I have engaged with concepts, principles, and strategies about tactical awareness and its use within the sport of netball. Throughout this task, my motor learning goal is for the ability to change from one stable state of movement to another when performing the specialized movement sequences of a wing attack. In order to achieve this goal I am required to self-organise. In response to the many adjustments that I am consistently making to a range of tasks, learner, and environmental constraints will either limit or enable my movements. It is suggested by sports scientists that with a favorable environment and a suitable task to perform an individual will spontaneously produce effective and efficient movement sequences. Therefore, tactical awareness gives me the ability to make the right decision and execute the appropriate skills at the best possible time. Resulting in opportunities for increased chances of success when performing the specialized movement sequence (Reference).
In this folio, I will devise a tactical strategy to optimize my performance based on the interaction of the constraints and principles of decision-making. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the tactical strategy will focus on the outcomes, implications, and limitations of the constraints on the proficiency of my movements. To analyze my personal performance, I gathered data using video footage of the specialized movement sequences and movement strategies for the position of wing attack in a range of authentic netball environments. A games performance assessment instrument (GPAI) was also used. I will also be evaluating the effectiveness of my personal performance when setting up for an attack.
Non-linear learning:
My position of wing attack is the key play-maker in netball. It was my job to create as many goal-scoring chances as possible by passing the ball to the shooters (Reference). As a result of being the key playmaker, I faced several tasks, learner, and environmental constraints that played a significant role in both limiting and enabling my performance. The dynamic systems theory suggests that my behaviors and/or actions emerge through and are influenced by the interaction of these constraints (Reference).
The actions of my opposition presented one environmental constraint that required me to perceive relevant information when they intercepted the ball or passed it to their other players. I was required to respond to their movements and/or the movement of the ball and react to implement the appropriate movements. For example, on occasions the gold defender would catch the rebounds, therefore, their next teammate to pass to the wing defender which was my opposition. I was required to modify movements and transition from an attacking player to a defending player, allowing for the opportunity of an intercept.
Perception action coupling is a theory that suggests “we must perceive in order to move, but we must also move in order to perceive (Reference). This theory along with the influence of this dynamic environment can be seen in the video evidence where my performance of attacking is limited or enabled by a range of different task, learner, and/or environmental constraints.
In comparison, learning to set in a nonauthentic netball environment such as the basic hands-over defense drill seen here does not facilitate this nonlinear approach to learning. Since the wing attack's primary responsible is to get the ball to the shooter unless a rebound is caught by the opposing team, my responsibility is then changed to a defender. Therefore, learning needs to occur through a dynamic systems approach in order to learn in a constantly changing environment that represents the competition and the perception of the actions of my teammates passing the ball and the movements of the opposing team.
The role of tactical strategy:
My tactical strategy will focus on the role of. The roll-off can be broken down into the following steps.
Stand with the back against the defender, the far side of the passer, and identify the defender’s blind side.
Continue to orbit around the defender and head towards their blind side to receive the pass.
The interaction of a range of tasks, learners, and environmental constraints will limit or enable my movements and decision-making.
Task constraints are the goals, rules, equipment, play areas, and players (Reference). As the wing attack, the task constraint of needing to perform a successful pass to the shooter is the most significant task constraint that influences my movements. The goal of the wing attack in a team is to use the third pass to accurately and firmly pass the ball to either the goal attack or goal shooter who can then perform and shot and defend my player when our team is defending against an attack.
Learner constraints are your personal characteristics that can limit or enable your movements and decision-making. These constraints may include the physiological characteristics of the learner such as their height and speed as well as their ability to perceive the environment and process information for effective decision making to occur. The learner constraint that limited my performance and enables the development of my tactical strategy was my height in relation to the opposing players. As I was shorter than the opposing player I struggled to receive the center pass when I was on the outside of my player, therefore, I was unable to get the ball to my shooter. Through the dynamic systems approach to learning, I developed the tactic of the roll-off. This allowed me to roll around my player easily successfully receiving the centre pass.
Environmental constraints in netball are factors that influence my performance and my decision-making process. One of these factors includes the court size. In netball, there are different-sized courts. Indoor courts which I am used to playing on are much smaller giving you limited space to move around, however, these courts were much larger giving you the opportunity to make more movements. Therefore, this environmental constraint of the court size enabled the development of my strategy as I was given more space to roll around my player.
The interaction of the task, learner, and environmental constraints allowed me to make decisions about my movement patterns when performing a roll-off when placed against a taller opposing player. The tactical strategy of performing a roll-off emerged from the interactions each of these constraints had. The development of this personal tactical strategy is evidence of self-organization in response to these tasks, learner, and environmental constraints through a dynamic systems approach to learning.
