SNAP DRILL

AIM:

To perform the best quality snaps a surfer can produce.


PREPARATION: 

Explain the importance of performing quality snaps. Demonstrate how to perform a quality snap and ask the surfers to simulate the action on the beach. Explain how the scoring for this drill is allocated.


DRILL:

  • Send the surfers out into the surf for 20 minutes. Ask them to perform the best quality snaps they can do on the waves they catch. Score the snaps:
  • 3 points for an excellent snap (surfboard points towards the bottom of the foam at the completion of the manoeuvre)
  • 2 points for an average snap (surfboard points past vertical at the completion of the manoeuvre) > 90o
  • 1 point for a poor snap (surfboard doesn’t point vertical at the completion of the manoeuvre) < 90o
  • Add the best 4 wave scores for a total. The highest total is the winner of the drill. (For example, a surfer might perform 2 excellent snaps – 3 points each – and 2 poor snaps – 2 x 1 point – giving the score for that wave of 8 points.)


NOTES TO THE COACH

Explain to the surfers, when performing forehand snaps, that they must “lean, look, and throw” for an excellent snap. Meaning as they approach the top of the wave, that they must lean towards the bottom of the wave, look over their shoulder, and throw or lift both arms in the direction of where they are looking.

Turning the head to look where the surfer wants to go allows the trunk and hips to rotate maximally which in turn produces the torque force essential for a quality snap manoeuvre.

On the backhand side, the action is “look, twist”, meaning the surfer should look towards the bottom of the wave just before reaching the top of the wave, while simultaneously rotating their trailing arm up behind their back.

 Mark lesson complete