Implementing a game sense approach in youth sport coaching: Challenges, change and resistance

Abstract

Despite the potential that Game Sense offers to re-energize and reconstruct youth sport coaching, it has yet to make a significant impact on youth sport coaching in Australia or New Zealand. While research has examined the challenges that teachers face in implementing such innovation in school physical education, little attention has been paid to the identification and examination of factors restraining the development of understanding approaches by coaches in youth sport. Given the importance of communitybased sport in countries such as Australia and New Zealand this represents a significant oversight in the literature. In setting out to redress this oversight this paper draws on a series of interviews conducted with Australian coaches over 2002 and 2003 to explore the challenges of putting a Game Sense approach to coaching into practice in youth sport settings. It identifies sport coaching as a complex social practice in which social interaction and a dominant culture of coaching provide significant challenges for coaches wishing to develop a Game Sense approach.

Teaching Physical Literacy to Promote Healthy Lives: TGfU and Related Approaches

“…Unlike the traditional technique-oriented approach that focuses on skill drills which are still very frequently observed in school in the United States, TGfU contributes to improving decision making ability for play within game contexts (Butler, 2006;Mitchell, Oslin, & Griffin, 2013) by providing for development of game appreciation and tactical awareness (Kirk & MacPhail, 2002;Werner, Thorpe, & Bunker, 1996). Having students improve skills and tactics in small-sided games can help them transfer learning from one game to another (Hopper, 2003;Light, 2004;Mitchell et al, 2013). This original model created by Bunker and Thorpe has inspired many iterations.…”

“…An emerging field of coaching in Australia utilizes this approach, combining specific technical, tactical and fitness training in a game practice (Light, 2004;Stoltz & Pill, 2014). It focuses on creating game-like situations that enable participants to indirectly experience what would be seen in a real game (Light, 2004). This approach is also based on TGfU but refines it to create a central focus for developing critical thinking skills while playing games.…”

“…This approach is also based on TGfU but refines it to create a central focus for developing critical thinking skills while playing games. Since the game sense approach enables the players to read game situations with regard to offensive and defensive strategies, they can improve their decision making ability to solve problems presented in game context and develop independence or autonomy on the field (Light, 2004;Light & Robert, 2010). However, unlike other iterations of TGfU, this approach requires that the players be taught technical and tactical skills at the same time rather than taught using steps (Light, 2004).…”

“…In short, when one of these three iterations of TGfU is effectively taught and implemented, students learn to appreciate the value of skills and to understand the necessity of tactical understanding within the game context. That is, these iterations are all designed to provide the opportunity for students to develop a broad range of executive skills and appropriate movements, enabling them to make decisions necessary to solve tactical problems (Light, 2004;Richard, 2010;Storey & Butler, 2013). Furthermore, the GPAI helps every student continue to develop skillfulness, competence, and confidence by measuring all aspects of game performance (Mitchell et al, 2013;Oslin et al, 1998).…”

“…Critical thinking can be divided into two parts, internal and external (Lodewyk, 2009). Internal thinking is the mental aspect of decision making, or the questions that the students ask as they internally process the information (Kirk & MacPhail, 2002;Light, 2004). After internal thinking comes external thinking, or the actions and decisions that the athlete chooses to act out.…”