By Sean Fullerton, M.Ed., CSCS
Twitter: SeanUNMlobos
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sean-Fullerton-2
Twitter: SeanUNMlobos
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sean-Fullerton-2
EForce Football in Portland, Oregon, incorporated a game-based approach (GBA) for their summer 2023 youth American football skills camp. EForce Football “is a holistic program rooted in the Long-Term Athlete Development Model that includes; skill development sessions, games, strength/speed training, and classroom football sessions” (EForcesports.com, retrieved July 2023). The summer camp was open and welcome to all 3rd through 8th graders with any level of football experience. It was a 12-session camp, held three days a week for two hours. Because players have varying levels of experience, ages, and attendance, a camp curriculum had to accommodate all campers. The previous year's camp was designed mostly with a traditional skills-based approach, with skill development drills taking place before games. Prior to the 2023 camp, I consulted with EForce on some strategies to refine their curriculum and instruction for the camp. A GBA was integrated along with backwards design of the curriculum (Lund & Tannehill, 2015). This blog will overview the planning, implementation, and reflection of these strategies.
Planning
In the weeks leading up to the camp, I met with EForce and pitched the GBA and how to plan the curriculum through backwards design. I described the GBA mostly through the Tactical Games Approach, including a modified game, tactical questions, practice tasks, and a second modified game (Mitchell et al., 2020). Coaches were on board, mostly attracted to increased time spent in gameplay, motivation to practice, and contextual link between gameplay and practice drills. From there, a survey was sent out to lead coaches to narrow the scope of skills and tactics of the camp, followed by creating a sequence of learning activities. American football is a complex invasion sport and with our camp attendees having varying levels of experience, the specific scope of what would be taught was critical. After creating learning outcomes and identifying relevant skills and tactics, a Block Plan was created that outlined basic offensive and defensive skills and tactics that would be the focus of each session. The week prior to the camp, all the coaches met on zoom to go over the GBA, Block Plan, and other coaching itineraries. The biggest emphasis that was made to coaches was to think game-like when creating and implementing practice tasks and pose questions to players. The modified games planned throughout the camp were 1on1’s 2on3’s, 3on4’s and modified 5on5 or 7on7 games and players would be grouped based on their grade levels throughout the camp.
Implementation
Game-based approach teaching “is and should be a messy experience” (Dania, 2022), which sums up our implementation throughout the camp sessions. Throughout the first two weeks, it was evident that players, especially at the younger ages (3rd and 4th grade) would benefit by incorporating a focus on personal and social responsibility (i.e. sportsmanship, being a good teammate, and helping others; Hellison, 2011). Additionally, the attendance of the younger age groups was less than the previous summer, so the decision was made to include them with the older ages (5th and 6th grade group). Cooperative activities were incorporated into warm-ups to further emphasize teamwork and fun. Players were grouped heterogeneously for warm-ups and speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) stations to promote cooperation along with competition. The coaches implemented some game-like SAQ stations, incorporating chasing-fleeing-dodging tasks that mimic football contexts and fun competitions and reaction drills that included linear and curved sprinting, and change of direction. The warm-up and SAQ stations followed the RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) protocol through developmentally appropriate methods (Haff & Triplett, 2016).
Our skill portion of the sessions followed a play-practice-play format starting with a modified game, then practice tasks, and ending with a modified game. However, some players struggled to engage in gameplay, with varying levels of football-specific skills and experience. During the second week, a modified plan emerged to focus more on skill development and decrease the time spent in specialized competition (i.e. modified game). The general plan that was utilized for the last 2 weeks of camp, after warm-ups and SAQ stations, included a station-rotation format with three offensive skill stations followed by three defensive skill stations, culminating with modified games.
The primary objective once moving to the station rotation schedule was to include practice tasks for a variety of skills required in football within a mix of closed and open environments. It was important to include both fun, game-like tasks as well as more traditional skill development drills focusing on different aspects of offensive or defensive skills or tactics (i.e. running a route, reacting to an offensive player, avoiding a defender). Players were grouped homogenously during the skill station rotation and coaches “water-downed” their stations while working with younger players to make tasks simpler.
The sessions still concluded with a modified game. To promote autonomy, players had a choice of what type of modified game they wanted to participate in to match their skill, preference, and motivation level. For example, modified game options included 1on1’s, 2v3, 3v4, Flashball, Downball, and 7v7. Two options were available on a given day, depending on the session. See Table 1 for an example revised session schedule.
