‘Invasion Sports & Game Sense' – Their relevance to young footballers
By Mark Neeld, Head Coach Western Jets FC (TAC Cup) and
Coordinator of Health & Physical Education Geelong College
Preparatory School
Background to Invasion Sports
 Simply put, an invasion sport is a game between two opponents, one
an attacker and one a defender, where the space of one team is
‘invaded’ by the other. Common sports that fall into this
category include; Australian Rules, soccer, basketball, hockey and
netball.
In their basic form the strategies of all these sports are quite
similar. The role of the defending team is to slow up the ball
movement of the attackers and attempt to get the ball back. The
attackers’ job is to maintain possession of the ball and get it into a
position where a score can be attempted.
With ‘decision making’ and ‘execution of skills under pressure’ at
the top of every AFL recruiters’ checklist it is vital that all young
footballers be given exposure to a variety of invasion sports. If
time is not available to join other sporting clubs or codes it is
possible within a football club to provide such experiences.
Training 'Game Sense' in Training Sessions
In essence what the ‘Game Sense’ philosophy is trying to achieve is
to provide opportunities for players to become more tactically aware
and be educated in how a game is actually played. It also
provides a realistic environment where players are able to practise and
improve their skills under game-like conditions.
Yes skill technique is extremely important however, it is best
taught in isolation, perhaps through the use of ‘skill cards’.
Traditional ‘skill only’ football training does not take into account
factors that effect skill execution such as; selection of what type of
pass to use, deception of a defender or being tackled or chased.
The use of correct skill is not ignored in game sense training
rather it is incorporated into the activities planned by the coaching
staff. Players have a far better chance of making good decisions
and displaying good skills in a game if they have previously
practised them in a similar environment.
Game Sense v Practice Match
It is naive to think that playing practice matches at training is
following the game sense philosophy. Game sense is also about
practicing parts of the game in isolation. For example a
simple 4 v 4 stoppage activity or a 5 v 3 activity to practice
outnumbering the opposition at the contest will serve a far greater
purpose than an 18 v 18 game with one ball where the mid fielders
dominate.
True game sense activities need to be played in confined space with
small-sided teams. It is suggested that the teams be no greater
than 6. This is to ensure that all players are given the chance
to participate and therefore improve. The activities should go
for no more than 7-10mins (remember it is practicing components of the
game).
The rules of each individual activity are the domain of the
coach. They can be adapted to suit the team’s game style and to
practice areas that need improvement. The key is that the coach
becomes the facilitator in that, once the situation has been created
let the players solve the problems and make the decisions. As new
skills are attempted, or need refining, it is here that skill
instruction can take place.
The Questioning Technique
To produce educated young footballers it is vital that the coach
employ very good questioning techniques. Game Sense Invasion
Games provide an excellent opportunity to provide immediate meaningful
feedback. The coach must move away from ‘the barracking’ feedback
and towards the ‘instructional feedback’. It is not the role of
the coach to solve all problems. Remember that the players are
out there and you are on the sidelines.
Open-ended questions should be used to compliment this
approach. This promotes thinking among the players and this will
also result in learning. Some examples of appropriate questions
are: How can you make it more difficult for your opponent to
score? Is it better to run and carry the ball in that situation
or deliver the ball immediately? Where can you position yourself
to be of benefit to the team? Where can you run to assist your
team in scoring a goal?
Coaching the Modern Student
It is worth remembering that the young footballers of today have had
a completely different educational experience than that of many
coaches. Young people have been educated in an environment where
many things are negotiated, discussed and left to them to make
choices. They are encouraged to explore, experiment and it is
explained to them that mistakes will certainly occur and that is fine
provided you learn something from them.
Game Sense is a training technique that embraces the modern society
that we currently live in. Some young people find it difficult to
adapt to sporting environments where everything is given to them,
someone else sets all the rules and they have had no input. Game
sense empowers players and helps them take more responsibility for
their own football development.
Skill Cards
Mark has put together a number of 'skill cards' for Australian Rules
Football. Players can use them prior to the main training session to
improve their skills. Players go through the drills listed on each card
before moving to the next card. Generally players would do each card
before moving to the next card. This type of card system is popular
amongst a number of high performance teams and allows players to
improve their skills without the presence of a coach.
Skill Card Rational
Skill Card Rational - Powerpoint
Gathering Loose Balls
Skill Card 1 - Gathering Loose Balls
Skill Card 2 - Gathering Loose Balls
Kicking
Skill Card 1 - Kicking
Skill Card 2 - Kicking
Skill Card 3 - Kicking
Marking
Skill Card 1 - Marking
Skill Card 2 - Marking
Skill Card 3 - Marking
1%ers
Skill Card 1 - 1%ers
Skill Card 2 - 1%ers
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