, i decided that doing a "best disc" format would solve both the safety and scoring issues.  i now play against the group with a putter and let the whole group throw from the best lie.  this way they can run and get their discs and you can line them up behind the best lie and try to tell them how the score is kept.

some of the kids get truly interested, others couldn't care less.  but the city had bought each of them a 150g shark so maybe they'll get into it again in the future.

[stpitner]

Just as an FYI to all of you, I offered to go out and help out at this event.  I'd appreciation additional ideas as to what all can be done.  The analogy for how to throw a disc is good, but there are 2 things about it: 1) Most of the kids (1st-5th graders) have never mowed the lawn or started a lawnmower.  I was thinking perhaps using an example of tugging back on a kite string so that the kite stays in the air.  2) I don't know if I want to teach the kids how to whip towels considering as soon as they go home they are going to go try it out on their brother or sister lol.  I can't think of another good analogy of how to represent the bringing forward and wrist flick arm motion.

It sounds like they are planning on putting together some of their own objects to throw at... I don't know if it will be a basket or who knows.  I suggested suspending a hula-hoop above the ground.  That worked well when my dad did that.  I do own one basket, but that will probably be just for demonstration.

[Mangler]

let them have fun and lots of it...kids will throw a disc a hundred different ways...so fun is the name of the game.
Buy a lot of bubble gum lots of assorted flavors and you will be the man !

[pato513]

So, has an exact date been decided on yet?  The original post said the 18th, 19th, or 20th. 

Scott, are you setting up your target for the kids?  Are you guys looking for additional help?  I can't commit yet but there's a chance depending on time and day I MIGHT be able to help...

[stpitner]

The date will be on the 19th.  I will have my 1 basket that I'll probably use for demo's.  From what Erin told me they are buying some sort of affordable target for the kids to throw towards.  They also are buying cheap frisbees instead of disc golf discs because 1) the younger kids can't throw a disc golf disc very far at all, and 2) disc golf stuff can be expensive!  Even if I were to order direct for them it would still not be cheap enough for what they would need it for.

If you can make it the 19th you can email Erin and see what she had in mind.  I don't know how she was structuring the kids going out and playing each of the holes.

[stpitner]

If anyone is interesting in knowing, this event was a blast!  It was hot, it was steamy, but there was plenty of water and a nice shady pavilion/tent thingie that kept you out of the sun.

We had some trouble securing targets, but we wound up using hula-hoop targets that kids threw their frisbees (regular frisbees, not disc golf discs) from the tee through the hoop.  The hoops were suspended upright about 3' off the ground.  I had holes anywhere from 50 feet to a max of 110 feet for the 1st and 2nd graders.  They all loved it.  I demo'd a couple of disc golf discs with the drives, and the wind helped me nail this beautiful 300'+ shot that I almost lost in some rough because I never thought I would launch it that far! lol.  It was later recovered.

For the 3rd-5th grade group I set up 2 additional hula-hoops with distances of 125 feet and 139 feet to give them a little bit more of a challenge.  The entire field was wide open with only two hoops being even remotely close to a tree.  I tried to change it up as much as I could though.  The kids LOVED it though.

Overall there were about 135 kids that came out.  The loved checking out my basket (Innova DISCatcher Sport), and before I explained the basket were all coming up with some intriguing ideas as to what the chains were for on the basket.

One neat moment during my instruction (all 5 minutes of it)... the second demo drive that I showed the 3rd-5th graders was with a champ valk.  I threw the thing and it started to anhyzer out on me.  However, 255 feet away (I measured it lol), the disc BOUNCED off the top of one of the hula hoop targets.  WOW did that get the kids talking lol.  I skipped off the top of the hula hoop and went another 20 feet.  That's one way to get them all interested

The toughest thing for the kids was the wind affecting their throwing.  A lot of them had a lot of inexperience throwing a frisbee and then to have the wind making it go every direction imaginable?  It made things interesting!

So all in all, a really great day!