Games vs Traditional approach

Two soccer coaches are teaching athletes to protect the ball from defenders while dribbling.

-Coach Rose arranges for the athletes to participate in two activities during practice; one that
teaches the athletes to keep the ball close while dribbling and one that teaches them to watch
for defenders. To teach the athletes to keep the ball close, the coach sets up a cone weaving
drill arranged in a slalom style. The cones dictate a change of direction during which the
athletes must keep the ball close. Athletes are encouraged to go as fast as they can through
the cones. To teach athletes to watch for defenders, the coach has the athletes dribble
randomly around the field. When the coach holds up her fingers, the athletes try to be the firs to
shout out the number of fingers, indicating that they were able to dribble and keep an eye on the
coach at the same time. At the end of practice, the coach sets up a scrimmage so the athletes
can use their new soccer skills.

-Coach Daisy begins practice with a game of "Dribble Attack" that encourages dribbling with
both feet. The team is divided into groups of 3v3 and assigned a 30-by-20 yard area for play.
The goal of the offense is to get the ball from one side of the playing area to the other before the
defense can get the ball. The offense gets a point whenever a players is able to dribble past a
defender. No point is awarded if the ball is stolen by a defender. The teams switch offensive
and defensive roles when the defense breaks up the offense or when the offense makes it to
the other side. After 8 minutes, Coach Daisy notices that the athletes using only dominant foot
when trying to dribble past a defender. She blows her whistle and yells "freeze" at a point when
the offensive teams are getting the ball stolen. She asks the offensive players why the ball
keeps getting intercepted. The players quickly identify that they lose control of the ball when
they have to dribble with their non-dominant foot. Coach Daisy then changes the game so that
an additional point is earned when a player successfully dribbles pass a defender suing her
non-dominant foot. At the end of practice the coach sets up a scrimmage with the entire team
suing the point system: players score points whenever they dribble past a defender, when they
use their non-dominant foot to dribble past a defender and when they score a goal.

1. Which coach is using the games approach?

Coach Daisy uses the games approach to teach her athletes new skills by starting
practice with a game of "Dribble Attack". The game is designed to help athletes dribble
better with both feet.

2. What are the advantages of the games approach?

An advantage to the games approach is learning new skills through a game practice.
The games approach creates realistic situations for athletes to learn from.

3. What are the disadvantages of the games approach?

A disadvantage to the games approach would be for players who have trouble
performing new skills that they have not tried before.

4. Which coach is using the traditional approach?

Coach Rose uses a more traditional approach to teach players new skills she starts
practice with two activities that will help athletes dribble better.

5. What are the advantages of the traditional approach?

An advantage of the traditional approach is that players get to practice new skills before
using them in a game like setting.

6. What are the disadvantages of the traditional approach?

A disadvantage to the traditional approach would be that some players can't transfer the
skills that were learned to game situations.