Instructions
- Read through each mission section carefully. Your goal is to think like a sports strategist.
- Answer the questions in the spaces provided. Think about not just what to do, but why you would do it.
- For Part 2, you will need a small, safe space to move and a simple object to throw (like a pair of socks or a crumpled piece of paper) and a target (like a laundry basket or a box).
- Complete the "Expert Strategist Challenge" at the end if you want to push your thinking to the next level.
Mission Briefing: Become a Movement Strategist
In any sport or game, just being fast or strong isn't enough. Winning often comes down to having the best strategy. A strategy is a plan for how to use your skills and movements to achieve a goal, like scoring a point or stopping an opponent. Your mission is to analyze, test, and design movement strategies for different situations.
Part 1: Analyze the Situation (Propose a Strategy)
Look at the scenario below. It's a 2-on-1 fast break in basketball. Player A has the ball and is running toward the basket with their teammate, Player B. There is only one Defender trying to stop them.
BASKETBALL COURT
[Player B] (Defender)
[Player A with ball]
<--- BASKET --->
1. What is the main goal for the attacking team (Players A and B)?
2. What is the main challenge they face?
3. Propose Strategy #1: Describe one way Player A could use movement and skill to score. What is the key action?
4. Propose Strategy #2: Describe a different strategy that involves both Player A and Player B. What action makes this strategy effective?
Part 2: The Movement Lab (Test & Evaluate a Skill)
Find a safe, open space. You'll need a crumpled paper ball (or rolled-up socks) and a target (a box or basket) about 3 metres away.
The Goal: Test two different throwing techniques to see which is more effective for accuracy.
Test 1: The Underhand Toss
- Stand 3 metres from your target.
- Using an underhand motion (swinging your arm below your waist), try to toss the paper ball into the target 10 times.
- Record your results below.
Test 2: The Overhand Throw
- Stand in the same spot.
- Using an overhand motion (like throwing a baseball), try to throw the paper ball into the target 10 times.
- Record your results below.
| Movement Skill | Number of Successful Shots (out of 10) | Observations (Was it easy? Hard? Fast? Wobbly?) |
|---|---|---|
| Underhand Toss | ||
| Overhand Throw |
Evaluation Question: Based on your test, which strategy (underhand or overhand) was more effective for this specific task? Why do you think that is? (Consider things like arc, power, and control).
Part 3: Strategy Match-Up (Evaluate Effectiveness)
Draw a line to match the Movement Situation on the left with the MOST effective Strategy on the right.
| Movement Situation | Strategy | |
| 1. You are the last defender in a game of tag, and two people are running towards you. | A. Create space between you and your defender by passing the ball to a teammate who is in a better position. | |
| 2. You are playing soccer and are being guarded closely by a defender, but your teammate is open near the goal. | B. Spread out and force the attackers to one side, cutting off their passing angles and slowing them down. | |
| 3. You are playing dodgeball and are the last person left on your team. | C. Use your body to block the opponent's path and keep yourself between them and the goal/basket. | |
| 4. In basketball, an opponent is driving to the basket to score a layup. | D. Keep moving and use smaller, quicker movements (dodging, ducking) rather than large, slow ones to present a difficult target. |
Part 4: Design Your Own Play (Create & Propose)
Choose any sport you know well (e.g., soccer, netball, football, hockey, etc.). In the box below, draw a diagram of a simple offensive or defensive play.
Your diagram must include:
- Labels for players (e.g., Attacker 1, Defender, Goalie).
- Arrows showing the direction of player movement.
- An arrow showing the path of the ball/object (if there is one).
- A short explanation of why this strategy is effective.
Sport: _________________________
[Draw your play diagram here]
Explanation of Strategy:
â Expert Strategist Challenge (Optional) â
Think about a time you've seen a clever strategy used in a real game (either one you played in or watched). Describe the situation, the strategy used, and explain what made it so effective or surprising.
Answer Key
Part 1: Analyze the Situation
- Goal: To score a basket.
- Challenge: To get past the single defender who is blocking the path to the basket.
- Strategy #1 (Example): Player A could perform a "fake" or "juke" movement to make the defender move one way, and then quickly dribble around them on the other side to take a shot. The key action is deception/agility.
- Strategy #2 (Example): Player A could draw the defender towards them and then pass the ball to Player B, who will have a clear, undefended path to the basket for an easy shot. The key action is passing to an open teammate.
Part 2: The Movement Lab
- Results tables will vary based on individual student performance.
- Evaluation Question (Example Answer): The underhand toss was more effective. It created a higher, softer arc which made it easier for the paper ball to drop into the basket. The overhand throw was too fast and powerful for a short distance, making it harder to control the accuracy. (Answers will vary but should focus on evaluating the movement qualities).
Part 3: Strategy Match-Up
- 1 → B
- 2 → A
- 3 → D
- 4 → C
Part 4: Design Your Own Play
- Answers will vary greatly. Assess based on whether the diagram is clear, includes the required elements (labels, arrows), and if the explanation logically describes why the strategy would be effective in that sport. For example, a soccer "give-and-go" play should show a player passing the ball, running into open space, and receiving a return pass to get around a defender.
Expert Strategist Challenge
- Answers will vary. Look for a clear description of a real-world game situation, the specific strategy used (e.g., a "trick play" in football, a "false 9" in soccer, a specific defensive formation), and a logical explanation for its success.