GB2499425A

GB2499425A - A spatial awareness training device with a plurality of timed lights

Info

Publication number: GB2499425A
Application number: GB1202683.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregory Mattock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-16
Filing date: 2012-02-16
Publication date: 2013-08-21
Also published as: GB201202683D0

Abstract

A device for developing spatial awareness when playing football comprising a plurality of indicating devices 1 which can be arranged around a central area and a control device 24 for selectively operating one or more of the indicating devices. The indicators 12 may comprise first and second lights with different colours. The device may be arranged to operate a number of first coloured lights and second coloured lights for a period of time such that a user is required to pass a ball 38 towards a designated colour light before the time elapses. The indicators 12 may be mounted on an elongate upright, have a spike to hold them in the ground and a height adjustment means using a ratchet or a hook and loop fastener.

Description

Technical Awareness Development Apparatus

This invention relates to technical awareness development apparatus. Embodiments of the invention relates to devices for players and coaches/parents and the like to use to aid their development of technical ability, awareness and creation of time and space in football, for example for players from 4 years old.

A football player aspires to become as good a player as they can be and play at a level in football that suits their ability. The goat is to become a master of technical ability, awareness and the creation of time and space. The players who master this ability generally become professional footballers. This is generally done by practising at home, being coached by a coach at a local club, coaching at professional football clubs academy and at professional level in various forms team play.

However the problem with conventional coaching methods is that the player doesn't have enough individual time to develop and practice the skills needed to master the above. Football's complexity and constant movement and changes in situations mean that the only current way to develop these skills is within team play. A player can practice controlling the ball in various ways by kicking a bail against a wall or with a parent/coach one to one, but to control the ball so that it goes the way a player needs, to benefit from the best option available to them is something that requires players around him, both his own players and the opposition players as a footballers options constantly change in a game. Most players do not master this skill and spend their time looking at the ball instead of mastering the awareness and creation of time and space thus limiting their ability and level to which they play football.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a technical awareness developer comprising a plurality of indicating devices arrangeable around a central area, and control device for operating the indicating means, wherein the control means can be configured to operate a selected one or more of the indicating means.

Each indicating device may comprise first and second indicators operable by the control device. The first indicator may comprise a light of a first colour. The second indicator may comprise a light of a second colour.

The first and second indicators may be arranged adjacent each other, for example side by side, or one above the other.

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The contra! means may comprise a first controller to control the first indicators, and may further comprise a second controller to control the second indicators.

The first controller may control the number of first indicators operated. The second controller may control the number of second indicators operated. The first controller may control the time for which said first indicators are operated. The second controller may control the time for which said second indicators are operated

In one embodiment, the first controller can be configured to operate a set of the first indicators for a predetermined period of time and thereafter to operate a further set of the first indicators for a further period of time.

The further set of the first indicators may include none, or at least one, of the first indicators in the first mentioned set of first indicators. In one embodiment, the further period of time for operating the first indicators can be the same as, or different from, the first mentioned period of time for operating the first indicators.

In one embodiment, the second controller can be configured to operate a set of the second indicators for a predetermined period of time and thereafter to operate a further set of the second indicators for a further period of time.

The aforesaid further set of second indicators may include none, or at least one, of the second indicators in the first mentioned set of indicators. In one embodiment, the further period of time for operating the second indicators can be the same as, or different from, the first mentioned period of time for operating the second indicators.

Each indicating means may comprise an elongate support for supporting the first and second indicators. Each indicating means may comprise a spike at a lower end of the elongate support for insertion into the ground. Alternatively, or on addition, each indicating means may comprise a base member at a lower end of the elongate support. The base member may be configured to hold up the elongate support when the base member is disposed on the ground.

Each indicating device may comprise a height adjustment means on the elongate support to adjust the height of the first and second indicators thereon. The height adjustment means may comprise a ratchet device or a hook and loop fastener arrangement.

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An embodiment of the technical awareness developer apparatus may comprise dual coioured light modules attached to a pole (maximum amount of poles optional) that are either battery powered or mains powered. The light modules may be controlled by a control device in the form of a control box by either hard wiring the modules to the control box or using wireless technology.