Evaluating and justifying the personal tactical strategy - roll off:
My personal tactical strategy of performing the roll-off when placed against a taller opposition has been effective in optimizing my performance of the movement strategy of setting up for an attack. When performing the roll the results of this tactical strategy were varied. On most occasions, the roll-off was effective in allowing me to successfully receive the center pass allowing me the wing attack and the center to travel the ball down to the shooters. This roll-off made it difficult for my opposing player to perform a defending play.
Limitations that occurred during this tactical strategy were that in order to perform a successful role, there were several learner constraints that had to be overcome. Executing a successful role off requires me to be in the right position beside my player early enough to perform the relevant movements required. When I performed a roll-off at any other time my decision-making and ability to perceive the actions of my teammates needed to occur more quickly. Another learner constraint that limited this tactical strategy was my ability to organize my movements in response to the perceived action of the opposing defenders. If a defender put themselves in a position where I was unable to roll off in that particular direction, my movements needed to self-organize in time to respond to this perceived action, which was not always possible.
The most surprising implication of the tactical strategy of performing a jump set can be best described through perception-action coupling. A roll-off is a very effective way to trick your opposing player into making them think that you are going in a certain direction, however, you go in the opposite direction. Occasionally, I was able to hang back and let the goal attack receive the center pass, therefore, I was able to disguise my roll-off as a drive to the goal attack on the other side of the court. This meant that my player was behind me and I was able to catch and pass the ball without a defender. This modification of my action was in direct response to the perceived actions of the goal attack and the environmental constraints presented. This implication further allowed for the optimization of the movement strategy of setting up an attacking play.
These outcomes and implications of performing a roll-off justify the use of this tactical strategy to optimize the movement strategy of setting up for an attacking play. I would maintain using this tactical strategy when playing in an attacking position during netball as it helps me overcome the learner constraints identified earlier in relation to my height in comparison to other players as discussed previously. This strategy also allows me to disguise a drive toward the top of the circle where the goal attack would pass to me. This provides additional attacking plays for my team. The role is also a useful tactical strategy to maintain as it limits the opposition's ability to defend.
Evaluation of my personal performance - setting up for an attack:
To evaluate my personal performance when setting up for an attack, I have selected two body and movement concepts. “These provide a framework for enhancing movement performance.” (Reference). The quality of movement and relations will be evaluated as to how they relate to the specialized movement sequences and strategies.
Quality of movement is the combination of mobility and stability/motor control (Reference). My roll-off is particularly effective in achieving the desired outcome when setting up for an attack. The following video evidence shows me transitioning with speed from the center pass to the top of the circle with accuracy and flow of movement. Occasionally I will hang back on the center pass. This allows me to trick my player into thinking that I am taking the center pass, therefore, I then can run in front of the goal attack and receive the pass without any opposing players. As you can see, I am able to regularly catch the center pass and accurately pass to the next player, in a position that allows the team to effectively pass to the shooters. I also perform a number of other specialized movements, sequences relevant to the position of goal attack with accuracy and fluency of movement. The video demonstrates my ability to perform an attacking play in this position.
When applying the body and movement concept of relationships to my performance as a wing attack in netball, you can see that I am able to quickly determine the location of the center or goal attack as I transition into a position where I am then able to pass to the shooter to take the shot. While performing an attacking play, I effectively use spatial awareness which is the ability to be aware of oneself in a space (Reference) to determine the location of the goal attack or center in relation to my position on the court and the distance I am from the top of the circle. This relationship is important to my successful performance, as I am required to quickly make a decision about optimal attacking strategy and which player to pass to based on the chance of the ball being intercepted. I also have to make decisions in relation to my teammates in terms of the type of pass that I am required to perform. For example, if the player is taller than his/her opponent I would perform a lob pass. The video here shows me performing a number of different attacking plays.
To further improve my performance and my ability to set up for an attack as a wing attack, I need to further consider the position of the opposing players to determine if they are taller or faster. Currently, I am also able to consider the position of my teammates.
Evaluation of my personal performance - defending against attack:
When defending against attack, you can see that I am able to perform a defending play, this includes ensuring I am three feet away from the player and my hands are over the ball. This allows me to successfully defend against an opposing opponent possibly getting an intercept. As a mid-court player, it is vitally important that I am able to perform this specialized movement sequence, as having a mid-court player who does not defend, creates a significant defensive gap on the team. The video here shows me demonstrating a number of defending players with accuracy, fluency, and speed. When defending against attack, I am easily able to modify my performance in response to the movements of the opposing players. I do this by perceiving the body position of the player to determine where they are planning to throw the ball. Therefore, this influences my actions as I react in response to the direction of the ball.
Conclusion:
Overall, it was evident that I was struggling to receive the center pass as my opponents were much taller than I was. Therefore, I put in place the tactical strategy of the role, which allowed me to receive more passes. Mine attacking play therefore improved greatly.