Design a front cover for your sports project. Make sure you include the following information on your front cover:

  • Name
  • Form
  • Your chosen sport or activity.

You could also include a photo of yourself performing in your chosen sport or activity and/or a photo or picture of your favourite performer playing in your chosen activity.

Define cardiovascular endurance/fitness, muscular endurance, speed and strength.

Rank the above 4 elements of fitness from most important to least important to a performer in your chosen sport.

Justify the importance of each of them to a performer in your chosen sport by giving an example of when they are used by a performer in your chosen sport.

Extension

When completing the above tasks can you discuss the different specialist positions within your chosen activity. For example, would a goalkeeper in netball have different fitness requirements to a wing-defence?

When completing the above tasks are you able to research and include information on more than just the 4 elements of fitness which are listed above (you may be able to use as many as 10 elements of fitness).

Watch some live action or some footage on a video.

Select a player or a team to watch. Discuss their strengths and weaknesses of performance based on what you have seen in your footage.

Try to use statistics which you have collected whilst watching your footage to help support your findings.

The tables and charts in the appendix 1 will give you ideas on ways in which you could collect some data whilst watching your footage.

Extension

Try to collect data which focuses on a range of different aspects of your performer or team’s performance.

Where possible select some complex and technical aspects to focus on.Try to use heat maps or movement patterns to help you collect this data.

Are you able to compare the performances of two different players/teams in the same game?

Again, appendix 1 will give you ideas on ways in which you could collect some data whilst watching your footage.

Now that you have more data to use you need to write a more detailed account of the performers or teams strengths or weaknesses of performance.

Select at least two different skills which you focused on or observed in your analysis. Examples could include a tackle in rugby, front crawl in swimming, shooting in netball, long-barrier stop in rounders or a pull shot in cricket.

Describe how to perform each of your skills. This could be best achieved by breaking the skills down and focusing on what each body part should do when performing the skill.

Appendix 2 has some examples to give you ideas on how to do this.

Extension

Perform the above task for a wider range of different skills (3-4).

Select at least one of the skills you focused on in task 3 and describe a range of practices that you would use to improve performance of this skill. Try to include an easier practice and a harder practice which will improve your skill.

Make sure that you include information on the equipment you would need for your practices. Diagrams may help to make your work clearer. Researching from books and the internet is recommended to help you with this task.

Extension

Repeat the above task for a larger number of skills.

For each skill make sure that you have differentiated the practices clearly so that beginners are able to use the easiest practice and more skilful performers can use the harder practices.

Try to ensure that your hardest practices are suitable for highly skilled performers.

What tactics/strategies/formations did you see during the footage that you watched? How did these impact on the overall performance of your player/team.

Extension

If you were the coach what changes to formations, tactics or strategies would you make? How would these changes help to improve the performance of your player/team?

Try to use technical vocabulary when discussing your formations, tactics or strategies.

Appendix 1

Data collection

Rounders batting
Hit / Miss
Football Shooting
GOAL / ON TARGET / OFF TARGET
TYPE
Header
Left foot
Right foot
Volley
LOCATION
Inside 6-yard box
Inside penalty area
Outside penalty area
Front crawl – number of arm pulls used in different parts of the race and time per length
Part of race / NUMBER OF ARM PULLS / TIME PER LENGTH
1st length
2nd length
3rd length
4th length
Netball Passing
Chest Pass / Bounce Pass / Shoulder Pass
successful / unsuccessful / successful / unsuccessful / successful / Unsuccessful
Player A / Player B
Ariel battles Won
Ariel battles Lost
Successful 1V1 defending
Unsuccessful 1V1 defending
Cross delivered into box from their attacking right side
Blocked crosses
Interceptions
Covered for centre backs
Clearances
Successful tackles
Unsuccessful / missed tackle
Short pass successful
Short pass unsuccessful
Long pass successful
Long pass unsuccessful

Appendix 2

Perfect model examples

Batting in rounders

Grip:

When batting you should have a good firm grip round the handle of the bat. Grip using one hand and making sure all fingers are around the handle. Remember the top of the bat should be pointing towards the sky.

High bat:

Hold the bat up high behind your head to get a big strong swing to hit the ball as far as possible.

Your non batting arm should be held above waist height with the elbow pointing at the bowler.

Awareness:

To get the most rounders, awareness is vital so before receiving a ball take a look around the field for any gaps and make sure they try and hit the ball between them. Your focus must be totally on the ball as it is released by the bowler.

Position:

When standing to bat remember to stand side on with your legs shoulder width apart. If your right handed stand with you left leg in front and vice versa if your left handed. Your knees should be slight bent so you are ready to spring with your weight on your back leg so you are ready to transfer your body weight into the ball.

Your non batting shoulder will determine the direction of the ball you hit so you should open or close your body position to point this shoulder in the direction of any gaps in the field.

Long Barrier Stop

Move towards the ball aggressively and get your body in line with the ball

Crouch down low

Torso: Turned sideways and balanced

Head: Balanced and looking at the ball

Legs: One knee on the floor

Feet: One foot on the floor so that the heel is touching the knee. The other foot extended so that the laces are making as much contact with the floor as possible

Hands: Fingers pointing at the floor

The ball then rolls into your hands and you need to spring up onto your feet and turn sideways with your throwing leg away from your throwing target so you can perform a powerful overarm throw.

Front Crawl swimming

Front crawl

Body position: Your body should be parallel with the water's surface and as flat as possible. If your legs or lower body are too low it will slow you down. Despite remaining flat, your body should rotate lengthways, rolling slightly from side to side. This allows you to extend your reach by engaging your back muscles.

Head: Don't look too far down towards the bottom of the pool - this lowers the body and reduces its streamlining effect through the water. Instead, aim for the water level to meet your forehead with your eyes beneath the water but look slightly upwards towards the end of the pool. But don't hold your head too high as this increases drag and strains the back and neck.

Breathing: Don't lift your head too high out of the water when you breathe - you will barely notice when an elite swimmer takes a breath and it should be as smooth as possible. If you breathe on every third stroke, you will take a breath on alternate sides. This encourages good balance in the water.

Arms: As you reach forward with the arm taking the stroke (the active arm), it should be fully extended for a moment before your hand catches the water. Enter with fingertips first and then the hand and forearm. Keep the elbow slightly higher than the forearm. It can help to imagine you are grabbing the water with the palm of your hand and pulling yourself past that hand. As you pull, keep the arm close to the body for streamlining, accelerating through the stroke. By the end of the stroke, the elbow should be straight. The hand should exit when it passes the hip, when the elbow should be flexed again.

Legs and feet: Kick from the hips, not the knees. It is vital to keep feet and ankles as loose and relaxed as possible - think of the way a dolphin's tail moves in the water. Flex your feet and you can send your body in the opposite direction or bring yourself to a virtual standstill.

Sprinting technique

Shoulders/headKeep your shoulders down and relaxed, and your head upright in line with the rest of the body. Keep the shoulders straight and avoid lateral rotation.
HipsPretend you're being pulled upwards by a string at the top of your head to achieve hip height. A strong mid-section is needed to keep them there and prevent collapse on impact.
KneesPush your knees forwards and up high. This will generate more power, encourage a longer stride and cover more distance.
FeetWhen the foot is coming towards the ground, lift the toes up towards the shin so your foot is horizontal. You should land on the midfoot, with the foot underneath the body, not in front.
ArmsArms should be loosely held at right angles and driven back at the elbow as far as possible. On the swing back forwards, pump your hands to shoulder level.
HeelsThese should come off the floor and travel high in an arc towards the bum, almost flicking it, before travelling through to the front.