PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEACHING GAMES FOR

UNDERSTANDING IN FIELD HOCKEY

USA Field HockeyPresented on Sunday 24th January 2016 at the Level 1 Coaches Clinic,

Dublin, Ohio, USA

Dr. Stephen Harvey – West Virginia University, USA

Objectives• To explain the games for understanding model and align it

to Rink’s four stage model of effective game play• To physically experience examine how we, as coaches, can

use the four pedagogical principles of the games for understanding model to design good games– Lead up games– Small-sided games– Modified/exaggerated games– Game-related ‘functional’ practices

• To discuss challenges of integrating games into your regular coaching session/practices

What is Teaching Games for Understanding and Why did it come about?

Rink’s Game Play Stages

• Stage 1: Developing control of the object• Stage 2: Complex control and combination of

skills• Stage 3: Beginning offensive and defensive

strategies• Stage 4: Complex game play

What is Teaching Games for Understanding and Why did it come about?

• There was recognition about the benefits of a movement ‘education’ not simply drilling

• Need to develop ‘understanding of games’• Inflexible techniques when applied to games• There was little success in games sessions

which were just not funBunker and Thorpe (1982)

Benefits of games for understanding

• Motivation• Empowerment• Interaction between tactical/strategical

knowledge and skill so pupils know ‘why’ as well as ‘how’

• Alignment of practice to the ‘real’ game• Transfer

Mitchell, Oslin and Griffin (2006)

Games for Understanding Model

Bunker and Thorpe (1982)

Pedagogical Principles of TGfU

Principle Explanation Relevance

Sampling With exposure to similar tactical problems within (and sometimes between) games forms, students can learn to transfer strategies and techniques

Pupils need to experience a wide variety of games and game forms

Tactical Complexity

Considered within and between game forms. Teachers need to manipulate task constraints to the level of the learners

Need a ‘spiral curriculum’ where the level of game complexity develops over time

Modification Representation

Modified games should contain the same tactical structure (i.e. goals and primary rules) as the adult game; they should represent the real thing

Teachers must retain the ‘primary rules’ so game is not something else

Modification Exaggeration

Rules and tasks can be changed to overstate or emphasize required information-movement relationships (making the objective implicitly obvious)

Teachers manipulate constraints to develop pupils’ understanding and/or game sense

Tactical Complexity Example

Tactical Problems of Scoring

Off-the-ball movements On-the-ball skills

Maintaining possession of the ball

Support the ball carrier Protecting the ballSafe passing and catchingPicking up loose balls/intercepting

Attacking the goal Cutting and replacingPassing Patterns

Shoot, feed, turn, roll, dodge

Creating space to attack

Clearing patternsTransition overlapsL-cut and v-cutSettled attackFast break

Passing – long, short, back, side

Using space to attack

Give and goTiming cutsUsing width and depthPick and roll

Dribbling short and long handleDriving and drawing

Tactical Problems of Scoring

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Maintaining possession of the ball

Safe pass, safe receive, loose balls, signaling

Support the ball carrier Change hands when runningVariety of passing

Use of trailChange hands to pass

Variety of dribbling and passing under pressure

Attacking the basket

Shooting ShootingCutting, rolling and dodging

Feed the cutter Offensive plays against zone

Creating space to attack

Triangle shape in attackDodging

V-cut Fast breakCutting and replacingOverlapsClearing space

Settled attacksTransition to attack

Using space to attack

Give and goTiming the cutOutlet pass

Width and depth Swinging play in attackCreating overlaps

Principles of Play

Principles of Play in Attack Definition

Penetration The act of breaking through the defense by dribbling, shooting, running or passing.

Support A player in possession of the ball receives help to maintain possession.

Mobility Attackers make runs into different areas of the field in order to draw defenders out of their positions.

Width/depth The attacking team attempts to stretch the opponent’s defensive shape. The attacking players use the width/depth of the field to tempt defenders from a compact shape covering the dangerous areas in front of goal and in so doing create space.

Improvisation & Creativity Attackers will try to break down defenses by employing the element of surprise. Skills such as lifts, pull backs, v-drags, feints and fakes are all used to this end. Comfort on the ball is critical at the highest level of the game.

Principles of Play in Defense

Description

Delay The ability to prevent the ball from being played forward quickly.

Depth Reduce the space behind the pressuring player. Provide support in defense.

Concentration/Compactness

Movement of players to concentrate into an area of the field vulnerable to scoring opportunities.

Balance Cancel the threat of mobility provided by the offense by retaining defensive shape.

Discipline/Patience Defending players need to be patient and assess the risk involved in challenging for the ball.

Predictability Defensive movements should encourage/force the attacking team to play into certain areas of the field. Channeling play into particular well defended areas or less important areas of the field

When designing games…consider

Diagram showing the closer alignment between a practice situation and the real game, the greater possibility of transfer of learning (from Launder, 2001)

Challenges

• Tell me some challenges?

Games

Game 1 – Lead up games

Game 2 – Small-sided representative games

Game 3 – Modified/exaggerated game

Game 4 – Game-related ‘functional’ practice

Game 5 – Game-related ‘phase-of-play’

• Attack vs. defense on half-court• Not doing this today

Games

I am challenging you to…

• Try one thing from today in your coaching session…

• What might that be?

• Tell a partner...

Questions?