DUAL VERSUS TEAM SPORTS

A dual sport is one that is played by only two competing persons, such as
fencing or tennis. A team sport involves a group of players coming together to
achieve a common purpose, so there is a completely different dynamic at play.

Now, obviously there are hundreds, if not thousands, of dual and team sports
out there so we can not cover them all in one lesson. There are many strategies to
employ when teaching dual and team sports, and the two coaching styles can be very
different. There are common threads, however, that do exist among virtually all
sports.

DUAL SPORTS

Tennis is one of the most popular dual sports, so let us discuss it as an

example of teaching a dual sport athlete.

There are four critical elements involved in teaching a dual sports skill. The
coach must first instruct the student on how to perform the skill. She then provides an
actual demonstration of the skill. Afterward, the student practices the skill, and
finally, the student performs the skill so the coach can evaluate and confirm the
student’s knowledge.

THERE ARE ALSO FOUR VARIOUS STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING

CRITICAL ELEMENTS, TECHNIQUES, AND PROPER FORM:

1. Part Method - If a coach were to teach a tennis serve, she would break it down
into component parts.
 First there would be the stance,
 Then perhaps a bounce or two of the ball,
 Then the toss,
 Then bringing the racquet back,
 Then hitting the ball,
 And finally the follow through.
 The athlete would then practice the separate parts, not necessarily in sequential
order, before putting them all together.

2. Chaining
This is sometimes called the progressive part method, and is similar to the
part method. The athlete learns how to do a skill, in sequential order, and then chains
them all together into one fluid movement.

3. Whole Method
Here, the coach demonstrates the entire skill from start to finish. The athlete
then attempts to replicate that skill. For example, the coach would serve a tennis ball
from start to finish and then have the pupil try to mimic the movements. This method
tends to work best for rapid movements.

4. Whole-Part-Whole Method
This is in essence a combination of the whole and part methods. The coach
would demonstrate the entire skill, and then break it down into its component parts.
This allows the student to work on his weaknesses more than his strengths. Then, the
student may eventually demonstrate the entire skill back to the coach.

The athlete has no teammates to rely on to help here, and so she gets to take all
of the credit for her victories. On the other hand, she must also shoulder all of the
blame for her losses. Coaching this type of athlete tends to involve a lot of mental
preparation. There is also often an intense one-on-one dynamic between a player and
an opponent.

These rivalries can be legendary. In some cases, one player may have a mental
advantage over another player with equal physical talents. This is known as having
the edge over that player. Sometimes a mental edge develops naturally and cannot
really be explained; however, it can just as often be learned. The coach can have the
player practice in rain, wind, or extreme temperatures. The coach can also have
people yell, boo, whistle, and throw items to mimic an unruly crowd.
In this lesson, we discuss how to modify dual and team sports, which allows for
students of all levels and physical abilities to participate in the action and helps to
keep the children safe from injuries as well.

WHY MODIFY SPORTS

Because of the strenuous nature of many sports or other factors, not all
students can participate. This is where educators may modify, or make subtle changes
to reduce an extreme nature, both dual and team sports, to make them more user
friendly to all students of all abilities.

HOW TO MODIFY SPORTS

For example, football is the most popular team sport in America based on
television ratings. However, it is a somewhat violent sport and involves the use of
hundreds of dollars worth of expensive pads and helmets. To modify the sport, a
coach can have his students play flag football. The students wear flags that stick out
of their pockets and a tackle instead occurs when someone on the opposing team pulls
a flag. The game can be further modified by banning certain types of blocks and hard
physical contact.

Now, let us look at an example of a coach modifying a dual sport. Tennis is

probably the most popular dual sport in America. It is a highly athletic pursuit that
involves endurance, strength, and athleticism. However, in a one-hour physical
education class, it is too difficult for many students to play. In tennis, there are two
serves allowed, but for the average amateur, the task is time-consuming and too
difficult. The coach can modify the serve by ruling that the server need not get the
ball into the small service box, but merely get the ball over the net. The coach can
also modify the game by allowing the students to hit the ball after two bounces
instead of only one bounce. Third, the coach can allow the students to use the whole
court, including the doubles regions on the side, instead of just the singles area.