Life Sports Leader Level 1 key terms

The motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding that let a person value and take part in physical activity throughout life. It is a foundational aim of school and community sport programmes.

Basic movement patterns such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing that underpin more complex sport techniques. They are usually developed in childhood and refined through practice and instruction.

An instructional approach that starts with a modified game and tactical problem, then develops skills as needed to solve it. Learners grasp why a technique matters before drilling it in isolation.

A player-centred coaching approach built on modified games and guided questioning. The coach designs constraints so athletes discover tactical solutions and decision-making skills themselves rather than receiving direct instruction.

A short, focused instruction or keyword that directs an athlete's attention to a key movement or tactical element. Effective cues are brief, positive, and matched to the learner's stage.

Showing a skill so learners can observe and imitate it. It is most effective when the model is credible, the action is repeated, and key points are highlighted before and after the showing.

Information given to a learner about their performance, used to confirm, correct, or motivate. It can come from the coach (extrinsic) or from the performer's own senses (intrinsic).

A teaching strategy in which a complex skill is broken into segments taught one at a time, with each new part linked to what came before. It suits serial skills with distinct phases.

A teaching sequence that introduces the complete skill first so learners see the goal, then isolates and practices difficult parts, then reintegrates them into the full movement.

A stage-based framework describing the physical, psychological, and social needs of athletes from childhood through retirement. Training and competition are matched to each developmental stage rather than to chronological age alone.

The total physical and psychological demand placed on an athlete by training and competition, often estimated by combining session duration with intensity. Monitoring it helps balance adaptation and recovery.

A comparison of recent training load (about one week) with longer-term load (about four weeks). A sharp rise in the ratio signals increased injury risk and prompts load adjustment.

A prolonged decline in performance and well-being caused by an imbalance between training stress and recovery. Signs include persistent fatigue, mood disturbance, sleep problems, and recurring infections.

The maximum rate at which the body can take up and use oxygen during intense exercise, usually expressed in millilitres per kilogram per minute. It is a key marker of aerobic fitness.

The exercise intensity at which blood lactate begins to accumulate faster than it can be cleared. It marks the upper limit of steady-state effort and is highly trainable in endurance athletes.

The three pathways that supply ATP for muscle work: the immediate phosphagen system, anaerobic glycolysis, and aerobic metabolism. Their relative contribution depends on intensity and duration.

A ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose compared with a reference food. Lower values indicate slower absorption and steadier blood sugar.

A strategy that increases muscle glycogen stores before endurance events by tapering training and raising carbohydrate intake. It is most useful for continuous efforts lasting roughly ninety minutes or more.

A beverage supplying water, electrolytes, and carbohydrate designed to replace sweat losses and fuel exercise. It is most valuable in prolonged or hot-weather sessions rather than short workouts.

The general level of physiological and psychological activation a person experiences before or during performance. Moderate arousal often helps, while very high or very low levels can impair execution.

The idea that performance improves as arousal rises to an optimal point and then declines when arousal becomes excessive. The optimum shifts with task complexity and individual preference.

A negative emotional state of worry and apprehension tied to sport performance. It has a cognitive component (thoughts) and a somatic component (physical symptoms such as racing heart).

Mentally recreating a movement or situation using all the senses without physically performing it. Regular practice can support skill learning, confidence, and arousal control.

A technique for directing effort by writing objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Outcome, performance, and process goals serve different purposes in a training plan.

The strength of bonds that hold a team together and keep members committed to shared tasks. Task cohesion concerns goals and roles; social cohesion concerns interpersonal relationships.

The process by which people learn values, norms, and roles by taking part in or watching sport. It can transmit teamwork and discipline while also reinforcing social inequalities.

Deliberate practice of removing barriers so people of all abilities, genders, ages, and backgrounds can take part meaningfully. It involves adapting rules, equipment, facilities, and coaching style.

Modifying programmes, equipment, or rules so that people with disabilities or other limitations can participate safely and successfully. It aims at full participation rather than separate provision wherever possible.

A rigid bar that rotates about a fixed point (fulcrum) when force is applied. In the body, bones act as levers, joints as fulcrums, and muscles supply the effort.

The perpendicular distance from a joint's axis of rotation to the line of action of a force. It determines how much turning effect a given force produces.

The rotational effect of a force, calculated as force multiplied by its moment arm. Muscle torque about a joint drives all human movement and changes with joint angle.

The point where the body's weight is evenly distributed and through which gravity acts. Its position shifts with limb movement and determines balance and stability.

The area beneath a person bounded by the points of contact with the ground. A larger base generally improves stability, especially when the centre of gravity stays over it.

The ability to keep the body's centre of gravity over its base of support while still or moving. Static balance applies when stationary; dynamic balance applies during motion.

The curved path followed by an object or body launched into the air, shaped by gravity and air resistance. Release angle, speed, and height determine range and trajectory.

The inverse pattern in which muscles produce more force at low shortening speeds and less force as contraction speed rises. It shapes power output in jumping, throwing, and sprinting.

First-aid steps for acute soft-tissue injury: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It aims to limit swelling and pain in the early period before guided rehabilitation begins.

A sprain is damage to a ligament connecting bone to bone, while a strain is damage to a muscle or tendon. Both are graded by severity and treated differently.

Objective standards a practitioner uses to decide when an injured athlete may resume training and competition. They typically cover pain, range of motion, strength, and sport-specific function.

A traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head, producing temporary neurological signs such as headache, confusion, or dizziness. Any suspected case requires immediate removal from play.

A written, rehearsed procedure covering who responds to an injury, how to summon help, and where equipment and access routes are. It is essential at every organised training or event.

A structured review that identifies hazards at a venue or activity, estimates how likely and severe harm could be, and records the controls put in place. It should be reviewed regularly.

The legal and ethical obligation of coaches, officials, and organisers to take reasonable steps to protect participants from foreseeable harm. Breach can lead to negligence liability.

Failure to exercise the standard of care a reasonable professional would provide, causing harm. It requires a duty, a breach, causation, and actual damage.

Voluntary agreement to take part given after a person understands the activity's nature, risks, and alternatives. It must be obtained without pressure and documented where appropriate.

The policies and practices that protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, harassment, and exploitation in sport. It includes screening staff, clear reporting routes, and a code of conduct.

The recurring sequence of needs analysis, objective setting, design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation used to run a sport programme. Each stage feeds information back into the next.

The degree to which a venue can be reached and used by everyone, including people with disabilities, older adults, and families. It covers transport links, entrances, changing areas, and playing surfaces.