Tactical Problem #2: Getting past the Defense and Attacking the Goal

One of the main tactical problems players and students will face most constantly in almost every game they play is the expectation to get past the defense of the other team in order to score a point or goal. In a game such as soccer, this means learning tactics to put you on the offensive and find a way to get past the defense facing you. In Volleyball, solving the tactical problem could be more directed to finding different ways to hit the ball as well as where to hit it in relation to the other players.
I will give two games as examples of helping solve this tactical problem, one for soccer and one for volleyball.

Soccer: Relay Game

Divide the group up into however many teams are wanted to keep the teams relatively small, and have each group line behind each other. Select one player from each team to be a defense man for another team. The goal is for each player in the group to make their way across the field to the goal and score a point, but they must first get past the defense man guarding it. If the defense man manages to gain possession of the ball or kick it away, the player must start the relay again.
Before the game starts, though, provide the students/players with tactics that might help them solve this problem, such as moving to open space, dodging, guarding and footwork, and faking. See how many of these tactics the group uses and which ones they find to work the best for them.

The first group to have all of their teammates successfully finish the rely wins the match.

Volleyball: 2 vs. 2

Have the class split up into groups of four and find a place at one of the nets, 2 on each side. Each team will work together to try and solve the tactical problem of getting past their peers to score a point for their team. To do this, they will have to try and find a way to first hit the ball in a way that will make it more difficult to return and second to try and find an open space to hit it to, instead of passing it directly to the other team. For example, if both of the teammates on the opposing team are closer to the net, tell the player to try spiking the ball to the back of the court where they will have to work harder to return the ball.
Once again, provide the class with tips on how to solve this tactical problem, such as ways to hit the ball and how to direct in a certain direction.

 *ɐssılǝɯ*

Tactical Problem #1: Supporting the player with the ball when in an off-the-ball position.

When in an off-the-ball position, there are some things the player must remember to focus on.

1. Being open to receive a pass from the player with the ball, and therefore help your team to maintain possession.

2. Support the player through defending them from the opposing team that is trying to gain possession.

Here are a couple games to address this tactical problem:

3 vs. 3 - Give and Go

This game can be used for multiple invasion games, soccer being an example. 
To set this game up, split the group into teams of 3 each. Each team will be put against another with a goal line at both ends. The goal is to score a point through passing with your teammates. To achieve this, not only will you have to be aware of your surroundings, but all of the team players who are in an off-the-ball position must find an open area where they can be available to receive a pass and therefore continue to take the ball down the field.

This game also provides an opportunity for off-the-ball practice concerning the opposing team as well. Their goal is to try and take possession of the ball away from the other team to score their own goal.

Keep Away

In the game, a team of two players will face off again another team. The goal is to keep the ball away from the opposing team as long as possible. As an example, I will use basketball.
Set the two teams up in a square, its size depending on how hard or how easy you want to game to be. One team gains possession of the ball and their goal is to try and keep possession until the timer runs out, once again depending on how difficult you want the game to be. To deal with the tactical problem, each player of the team may only hold onto the ball for up to 5 seconds before it must be passed to their teammate. This means that the player off-the-ball must be ready to receive a pass and make sure they are in an available position.
If the other team manages to gain possession of the ball before the timer finishes, they can either begin the timer again and take their turn, or the game can be played as whoever has possession when the times up wins. When the timer runs out, possession is then switched to the opposite team.

 *ɐssılǝɯ*

The Game Performance Assessment Instrument, or "GPAI"

The example I will use for this system has been modified for Curling, and can be found at:
http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/thopper/Pe352/2003/Curling2/Assessment.html


Assessment Social/Affective
*Participation:  50%

• Attendance
• Proper strip
• Working well with others
• Positive attitude towards learning

*Participation will be marked daily.  A mark will be given out of 4 marks.  One mark will taken away for poor attitude, no strip, and not be cooperative with others.  A class missed without permission will be zero out of four. Psychomotor
Skill Performance: 20%

• *Game Performance Assessment Inventory (GPAI).
• Students will utilize this tool during initial lessons to evaluate performance.

