2. What is Game Sense?
Traditional sports coaching isolates and teaches
component skills before they can be applied within a
game. Emphasizing technique before the game often
takes the joy out of being active. Focusing on skills
decreases motivation and participation as it tends to
single out those who are unable to perform the skill
correctly while at the same time creating boredom for
those who are highly proficient.
3. The game sense approach places the game at the
center of coaching sport, rather than at the end. It
develops upon the broader meanings of sport and
physical activity by encouraging thinking through
problem solving and decision making. The nature of
the game is taught first, and skills are added at a
pace suitable to individual students. Thinking and
problem solving aspects of the game are taught
together with the skills. This results in students who
understand the broader sense of the game rather
than simply being skillful at the game.
4. Game sense covers the 5 essential skills outlined in
the PDHPE K-6 Syllabus which are:
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Moving
• Communicating
• Interacting
5. In the game sense approach sports are broken up
into a series of minor modified games. These games
are designed for maximum participation and focus on
the tactical, strategic and conceptual requirements of
the game. Skill development is incorporated into the
game situation and is considerate of individuals level
of skill. Games are stopped at regular intervals and
students are asked to reflect on their participation
encouraging a deeper understanding of the game.
6. The strengths of the game sense approach are that
students not only learn sport skills used in the game
but learn many other important game sense concepts
such as:
• Decision making – “Where is the open space?”
• Risk taking – “Should I pass or hold the ball?”
• Problem solving – “How can I duck to evade my opponent?”
• Thoughts about time and space properties – “Can I score
now?”
• Perception – “Where am I in relation to others?”
• Tactics and Strategies – “Will I dummy pass?”
7. References:
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical
education K-6: Syllabus. Sydney, Australia: Author.
Pill, S. (2014). Sports Coach: Teaching games for understanding. Retrieved
10 October 2014, from
http://www.ausport.gov.au/sportscoachmag/coaching_processes/teaching_game
s_for_understanding
Pill, S. (2014). Informing Game Sense pedagogy with constraints led theory
for coaching in Australian football. Sports Coaching Review, 1-17.
doi:10.1080/21640629.2014.890778
