Physical Education in schools concerns the involvement of children in sports as well as fitness activities, Health and Drug Education, gymnastics and some aspects of dance. Sports are specified activities, involving either individuals or teams and some level of competition. There are a number including swimming, several football codes, netball and cricket that dominate the sporting scene in Australia.

This page looks at the range of sports commonly found in education throughout Australia as well as in the wider community. It includes information about coaching, techniques, rules, field dimensions and more.

A related page on Health & Drug Education can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Another page providing assistance for general Physical Education can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Additional Physical Education Resources can be found on this page, while information on Nutrition, as part of Sports and Health Education, can be found here.

Help with coaching can normally be gained by contacting local clubs or regional, state or national associations or bodies for the specific sport.

Coaching, Rules & More

Links to coaching help, rules, general information about equipment. A General Information section followed by individual sports.

General Information

• Active Australia - Junior Sport - Youth
  Multiple topics and issues covered here.
• ASC Learning Portal
  ‘From here, access online courses developed by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport’. You need to register to gain full access.
• BBC Bitesize Sports Training Videos
  Covers a range of sports, then individual skills within each. For example, Cricket has 15 on different aspects.
• Coaching - Coaching Topics
  Assistance to develop quality coaches.
• Everyrule Sports Rules
  Find rules which need to be followed in individual sports. Most sports are played in Australia. A-Z listing.
• Officiating in Australia - Officiating Topics
• Play by the Rules
  ‘Provides information and online learning about how to prevent and deal with discrimination, harassment, child abuse for the sport and recreation industry’.
• Sportquest
  Directories on sports, topics, Free resources, other functional directories, e.g. Sports provides links to a range of sports. Well set out.
• Sports Coaching
  Online assistance you can receive with coaching for a number of sports. Australian site covering common Australian sports.
• Sports Fitness Advisor …
  Athletic Training Advice to Achieve Peak Performance. >Online resources, articles to help further your ability and skill.
• Sports Practice Drills
  ‘Whether you are a volunteer coach looking for drills for your first practice or a veteran looking to further develop your athlete’s skills, you will find something here’. Two sports not played in Australian schools.

Individual Sports

Athletics

• Athletic Coaching and Training Advice
  A-Z listing of specific information.
• Athletics, Track, Field, Coaching, Events
  Australian Track & Field Coaches Association. Specific coaching information. Coach Education Courses.
• Athletics Training Programs and Coaching
  Use left menu for greater detail.
• Coaching and Training Tips
  Little Athletics Australia. Download one or more of four coverages [PDF format] for different aspects of athletics. To go to this page select Education & Training from the main menu then Coaching and Training Tips.
• Cool Running - Training
  Training schedules, fitness, performance, aches and pains, more.
• Resources & Links
  Information from Athletics Australia.
• Running : Training & Tips
  Make it more effective, less painful.

Australian Rules

• Australian Rules Frequently Asked Questions 1-4
  Rules and other information.
• AFL Youth Coaching Manual
  PDF format, by section. Access the Junior Coaching manual in similar fashion.
• Australian Rules Drills
  Multiple annotated links from the AFL.
• CoachAFL
  Information directories from Skills & Drills to Resources.
  Free subscription now required for access.
• Coach Assist
  Resources for coaching Australian Rules Football, including AFL training drills for junior and senior Aussie Rules teams. Some areas Fee-based, but at reasonable levels.
• Coaching Children
  Multiple annotated links from the AFL.
• Laws of the Game
  Extensive detail on the laws of the game and the role of umpires and officials. AFL. Download a copy.

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Baseball/Softball

• Amateur Baseball Umpires Association
  Rules, hand signs, more. You need to join [Free] to access the best material.
• Baseball Drills
  In seven directories covering Hitting, Bunting, Position Specific, more.
• Baseball Training Secrets
  ‘The information on this site works in the real world and it works for players of all ages and levels’. Some materials for sale, but a wide range of articles could prove just as useful.
• Coach’s Notebook
  Use the Topics menu at the top right.
• International Baseball Federation Rules
  Listing of all baseball rules.
• Junior Games Pathway
  Australian Softball Federation. Teeball, Diamond Ball, softball skills and development.
• Softball Instructional Articles
  Articles designed to help you improve your coaching skills.
• Softball Rules
  For Softball and Fast pitch Softball.
• Softball Skills & Drills
  All, base running, catching, fielding, hitting, pitching, throwing, Tips from the Pros.
• Tips and Drills
  ‘The tips & drills section is full of useful drills, tips, games and more for coaches, players, and parents’.

Basketball

• Basketball Australia - Rules
  Also Regulations, Guidelines, Court Marking.
• Basketball Skills
  Lessons on all aspects of basketball.
• Basketball Skills & Drills
  Designed for youth players. Covered in 9 areas including a specific coaching guide.
• Best Basketball Drills
  Drills listed under 9 different areas.
• Guide to Coaching Basketball
  ‘Basketball coaching drills for kids’. Check the menu on the left for individual topics.
• The Coach’s Clipboard
  Animated presentations covering skills. Check View Animations link at top right of page, as well as reading the extensive text presentations.
• Winning Drills
  ‘Free ebook of winning drills’.

