The purpose of this study was to determine whether tactical understanding transfers across games in the invasion games category. Subjects in the study were 36 randomly selected 6th grade students age 11 and 12 years.
Subjects were videotaped during game play of Ultimate Frisbee on the first day of the study. Subjects wore colored/numbered vests for the purpose of identification and cameras were strategically placed in high points around the gymnasium to provide a comprehensive view of all subjects at all times to track their game play. Subjects played two 7 and 1/2 minute halves of Ultimate Frisbee game play totaling 15 minutes. In subsequent classes, subjects received Ultimate Frisbee instruction for 7 lessons. The instruction focused on modified game play that focused on solutions to the particular tactical problems of creating space and moving into space. These skills will hopefully enable students to place themselves in the most advantageous position to receive the Frisbee. Following the seventh lesson subjects were videotaped again playing Ultimate Frisbee. All lessons were audio-taped to ensure and verify that lessons were taught as planned. Subjects then received seven lessons of Team Handball instruction for the purpose of investigating similar tactical problem solutions. Two structured written questions were provided to 10 randomly selected subjects, during the third Team Handball lesson, in an attempt to determine the degree to which learning Ultimate Frisbee had helped with learning Team Handball. Lastly, all subjects were videotaped in a 2 x 7 1/2 minute game play. All lessons followed a game-discussion-skill practice-game format similar to that suggested by Griffin et al (1997) who wrote the “Teaching Sports Concepts and Skills: A Tactical Games Approach.”
During game play, the subjects’ decision-making was assessed by the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI). Game performance scores were collected regarding the component of decision-making (creating space and moving into space) which was used as an indicator of tactical understanding.
Repeated measures ANOVA was utilized and indicated that tactical understanding improved during Ultimate Frisbee and this improvement was sustained during Team Handball. Means and standard deviations for the decision-making index will be reported. In addition, change in decision-making and student responses to the structured questions will be included. The results will also discuss the implications for the sequencing of invasion games instruction in the curriculum.