Games Classification System
Invasion
Net/Wall
Field/Run
Score
Target
Handball
Basketball
Soccer
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Rugby
Football
Ultimate
Badminton
Tennis
Pickle Ball
Volleyball
Softball
Baseball
Rounders
Cricket
Kickball
Golf
Croquet
Bowling
Billiards
Defining Invasion Games
 Those activities in which the goal is to invade the
opponents territory in order to score

Most complex of the four game classifications
Q&A
 You are planning a 7th grade basketball unit, what
will be the lesson focus for each day? Be sure to
include days for game play.








1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Tactical Games Model
Tactical Games In a Nutshell
 “As a middle school student once said, ‘So we play a
game, figure out what we need to do, practice it, then
play again to see if we can do it. Right?’”

EXACTLY
Why Use Tactical Games
 Interest & excitement
 Learning through games not about games
 Avoid questions like: “When can we play the game?” and
“Why are we doing this”
 Knowledge as empowerment
 Students learn the context of the skills (see big picture)
 Transfer of understanding & performance
across games
Foundations
 The major learning objective in the tactical model is
for the students to make and carry out tactical
decisions in games and game like situations. It is a
combination of knowing what to do and how to
correctly execute skills in a game context
 Tactical Games model evolved from a
conceptualization of games called Teaching for
understanding or Teaching Games for
Understanding (Bunker &Thorpe, 1982)
Sequence of Steps in a Tactical Lesson
Starting class (teachers responsibility)
1.
1.
2.
Management and warm up (not run and stretch)
Initiation
Introductory activity (game form) designed to introduce or
highlight a tactic (teachers responsibility)
3. Teacher questioning that identifies the need for skill and/or
tactical practice (teachers responsibility)
2.
1.
4.
5.
6.
Solving the tactical problem (students come up with their solution/s)
Practice (teachers responsibility)
Activity or game reinforcing tactical problem (teacher)
Closure
Assessment – at some point during lesson
Tactical Games Model
(Griffin, Mitchell & Oslin, 1997)
1. Game
2. Tactical Awareness
What to do?
Tactical Problems
Scoring
Preventing Scoring
Restarting Play
or Game Form
3. Skill Selection & Execution
How to do it?
Solutions of Tactical
Problems
Decisions
Skills
Movements
Games Teaching Continuum
Skill-based
Game-like
Tactical Games
Scope and Sequence
 Each activity unit can be subdivided
into three categories, each containing
several lesson topics
1.
2.
3.
Discrete skills and basic tactics
Combination of skills and intermediate tactics
Advanced skills and tactics
Tactical Transfer
 Games share the same tactical problems within a
classification


Soccer, basketball, lacrosse
What are some examples?
Tactical Problems, Movements and Skills
Tactical Problem
Scoring
1.
2. etc
Preventing Scoring
1.
2. etc
Restarting Play
1.
2. etc
Off the ball
movements
One the ball
movements
Level of Tactical Complexity
Tactical
Problem
I
II
1.
Maintaining
Possession
Triple threat
Ball fake
Jukes
Appropriate
passes
Support
2. Attack the
basket
Shooting (38 feet)
Dribbling
Give and go
III
IV
Lay up
Offensive
Plays
Scoring
3. Creating
space
Alternative Format
 Combining tactical problems table and
level of tactical complexity table

Scope and sequence example for basketball
Example Soccer Lesson
 Tactical Problem: Maintaining possession of the ball
 Focus: Passing & receiving balls on the ground with
inside of foot
 Objective: Accurate & firm short passes
Use one touch to control & set
up for next move
Example Lesson Initial Game
3v3
 Goals:
 5 consecutive passes
 Conditions:
 30 by 20 playing area
 possession game
Possession Game
A
B
A0
B
A
B
Example Lesson Q&A
 What is the goal here?
 How can your team keep the ball?
Example Lesson Situated Practice
 Partner (or triad) practice approximately 10’ apart
pass & control (stationary & moving)
 Goals- One touch to control & set up for the next pass
 Firm & accurate passing with inside of both feet
Example Lesson
Final Game


3v3
Goals:
Quick control & setup
 Firm & accurate passing
 Keep heads up for vision
 Score in small goal


Conditions
30 by 20 playing area
 narrow goal
 no goalkeeper

Teaching & Learning Considerations
 Mixed teaching methods
 Questions matter
 Time
“When is the best time to . . .
 Space
“Where is/can . . .
 Risk
“Which choice . . .
Getting Started
 Check your beliefs about games teaching
 Pick sport with strong content knowledge
 Establish rules, routines & expectations for a
tactical games approach
 Think game-like
 Change for you is change for your students
 Find company
Game-like Practice
Volleyball Triad
Forearm Pass
1
PP
2
T
S
 Griffin
 http://ksa.sports.re.kr/common/download.php