In this embodiment of the technical awareness developer apparatus, the control box may determine the length of time both one colour and then the other colour Sight is on before moving to another light module. Each coloured set of lights may have its own controller. There may be no rules on how many seconds each light can be on for.

Aiso in this embodiment, the control box may determine how many lights are on at any one time. Each coloured light may have its own controller so that each coloured light can be set separately. There may be no rules on how many lights can be one at any one time.

In this embodiment, the height of the lights can be adjusted to the player's eye level by the use of height adjustment means, for example a ratchet system or a hook and loop fastener, such as Velcro.

The dual coioured light module may be reversed so that you can have for example a blue light on the left and yellow light on the right or vice versa. This determines which side of the pole a player passes the ball.

The benefit of the embodiment of the technical awareness development apparatus described herein is that it enables a player to develop and help master the skills needed with just one parent/coach and no need for team play and so can be used at home and easily be set up in most gardens and thus more individual time can be spent practicing to achieve best results and a higher level of football.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely be way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows an individual light stand

Figure 2 shows the control box for both sets of coioured lights

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Figure 3 shows the iayout of the development apparatus

In figure 1, this shows an indicating device 1 comprising a light stand, in the form of a post 10, and a twin light module 12 comprising first and second Indicators in the form of a yellow light 14A, and a blue light 148. It will be appreciated that the lights could be any suitable coiour, yellow and blue being used for illustrative purposes only. The indicating device 1 includes height adjustment means 18 in the form of a ratchet system of or a hook and ioop fastener arrangement, such as VeScro. The light module 12 can moved up or down the light stand 10 by the using the height adjustment means 16 so that the lights 14A, 14B are approximately at a person's eye level.

Each iight moduie 12 includes yellow and blue lights 14A: 14B that can be seen by the player. The post 10 has a spike 18 at its lower end, which can be pushed into the ground. . A weighted rubber base 20 can be used instead of the spike 18 when the ground is too hard for the spike 18 to be pushed into the ground. The Sight modules 12 include wiring 22 to connect the light modules 12 to a control device in the form of a control box 24, shown in Figure 2.

in figure 2, the main control box 24 is shown. The iight modules 12 are electrically connected by the wiring 22 to the control box 24. The yellow lights 14A are controlled by two separate dials: 26, 28, as indicated by the fabel "COLOUR Y" on the control box 24. Correspondingly, the blue lights are controlled by dials designated 30 and 32 as indicated by the label "COLOUR B" on the control box 24.

The diais designated 28 and 30! control for how long the respective coloured Sights will stay on before changing and lighting different Sights. The diais designated 28 and 32 determine how many lights of each coiour are lit at any one time.

Sn the drawing, it can be seen that the dials SabeSled "COLOUR Y" are set so that two of the yellow Sights 14A will be lit at any one time before switching off those lights and thereafter switching on others of the yellow lights 14A after five seconds, as indicated by the dial 26. The dials labelled "COLOUR B" are set so that one of the blue lights 14B will be Sit at any one time before switching off that Sight and thereafter switching on another of the blue lights 148, and will change every two seconds, as indicated by

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the dia! 30, This can be altered on both colours according to the technical ability of the player or the exercise being performed.

Figure 3 shows an example layout with eight indicating devices 1 in a grid approximately 5m square defining a centra! space 34 in which a player 36 stands. Each indicator device 1 has a Sight module 12 with two lights 14A; 14B of different colours (for example yellow and blue). The iight modules 12 can be adjusted up or down their respective posts 10 and are also reversible so that the blue iight 14B can be disposed on the left and the yellow fight 14A on the right and vice versa. Thus, in the exercise you can vary which side the iights 14A, 14B are on. The control box24 will be set and the piayer 36 given the same coioured bib as one of the sets of iights 14A or 14B. The player 36 will stand in the generally in the middle of the central space 34 and receive a ball 38 played to him from the parent/coach , as indicated by the arrow 40.. The aim is for the piayer 36 to be looking to see which of the iights 14A or 14B. if any, of each light module 12 is lit by looking around him and be able to control the ball 38 that is passed to him by the coach/parent in such a way that he is in the best position to pass it towards one of the lit iights having the colour of his or her bib, e.g. one of the blue lights 14B. He has to attempt to pass the ball in this way before the light 14B is switched off by the control box 24, and a different light 14A. if the iight 14B goes off before the player 36 has controlled the ball 38 to a position to be abie to pass he will now have to move the ball 36 again so he is in a position to pass to the new light lit 14B in the colour of his bib, and so on. As the player 36 improves his control technique and awareness, the lights 14A, 14B can be changed to get faster and thus improving his technical ability as well as improving his awareness. The other set of lights 14A, are used as opposition iights so that a piayer 36 can simulate football game conditions where his own team mates and opponents are constantly moving.

