Types of team and duel games
- Invasion games: enter the opponent's half to score. Football, hockey, basketball, netball, handball, rugby, kabaddi.
- Net and wall games: send the ball where the opponent cannot return it. Volleyball, badminton, tennis, table tennis, squash.
- Striking and fielding games: strike the ball and run to score; the fielding side tries to get batters out. Cricket, softball, rounders.
In a duel (one against one, such as badminton singles, judo or fencing) the same thinking applies: read your opponent, make space, close space.
Attacking tactics
A tactic is a plan for a moment in the game; a strategy is the plan for the whole game.
- Width: players spread to the sides to stretch the defence.
- Depth: someone stays ahead and someone behind the ball, giving forward and safe backward passes.
- Support and movement: move into open space so the passer has a choice. "Pass and move".
- Penetration: pass, dribble or run through a gap towards the goal.
- Overload: create 2 attackers against 1 defender in one area.
In net games, attack means placing the shot into space or using power and angle, for example a smash in badminton.
Defending tactics and reading the opponent
- Compactness: defenders stay close together and close to the ball.
- Goal-side: stand between the attacker and your goal.
- Person-to-person marking: each defender follows one attacker. Strong against skilled players but tiring.
- Zone defence: each defender guards an area. Saves energy and keeps shape, but gaps can appear between zones.
- Pressing: closing down the player with the ball quickly to force a mistake.
Reading the opponent: watch the hips and eyes of the player with the ball, notice their favourite side, and spot patterns (does their team always attack down one wing?). Then adapt your plan.
Roles, communication, rules and fair play
Players have positions (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, attacker; setter and spiker in volleyball) and roles off the field too: captain, coach, referee, scorer, timekeeper.
Communication: short loud calls ("Mine!", "Man on!", "Switch!"), hand signals, eye contact and talking at breaks.
Rules keep the game fair and safe. Officials give fouls, free kicks or penalties, yellow cards (warning) and red cards (sent off). In PE, students take turns refereeing so they learn the rules deeply.
Fair play: follow rules, respect opponents and officials, accept decisions, help an injured opponent, shake hands at the end.
Key formulas and definitions
- Attack: width + depth + movement = space
- Defence: compact + goal-side + pressure = less space
- Person-to-person marking: one defender follows one attacker
- Zone defence: each defender guards an area
- Overload: more attackers than defenders in one area (e.g. 2 v 1)
Worked examples
1. A hockey team keeps losing the ball in the middle because all players crowd around it. What should they change?
Spread out. Two players go wide (width), one stays ahead and one behind (depth). Now the player with the ball has 3–4 passing options instead of none.
2. The opponent has one very skilled striker. Which defence suits, and why?
Person-to-person marking on that striker, using your best defender, so the striker always has a defender close. The rest of the team can keep a zone shape.
3. In a 3 v 2 keep-ball game in a 10 m square, the attackers lose the ball fast. In a 20 m square they keep it. Explain.
A bigger square means more space. The attackers can spread further apart, so the two defenders cannot cover all passing lanes. This is why attackers try to make the pitch big.
Common mistakes
- Everyone chasing the ball ("bunching"). Keep width and depth.
- Standing still after passing. Pass, then move to a new space.
- Diving into a tackle and getting beaten. Stay goal-side, slow the attacker down, tackle when sure.
- Silent teams. Short, early calls stop collisions and missed passes.