Phases of Motor Development
Motor development is simply learning to move with control and
efficiency and is characterized by four predictable phases
Sports Related
Movement Phase
Fundamental Movement
Phase
Locomotion
Skills
Rudimentary Movement Phase
Stability Skills
Reflexive Movement Phase
(sub-cortically controlled)
Manipulation
Skills
Phases of Motor Development
Reflexive Movement Phase (0-4 months)
first sign of controlled motor development, sub-cortex controls all
reflexive movements
Rudimentary Movement Phase (0-2 years)
Locomotive Skills: Creeping, Crawling, Walking
Manipulative Skills: Reaching for, grabbing, releasing
Stability Skills: Gaining control of head, neck and trunk
Learning how to sit and stand unassisted
Fundamental Movement Phase (2-7 years)
Evolution of skills
Running and Kicking - Throwing and Catching - Heading/Trapping
Sports Related Movement Phase (7-adulthood)
General
Underhand throw
Specific
Underhand serve
Specialized
Accuracy and control
Sports Related Movement Stages
General Transitional Stage (7-10 years old):
During this stage, participants:
• start formulating a self concept;
• learn to interact with peers;
• acquire the physical ,cognitive and social skills necessary for
proficiency in games;
• learn to interact with peers;
• start to understand the ideas and reasons for rules in games;
• improve their perceptual motor skills such as hand-eye
coordination
• develop a system of conscience, morality and value judgment
Specific Stage (11-13 years old):
During this stage, participants:
• develop the social, cognitive, language, and motor skills
necessary for individual and group participation;
• adapt to the physical/physiological changes affecting their
body;
• establish a sense on independence and identification;
• are introduced to competitive sport (house league)
Specialized Stage (14 years and on):
During this stage, participants:
• become more independent;
• reach full skeletal maturity and full height;
• improve social and communication skills
• participate in high levels of competition (rep for example)
Recommendations
for Sports
Participation
For each Sport Related Movement
Phase: Give Recommendations for…
•
•
•
•
Skills & training
Degree of competition
Strategies and tactics
Game/activity modifications
14+
11-13 year
olds
7-10 year
olds
General Transitional Stage
(7-10 years old):
Skills
• present skills that are simple – not complex
• not harmful to the body
• practice flexibility and aerobic fitness
• emphasize development of body awareness
• emphasize the development of confidence, self
esteem, peer interaction and cooperation
• emphasize having fun, making 100% effort
• put winning and losing in perspective
Degree of Competition
• balance the degree of competition – use low-key
competition
• do not promote out of town competition, league standings
and play-offs
• allow boys and girls to participate together
Strategies and Tactics
• implement simple strategies that encourage participation
• emphasize learning skills, not learning strategy – winning
is not crucial
Game/Activity Modification
• play simple modified versions of the activity
• use scaled-down equipment
• avoid specialization in position or event
• participate in other activities that complement the sport
Specific Stage
(11-13 years old):
Skills
• teach more intricate, refined skills
• introduce sub-maximal strength training
• train both the anaerobic and aerobic systems
• continue to practice flexibility
• continue to emphasize the development of confidence,
self esteem, peer interaction and cooperation
• introduce concentration techniques
• continue to put winning and losing in perspective
Degree of Competition
• recommend well-structure competitive situations
• use tournament competition
• use league standings and play-offs in late stages
• separate boys and girls in competition
Strategies and Tactics
• introduce more intricate strategies and tactics
• emphasize that winning is still not a critical factor
• introduce individual and group goal setting
• use incentives to motive
Game/Activity Modification
• use scaled-down equipment or game modifications
• avoid specialization in position or event
Specialization Stage
(14 years of age and on):
Skills
• refine all skills of the sport
• allow strength training program
• train both the anaerobic and aerobic systems
• continue to practice flexibility
• continue to emphasize the development of confidence,
self esteem, peer interaction and cooperation
• continue to develop and refine concentration
techniques
• continue to put winning and losing in perspective
• practice and refine coping strategies
Degree of Competition
• participate in demanding, high level competition
• use league standings and play-offs in late stages
Strategies and Tactics
• teach and refine all of the strategies and tactics of the
sport
• stress winning
• continue to use individual and group goal setting
• use multiple incentives to motive
Game/Activity Modification
• play full game or activity rather than a modified version
• emphasize specialization of position or event
Group Task
• Imagine yourself as the coach of the group of
athletes whose ages and sport are indicated.
• Indicate how you would address the 4
developmental areas (physical, cognitive, motor, and
social) and modify your instruction to the indicated
age level.
• Assume all of the athletes have “come through the
ranks” of the various age levels a tennis player at
level 2 (age 7) has already participated at level 1.
Adapting Sport Skills to Match
Development Levels
Sport Skill: Hitting a baseball
Age level: under 5 years
Modifications:
1. Use a ‘tee’, as player of this age may have difficulty hitting
moving pitch
2. Use light bat to allow for lack of physical strength
3. Work with the athlete to develop his or her swing without
the ball, encouraging him or her to visualize contact
repeatedly
4. Gradually introduce slow-moving pitch with larger ball for
more advanced players
5. Social aspects of this skill may be hard to develop as the
skill is essentially individual
Sport Skill (age & level)
1. Kicking a soccer ball (level 1, under 5 years old)
2. Heading a soccer ball (level 2, 5-7 years old)
3. Passing a hockey puck (level 2, 5-7 years old)
4. A cartwheel in gymnastics (level 3, 7-9 years old)
5. Tossing a spiral in football (level 3, 7-9 years old)
6. A jump shot in basketball (level 4, 9-11 years old)