• BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Sport

Carlos Munoz

Session aims

• To know and understand the tactical demands of sport

• are those which have a clear beginning and end and can be easily separated from the overall performance, like the leg action in running and cycling

• have a clear beginning or end and can be easily separated from the overall performance, such as in the case of a basketball free throw or a diver performing a dive

• are composed of a number of discrete or continuous skills put together. These skills or techniques are put into a routine or pattern, such as an ice skating routine, a synchronised swimming routine or drop shot in tennis

Warm up task

• There are many different examples of different kinds of sports tactics and how and when they might be employed. It is important to remember that tactics are only effective if the performer is able to execute.

• Tactics and strategies and used in team games (e.g. Full court pressure in basketball) and racket sports (e.g. In badminton to play drop shots against taller less mobile players)

• In your tables, discuss a type of tactic in at least 3 different sports

Tennis tactics

• In tennis it is just as important to understand your own game as that of your opponents. If you are aware of your opponents strengths and weaknesses then you can make a game plan

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsVpbXdsHZk

Scenario Tactics and strategy

Opponent has a good return of serve on forehand service

Opponent likes to charge at the net after the serve

Opponent likes to argue about line calls and put off their opponent

Opponent has a good all round game, but struggles under match pressure

Task 3 Fill in the task sheet

Scenario Tactics and strategy

Opponent has a good return of serve on forehand service

Plan to hit most of your serves to their background

Opponent likes to charge at the net after the serve

Plan to hit a mixture of quick returns to their feet and lob shots

Opponent likes to argue about line calls and put off their opponent

Have a strategy for dealing with these unnecessary distractions, and remain focused

Opponent has a good all round game, but struggles under match pressure

Try to show that you do not feel the pressure and put them under more by breaking their rhythm, slowing down between serves

Answers

• In many sports tactics are absolutely vital. The right tactic at the right time can mean the difference between winning and losing. Often the difference between a good player and a great one can be how they tactically plan and constantly re-evaluate in a competition situation. Take a look at the case studies on basketball and tennis.

Stroke selection

• Players in any sport will need to know when, and how to play a shot, and more importantly at what time. Practising real game scenarios is important for coaches so that players can practise not just skills, but shot selection, and often decision-making under pressure.

Variety

• A good player will also have not just a range of good shots, but also the ability to know when to play them, all under pressure.

Fill in the task sheet

Scenario Tactics and strategy

Opponents have a weak outside shooting but are very good at driving and scoring close up baskets

Opponents have a particularly tall, and agile centre who is very good at scoring close to the basket

Opponents are slow at returning to their half having their own defence

Opponents are strong and aggressive full court defenders who make it difficult to progress with the ball down the court

Scenario Tactics and strategy

Opponents have a weak outside shooting but are very good at driving and scoring close up baskets

Consider a defensive formation that will block up the key area and help prevent this kind of scoring, such as a box and one or 2-1-2 zone defence

Opponents have a particularly tall, and agile centre who is very good at scoring close to the basket

Try ‘fronting’ the passes made to this player, in other words preventing them from getting the ball as much as possible

Opponents are slow at returning to their half having their own defence

Build a structured and organised fast break to achieve an early shot opportunity

Opponents are strong and aggressive full court defenders who make it difficult to progress with the ball down the court

The coach will want to have a plan to beat this pressure that may involve a series of screens, but certainly one that has a series of movement patterns, known as the press break

• Using the grid below, either identify which sport the tactic comes from, what they are or when would be a good time to use them.

Task 4 tactics

Tactic Sport What is it? When you could use it?

Example: Offside trap

Football A defensive strategy that has defenders push forwards at a critical time, so as to catch an attacking player in an offside position

To prevent a team from a repeated attack

Tennis A shot that usually goes high over the opponents head

Usually played when opponent is close to net

Block Volleyball

Cricket Deliberately bowling a ball that looks fast to an unsuspecting batsman, but actually the delivery is much slower than it appears

To attempt the ball from being spiked/smashed over the net

Full court zone press

An attempt by the defending team to put extra pressure on the attacking team in order to force them into making a mistake

Overhead clear Badminton To recover a rally and put the shuttle at the back of your opponents court

Tactics can be pre event and in event

Pre event tactics • A particularly plan before

the event

In event tactics • A plan implemented during

the game such as switching from man to man to zonal marking in basketball

• Group 1. Design a spider that illustrates the technical and tactical demands of your selected sport

• Group 2. Prepare an information leaflet that;– Describes and explains the technical demands of your selected

sport– Describes and explains the tactical demands of your selected

sport

Task 5

1. Give a good description of a discrete skill and give a sporting example?

2. Give a definition for tactics and give an example from your sport?

3. What is a pre-event tactic and provide examples from athletics, table tennis and cricket?

4. What is a serial skill? 5. What is an in event tactic and provide examples from

basketball, tennis and triathlon?

Lesson summary