Cricket

• Backyard and Beach Cricket
  Information, common sense rules and guidelines for playing in the backyard and at the beach.
• Cricket Australia
  Information and clips to help develop good cricketing techniques.
• Laws & Spirit
  Cricket Laws [Rules]

Football [Soccer]

• Better Soccer, More Fun
  40+ sections with games, activities, advice to develop skills.
• FIFA - The Laws of the Game
  PDF copies of the laws and a Question & Answer booklet on them.
• Flashdrills
  ‘Interactive web based video system for youth soccer coaches’. Drills for all areas. Click on Drills on the menu for access.
  This link will only be maintained until the next update, unless it comes back online.
• FFA National Curriculum
  Full document [Approx. 5.5mb].
• Football Federation Australia
  Everything connected with football in Australia. Grassroots to national teams.
• My Soccer Links
  Nearly 2 000 links covering all football federations, clubs, players, referees, stadiums, women’s football, youth football, … .
• SGO SoccerGuide Online
  Thinkquest. Advice, skills, coaching for Soccer.
• Small Sided Football
  Information for Parents & Coaches, introductory video, skills gallery, more. Links to Football Australia.
• Soccer Drills
  100 Animated drills. Fee-based for the whole collection.
• Soccer Links
  Links covering football - clubs, fitness, news, different forms, … .
• Soccer Skills
  ‘Links to descriptions of how to teach some basic skills’.

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Gymnastics

• Educational Gymnastics
  Saskatchewan, Canada. Activities for K-5 in Educational Gymnastics.
• Gymnastics Australia
  Programs, club search, gymsports, coaching, judging, education & training, links, more.
• State Gymnastics Associations

Netball

• A Netball Coaches Notebook
  Table of contents provides guidance to coaches.
• Combined Australian Netball Association
  Information, connections, some really good links.
• Coaching Solutions
  Tips, advice with monthly emphases, e.g. Defensive Work.
• International Netball Federation
  Covers all areas including the rules.
• Netball Coaching
  Coaching at all levels.
• Netball Drills
  ‘Satisfies many requests we constantly receive from players and coaches for new drills, exercises and the like to use in their own training sessions’.
• Netskills
  Netball resources and information from Netball Victoria. Fee-based.

Rugby League

• ARLRA Laws Quiz
  ‘On-Line Laws Quiz covering The ARL Laws of The Game’.
• Kids to Kangaroos
  A 5 week program [Fee-based], with an accredited coach. Covers the basics of Rugby League.
• Laws of Rugby League
  Rules for Mini Footy, Mod League, International Rules, the National Code of Conduct.
• Oztag
  The schools section of this site. Download a range of documents including coaching manuals for Primary and Secondary and a Drills manual for Primary.

Rugby Union

• Beginner’s Guide to Rugby
  For those who aren’t sure what is happening on the field. IRB.
• Laws of Rugby
• Rugby Coach
  ‘Free information including : Tips from players, Drills for coaches, Positions discussed, Moves diagrams, Fitness help’.
• Rugby Coaching Notes
  Covers coaching, skills development.
• Rugby - A Beginners Guide

Skiing

• Learning to Ski
  ‘This step-by-step skiing guide will take you through all the basics from getting down beginner ski slopes safely, to mastering the infamous black runs and their terrible moguls. We cover skiing technique in-depth from beginner to advanced with lots of handy tips for skiers of all abilities’.
• Personal Performance Tips
  Tips, techniques by a Canadian expert.

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Swimming

• AUSTSWIM
  Become a qualified coach.
• Swimming Rules [FINA]
  Select Directory from the menu on the left, then FINA Swimming Rules 2009-2013 from the list. Also access FINA Open Water Swimming Rules 2009-2013, FINA Synchronised Swimming Rules 2009-2013, FINA Diving Rules 2009-2013, FINA Doping Control Rules 2009-2013, more.
• Professional Development
  Useful Fee-based resources. Go to Professional Development on the menu.
• Swim and Survive
  Water safety, teaching resources, quiz, children’s information, news, courses, products.
• Teaching Swimming and Water Safety
  Book [Copyright 2001, 184 pages]. Information on a useful text about teaching swimming.

Tennis

• Tennis Coaches [Australia]
  Find or become a coach.
• Tennisone
  Lessons [Not All Free], ask a pro, products, more.
• Tennis Server
  Become better without cost.

Volleyball

• Volley Ball Secrets
  A book of volleyball drills and skills. You can download a PDF copy.
• Volleyball Blog - Drills
  This opens at the Drills section of this site and there are a large number of drills included. There is also information about rules, rotation, injuries, skills, training, a glossary, more, on the site.
• Volleyball & Practice Plans
  You need to register [Free] to access these.
• Volleyball Drills
  Youth Coaching Information Group. Purpose and Procedure for selected drills.
• Volleyball Drills ‘n’ Skills
  Fundamentals, drills, practice plans, coaching, videos, clipart, links to further information.
• Volleyball Help and Rules
  Tips and assistance for volleyball skills. Find the rules.
• Volleyball Plays and Drills
  ‘Check out the latest plays and drills from the list. Browse through plays using the dropdown boxes’.
• ‪Volleyball Spikology 101
  Free trial videos showing information about Resources on Volleyball. For further details about the actual materials contact the FTE Team at 45 Danny Place, Pyes Pa Tauranga, New Zealand or use the following email address.
• Volleyball Tips and Drills
  ‘The tips & drills section is full of useful drills, tips, games, more for coaches, players, and parents’.

Water Polo

• New South Wales Water Polo
  Rules, coaching, tip, links to associations. Opens on the Coaching page.
• Polo Articles
  Articles cover a huge range of drills from many sources. Drills go down to very specific actions within the game.
• Water Polo
  From JES. Describes a range of water polo plays and skills. These can be downloaded in .zip files.
• Water Polo Rules [FINA]
  Includes rules, dimensions, more. Select Directory from the menu on the left, then FINA Water Polo Rules 2009-2013 from the list.

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