Within each of the four game categories are various tactical problems. Solutions to these tactical problems are similar for many of the sports identified within the same games category. For example, teammates try to maintain possession in invasion/ territory games like soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse by sending short passes to teammates who are waiting to receive a pass. They can also shield the ball away from defenders. Therefore, if students can understand how to maintain possession in one sport, those concepts are transferred over when they play another sport from the same games category. Some tactical goals are more complex than others. For example, before someone can protect a rock in curling (high level complexity), they need to be able to deliver the rock with aim and accuracy (low level complexity). Within this resource, many different tactical goals and the appropriate age for introduction and teaching are identified. Listed below are definitions of key tactical goals that you will find in this resource: Target-Type Games
| Tactical Goal | Description | Level of Complexity | | Aim & accuracy | To deliver an object towards a target with the right amount of force to successfully reach the intended target. | 1 – Low level | | Protect target | To place obstacles in the way to make it difficult for the opposition to hit the target. | 4 – High level |
Net/ Wall-Type Games
| Tactical Goal | Description | Level of Complexity | | Consistency | To be able to continually return the ball back over the net or to the wall so that it lands in play. | 1 – Low level | | Setting up for Attack | To place the ball in vulnerable spots on an opponent’s court (e.g., sides, front, back) so they are out of position and space is created on their court to win the next shot. | 3 – Medium level | | Ready position | To position oneself or team on the court in order to be able to cover as much space as possible. | 3 – Medium level |
Striking/ Fielding-Type Games
| Tactical Goal | Description | Level of Complexity | | Accurately Hit Ball | To use proper striking mechanics (e.g., “keeping an eye on the ball”, correct grip) to hit the ball into the field of play. | 1 – Low level | | Placement Away from Fielders | To hit the ball over or around the fielding team into open or safe areas. | 2 – Low level | | Covering Space | To work together with the fielding team to cover as much space as possible. | 3 – Medium level | | Score Runs | To use tactical solutions such as advancing runners so they are closer to the scoring area or hitting the ball away from the fielding team. | 3 – Medium level | | Avoid Getting Out | To use tactical solutions such as quickly running to a safe area (e.g., base) before the fielding team is able to throw to the safe area or tag the runner. | 4 – Medium level | | Stop Scoring Runs: | To work together as a defending team to prevent scoring by the offense. Examples include covering as much area as possible and throwing the ball to a team-mate who is able to prevent the runner from scoring. | 5 – High level |
Invasion/Territory-Type Games:
| Tactical Goal | Description | Level of Complexity | | Maintain Possession: | When the team on offence has possession of the object (e.g., puck, ring, ball). | 1 – Low level | | Defend Goal: | To defend the goal or goal line, as a team or as an individual, by stopping other players or stopping the object. | 4 – High level | | Avoid Defense: | To use various locomotion skills (e.g., dodging) or retaining skills (e.g., dribbling) to avoid being caught by a defending player. | 2 – Medium level | | Create Space: | To pull a defender away to create an open area for a team-mate to move through or to pass an object into an open space. | 4 – High level | | Defend Space: | To work together as a team to cover areas on a court/ field to make it difficult for the team on offence to get close to the defending team's goal. | 5 – High level | | Attack Goal: | When in possession of the object, to put pressure on the other teams goal by shooting or passing the object at or towards the goal or goal line. | 4 – High level | | Set Plays: | Pre-designed movements used by a team when an object is put back into play (e.g., corner kick in soccer, face-off in ice hockey). | 5 – High Level | | Regain Possession: | To use legal skills to get an object away from an opponent or to anticipate a pass in order to intercept it. | 3 – Medium Level |
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