For example if you set it so that three lights 148 in the players own colours are staying on for only five seconds before being switched off and lights on different posts 10 are lit, and three lights 14A with opposition colours are changing every five seconds, there will be multiple passing options Should an opposition colour light 14A and own team coiour iight 14B come on at the same post 10 at the same time this wili simulate when a player is marked in a game and a better passing option needs to be found and the player 36 needs to look around to find the best passing option. The constant changes and situations enable the player to improve his overall technical ability, awareness and creation of space and at the same time change a players

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actions from a conscious thought on a football pitch to become a sub-conscious process and a more natural act.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the light modules 12 are battery powered and can be either wired or work wirelessly with the control box 24,

Also, the posts 10 can be pushed into the ground or where the ground is too hard or being used on a surface where the spike 18 can't be used the post 10 can be slotted into a weighted rubber base 20 to stand up right.

In FIG 3 there are eight indicator devices 1 but this can vary in amount to add more or less indicator devices 1 depending on size of the central space 34 which can be altered in size depending on where the exercise is being used.

The maximum amount of lights 14A or 148 iit at any one time is shown as three but this can be altered by adding more.

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Claims

Claims

1. A technical awareness developer comprising a plurality of indicating devices arrangeable around a centra! area, and a controi device for operating the indicating devices, wherein the control device can be configured to operate a selected one or more of the indicating devices.

2. A technical awareness developer according to claim 1, wherein each indicating device comprises first and second indicators operable by the controi device.

3. A technical awareness developer according to claim 2, wherein the first indicator comprises a light of a first colour, and the second indicator comprises a light of a second coiour.

4. A technical awareness developer according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first and second indicators are arranged adjacent each other side by side, or one above the other.

5. A technical awareness developer according to any of claims 2 to 4. wherein the control device comprises a first controller to controi the first indicators, and a second controller to controi the second indicators.

6. A technical awareness developer according to claim 5, wherein the first controller controls the number of first indicators operated.

7. A technical awareness developer according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second controller controls the number of second indicators operated.

8. A technical awareness deveioper according to claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein the first controller controls the time for which said first indicators are operated.

9. A technical awareness developer according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the second controller controls the time for which said second indicators are operated

10. A technical awareness developer according to any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the first controller can be configured to operate a set of the first indicators for a predetermined period of time and thereafter to operate a further set of the first indicators for a further period of time.

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11. A technical awareness deveioper according to claim 10, wherein the further set of the first indicators includes none or at least one of the first indicators in the first mentioned set of first indicators, and wherein the further period of time can be the same as, or different from, the first mentioned period of time.

12. A technical awareness developer according to any of claims 5 to 11 wherein the second controller can be configured to operate a set of the second indicators for a predetermined period of time and thereafter to operate a further set of the second indicators for a further period of time.

13. A technical awareness developer according to claim 12.. wherein the further set of second indicators includes none or at least one of the second indicators in the first mentioned set of indicators, and wherein the further period of time can be the same as, or different from, the first mentioned period of time.

14. A technical awareness developer according to any of ciaims 2 to 13, wherein each indicating device comprises an elongate upstanding support for supporting the first and second indicators.

15. A technical awareness developer according to claim 14, wherein each indicating device comprises a spike at a lower end of the elongate support for insertion into the ground.

18. A technical awareness deveioper according to claim 14 or 15, wherein each support comprises a base member at a lower end of the elongate support, the base member being configured to hold up the elongate support when the base member is disposed on the ground.

17. A technical awareness developer according to any of ciaims 14 to 16, wherein each indicating device comprises a height adjustment means on the elongate support to adjust the height of the first and second indicators thereon.

18. A technical awareness developer according to claim 17, wherein the height adjustment means comprises a ratchet device or a hook and loop fastener arrangement.

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