Tactical Assessment

TACTICAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

A voice clip analysing Stuart and Daniel's tactical strengths and weaknesses using the results shown below.  Tactical awareness is highly important so that the players play within the rules of the game, as if they didn't it would cost them possession. It's also important so they can use tactics which are creative and unpredictable for their opponents, and on the reverse so that they can respond to their opponents tactics.

Tactical assessment voice clip 1:

Tactical assessment voice clip 2 (following on immediately from clip 1):

It’s key that a team is able to turn its skills into tactics to become and effective and successful team.  The whole team must understand ‘the principle of the game being played and the strategy of the coach’, and be ‘aware of the tactics of that game’ in order to perform ‘efficiently’ and ‘confident of success’ (Crouch, 1992).

Both Daniel and Stuart are unaware of how many players there are on a team, and anything relating to this (e.g. positions, allowed movement on the court). 

Netball is unique in that players have boundaries meaning every person’s role within that team is vital to an effective team performance. Daniel and Stuart’s lack of understanding means that when they play netball they aren’t aware of their role or the importance of it in the functioning of the team.  It also means they are likely to travel outside of their boundaries which is a violation of rule 8 and the other team will be awarded a free pass (Thomas, 2000).  Similarly, they may expect other team members to do the same, creating frictions between team members.   They should know the strengths and weaknesses of everyone within their team and the importance of that to their role and tactics used.  Knowing the positions within a netball team is basic knowledge that you would expect all players to have and is vital for effective team performance, but it is something that can be easily built upon.

Daniel shows an extremely limited understanding, occasionally confusing tactics with positions.  Stuart, on the other hand, displays a better understanding of tactics and possible strategies employed.  The team must be able to change and effectively implement a change in tactics for several reasons, one of them being if their current strategy isn’t working.  If the players don’t have a wide tactical and strategic awareness their play will become predictable for the opposing team and easily manipulated.   Another reason a team may change tactics, could be because the opposing team have done so (Education Scotland, 1999).  If the opposing team has a better tactical awareness and decision-making abilities, they are going to break through defense and score goals.  Without a knowledge of tactics, Daniel will find it difficult to understand reasoning for both his own and the opposing teams play, and therefore how to counteract it or change it if it isn't working.

Stuart demonstrates a high understanding of defensive tactics specifically.  He is aware of the not only the different tactics employed but their possible benefits and disadvantages, making him an ideal defensive player (although it mustn't be forgotten the whole team needs to work together).  Woodlands believes that ‘every player is a defender when her team does not have possession of the ball’ and that it is often played ‘proactively’ (2006).  This means the whole team should be aware of defensive roles, and be able to employ the correct tactics at any given time to gain possession of the ball.  Displaying a comprehensive understanding, Stuart would be able to react quickly and use the tactics deemed necessary in defense, making him an ideal player.

As a team decision-making is key, and it’s necessary that in ‘any situation where a problem exists… players can solve that problem’ (Crouch, 1992).  Decision-making is needed so that strategy can actually be applied, but in live-ball situations the players don’t often have enough time to make these decisions (Woodlands, 2006).  From Stuart and Daniel’s questionnaire answers it can be assumed that they don’t often make decisions in games regarding tactics, they simply play the game without much cognitive involvement.  This is something that will develop with game experience and as they become more aware of their own role, and others’ roles, within the team.

References

Crouch, H. (ed.) (1992) Netball Coaching (2nd Edition.) A&C Black; London.

Education Scotland (1999) Physical Education Netball Unit Plans Intermediate 2 and Higher [online] Available from: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/5480pe2_tcm4-124185.pdf [Accessed 15th May 2013] 

Thomas, M. (2000) Know The Game: Netball.  A&C Black: London.

Woodlands, J. (2006) The Netball Handbook. Human Kinetics: Illinois.