Skill Improvement: 15%

• (GPAI)
• Students will make use of this tool again at the end of the unit, to observe improvements and strengths and weaknesses.

* GPAI example can be seen at the bottom of the page. Cognitive
Knowledge of Concepts: 15%

• Written test (understanding of basic etiquette, general rules, basic strategy and body movements for the delivery)

Written Test Example: 1) Name three key points to the curling delivery.
2) What is a guard and its purpose?
3) How many people play on each team and what are their jobs?
4) How are points awarded?
5) How many ends do you play?
6) What is the order of play?
7) Describe the principles behind an in-turn?
8) Explain what is the inside foot when sweeping?

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*GPAI (Game Performance Assessment Instrument):  Modified for Curling     This instrument is a tool for teachers to measure development among his/her students. Teachers can delegate this tool to other students so one can assess another. It is a good tool to help students understand what they need to improve on, instead of verbal feedback, the students now have literature to assess their performance. GPAI is two fold, in that a student can be assessed and learn to assess peers. For example, in a curling activity, partners share responsibilities while one performs and the other assesses the performance. The GPAI allows a student/teacher to assess one's performance, behavior, and individual skills.
    To assess performance, including behavior-specific skills, a student searches for:
Decision Making (Weight Judgment):

• This refers to the ability of the thrower to decide how much push off should be applied to different shot types.
• Depends on how much force or weight is applied to a stone (on ice) and/or bean bag, tennis ball, or scooter board (in the gym).

Skill Execution:

• This refers to off-the-stone movements, which are movements conducted while sweeping (on ice and in the gym). Key aspects of this movement includes technique (arm and feet position), grip, communication, and effective lateral movements.
• This also refers to on-the-stone skills, which is throwing the stone. The student must pay particular attention to grip, balance, turn, consistent backswing and forward extension, and weight transfer.

Placement:

• This refers to the result of the throw. Where the rock is placed within play and whether or not it was effective or not.

    There are four areas (boxes) under each category. This allows the performer to be assessed on 8 trials, 4 for on-the-stone skills and 4 for off-the-stone movements. The observer will assess 4 throws (rate decision making, skill execution, and placement according to above criteria) and will need to assess off-the-stone movements (rate skill execution), therefore must observe 4 different sweeping trials. The GPAI should look like this: The intention of this assessment is to provide a tool teachers can use to measure the development of their students through using a set list of skills to be looked at. It also provides something in writing that the student can look at instead of trying to remember verbal cues given to them, especially if they are having problems understanding what is being said to them.
Because the list for the assessment is all set up and easy to understand, students can also assess other students easily and learn not only how to manage an assessment, but what the teacher is looking at when they're being assessed themselves.

In this specific example of a GPAI, there are three main aspects that are laid out:
1) Decision Making or Weight Judgment
-This section is used to judge the ability of the thrower and if they are understanding how much force is needed in the push off when applying different shot types.
                         
2) Skill Execution
-This section is more partially regulated towards off-the-stone movements executed when sweeping. The key points watched when marking for skill execution are technique in arm and  foot movement, grip, communication and effective lateral movements.
-When looking at on-the-stone movements, the teacher judges the student in their ability to throw the stone. Once again, there are key points that are looked at, such as grip, balance, turn, consistent back swing, forward extension, and weight transfer. 

3) Placement
-This is referring to the final position of the rock after it has been thrown. Was the throw effective or not?

When the teacher has finished tracking the assessment, the results are placed on a chart that is easy to put together and, most importantly, easy to understand. The chart lays out the three sections of assessment and arranges an area where the teacher can give a score out of 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest. Space is then left for comments so the student can see what it is that they lost marks on and need to improve.
Although this particular assessment is used for curling, it can also be looked at as an outline for other target based games. Slight alterations will also make it easily usable as a simple method of marking for any other type of game.

One of the main positive aspects of using a GPAI in scoring is giving the student the opportunity to see that marking isn't completely based off of if you did or didn't score, as most seem to deem the most important aspect of any game. Instead, it becomes clear that they are judged by effort and development of their skills; even if they do not win the game, they could still score the highest mark in the class for the visible amount of development in their skills.

*ɐssıןǝɯ*