Teaching Games For Understanding (TGfU) and Game Sense

Various professionals have been advocating a model called Teaching Games for Understanding, for over 2 decades.

TGfU is an innovative way to teach games understanding whilst also enabling players to practice the techniques required to play a game well in a game-like setting.

TGfU places the learner (player / student) at the centre of the learning experience rather than putting the coach at the centre as the fount of all knowledge.

For years, teachers and coaches have approached the challenge of games teaching from a perspective of technique first, game second.
The trouble is that it has been recognised that players who master or, at least, become competent at these techniques do not always transfer them well to the game.
It is as though they have ‘trained to train’ (this is not a reference to the LTPD/ LTAD profile) but have not trained or practised to play the game itself.

When Can We Have a Game, Coach?

Anyone who has ever coached children, whether at school or in a club environment, will be familiar with the question “When can we have a game?”

It was almost as though the game was the reward for correctly practising the techniques through a series of linear, static (or ‘constant’) drills.

TGfU evolved from exactly the notion that players need to be able to combine tactical understanding with technique development and the execution of decision and technique choice becomes the ‘skill’ that is required by the game.

Playing Games

The model requires the teacher / coach to identify the tactical problems of the game being taught and to provide a representative and exaggerated version of the game which will create the problems that the player is required to solve, during the game itself.

The teacher must also prepare a series of likely questions to ask the players in order to tease out their understanding and problem solving skills about the challenges they face. The questions may be along the lines of “What were you trying to do? What did you see? What would happen if that player moved there? What else could you have done? Why did you choose that option?” and so on.

The answers generated by the players will indicate the level to which they understand and are trying to resolve the problem.


Key-Word Bingo

There is always the danger with younger players / children that they can get to understand that the coach is looking for certain answers in order to judge understanding.
This can be a pre-cursor to a sort of ‘key-word bingo’ where the coach asks “What are you looking for?” and the players says ‘Space!’ and coach says ‘ Good answer!’ - The key is to probe the players - ‘So, when you say you are looking for space, what do you mean? Why do you need to find space? Where is the space?’ and so on.

So, the combination of games designed to replicate a specific tactical problem experienced in the game and where that problems arises often, together with an idea of questions we need to ask to test players understanding will, I believe, enhance their overall learning.

Game Sense

Game Sense is a variation of the TGfU model developed by Australian coaches bringing a slightly more structured approach to the concept.

It has been adopted from grassroots to elite level of sports in Australia and its strengths are seen as:
• Development of an ability to work off the ball
• Transfer of training / practice into the game (see above)
• Development of independent players (i.e. not reliant on the coach)
• Motivation of players at practice (playing ‘games’ rather than performing ‘drills’
• The inclusive nature of the type of training / practice

Chaos !

“The Game Sense approach can appear chaotic. The game itself is chaotic. You go out and the game is chaotic and they’re the conditions you have to train for. You have to replicate the game in training and develop players who can make sense of the chaos.” - Les Bee, manager of coaching and officiating Victoria Coaching Centre, Australia.

‘On My Word - Unleash the Athletes….’

From a club hierarchy and sometimes parents of junior players’ perspectives, Game Sense / TGfU approaches to player development can seem chaotic. There can be multiple players with multiple balls (as in football/soccer) all moving around in a smallish area and it can be difficult to see what the learning focus is to the casual observer.

Standing players in neat lines, making them run pre-determined patterns making a particular type of pass, for example looks good and well ordered but as we have examined in the lack of skill to game transference, is it very useful?
Additionally, it tends to isolate the less well developed players by constantly identifying what they can’t do, rather than what they can. Immersion in the game (or a representation of it) allows even the less well developed player to find the joy and expression of the game without having to be ‘an expert’.

If we are to fight the onslaught of child and later, adult, obesity, we must find ways for people to play sport throughout their lives. Game Sense and TGfU, as models help us to provide that in order to engage players in the joy of playing for its own sake.

The use of the Game Sense approach also helps provide coaches with a way to develop more complete players - players with adaptable skills, tactical understanding, vision and an ability to make informed decisions.

Whole-Part-Whole

There is absolutely no problem in providing a game related practice whereby the players begin to understand the need to practice a particular technique and then the coach isolating a practice to work on that aspect before returning to the game again.

Practices

Practices can, simplistically, be said to be on a continuum from Constant, to Variable to Random.

Constant will perhaps represent a simple line passing drill where the inside of the foot push pass is practiced.
A variable practice will perhaps be represented by the ‘Through The Gate Game’ from the FA Level 1 certificate where multiple teams are passing their own ball through a series of gates with no DIRECT opposition but lots of INTERFERENCE from the other players.
A random practice would be replicated by a game of 4v4 with full opposition.

Make A Change

Obviously there are degrees of difficulty across the spectrum which it is the coach’s challenge to find in order to appropriately challenge the players under their tutelage.
This can be done by varying challenges set for the players by changing the size or shape of the area used, changing the number of players in the practice (e.g. maybe have a 6v2 instead of a 4v4) and even changing the equipment used.

So, if you are looking to teach players to find and use space, maybe use an American football in a hand ball game variation rather than having a football at their feet. That allows them to play with their head up and recognise where and when their team-mates move into space and when, where and how to pass the ball to avoid opponents.

It is fair to say that the TGfU or Game Sense approach is a long term development approach and definitely does not provide a ‘quick fix’. However, use of TGfU also allows coaches / teachers in an educational environment to categorise and sample games which are similar in objective for the benefit of students. So, as an example, ‘invasion’ or ‘territorial’ games will have similar objectives and therefore, problems.

Using basketball and soccer as examples, the tactical problems are, broadly speaking, the same. There is also evidence to suggest that players who play both, also play both better than those who only play one game.

FA Youth Awards

The new FA Youth Awards capture a great deal of that which is discussed here and are a great introduction to a way of coaching that, whilst certainly not new, is a definite deviation from what is considered to be a ‘traditional’ coaching approach.

Source: Teaching Games for Understanding - Theory, Research and Practice by Linda L. Griffin and Joy I. Butler