The modified versions of football primarily taught were 1v1, 2v3, 3v4, Flashball, Down Ball, and traditional 7v7. All modified games are played on a 20-30 x 40-50 yd field with 4-8 players per side. Flashball follows the same rules as ultimate frisbee. Down Ball adds downs and a line of scrimmage where players cannot run with the ball and the ball is down wherever it is caught, teams have 4 downs to cross mid-field to earn a first down, and every possession starts on the opponent's 10-yard line. Additional rule modifications include 5 seconds to pass the ball, a new player must receive the ball each play, and there must be a new quarterback for each possession.
During the camp, players were encouraged to try different positions and there were lineman portions of the camp, specifically during skill practice. Some days, if there were enough lineman players, a line coach would work separately with players during the station rotation. Otherwise, a general blocking station was incorporated so that all players could learn the fundamentals of blocking, as blocking is inherent to all positions. Additionally, quarterbacks also received specific coaching from a quarterbacks coach during the station-rotation portion, after which they were integrated into stations where they threw to players during the station. Linemen were incorporated into modified games to be able to develop a variety of skills through gameplay.
Planning
In the weeks leading up to the camp, I met with EForce and pitched the GBA and how to plan the curriculum through backwards design. I described the GBA mostly through the Tactical Games Approach, including a modified game, tactical questions, practice tasks, and a second modified game (Mitchell et al., 2020). Coaches were on board, mostly attracted to increased time spent in gameplay, motivation to practice, and contextual link between gameplay and practice drills. From there, a survey was sent out to lead coaches to narrow the scope of skills and tactics of the camp, followed by creating a sequence of learning activities. American football is a complex invasion sport and with our camp attendees having varying levels of experience, the specific scope of what would be taught was critical. After creating learning outcomes and identifying relevant skills and tactics, a Block Plan was created that outlined basic offensive and defensive skills and tactics that would be the focus of each session. The week prior to the camp, all the coaches met on zoom to go over the GBA, Block Plan, and other coaching itineraries. The biggest emphasis that was made to coaches was to think game-like when creating and implementing practice tasks and pose questions to players. The modified games planned throughout the camp were 1on1’s 2on3’s, 3on4’s and modified 5on5 or 7on7 games and players would be grouped based on their grade levels throughout the camp.
Implementation
Game-based approach teaching “is and should be a messy experience” (Dania, 2022), which sums up our implementation throughout the camp sessions. Throughout the first two weeks, it was evident that players, especially at the younger ages (3rd and 4th grade) would benefit by incorporating a focus on personal and social responsibility (i.e. sportsmanship, being a good teammate, and helping others; Hellison, 2011). Additionally, the attendance of the younger age groups was less than the previous summer, so the decision was made to include them with the older ages (5th and 6th grade group). Cooperative activities were incorporated into warm-ups to further emphasize teamwork and fun. Players were grouped heterogeneously for warm-ups and speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) stations to promote cooperation along with competition. The coaches implemented some game-like SAQ stations, incorporating chasing-fleeing-dodging tasks that mimic football contexts and fun competitions and reaction drills that included linear and curved sprinting, and change of direction. The warm-up and SAQ stations followed the RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) protocol through developmentally appropriate methods (Haff & Triplett, 2016).
Our skill portion of the sessions followed a play-practice-play format starting with a modified game, then practice tasks, and ending with a modified game. However, some players struggled to engage in gameplay, with varying levels of football-specific skills and experience. During the second week, a modified plan emerged to focus more on skill development and decrease the time spent in specialized competition (i.e. modified game). The general plan that was utilized for the last 2 weeks of camp, after warm-ups and SAQ stations, included a station-rotation format with three offensive skill stations followed by three defensive skill stations, culminating with modified games.
The primary objective once moving to the station rotation schedule was to include practice tasks for a variety of skills required in football within a mix of closed and open environments. It was important to include both fun, game-like tasks as well as more traditional skill development drills focusing on different aspects of offensive or defensive skills or tactics (i.e. running a route, reacting to an offensive player, avoiding a defender). Players were grouped homogenously during the skill station rotation and coaches “water-downed” their stations while working with younger players to make tasks simpler.
The sessions still concluded with a modified game. To promote autonomy, players had a choice of what type of modified game they wanted to participate in to match their skill, preference, and motivation level. For example, modified game options included 1on1’s, 2v3, 3v4, Flashball, Downball, and 7v7. Two options were available on a given day, depending on the session. See Table 1 for an example revised session schedule.
The modified versions of football primarily taught were 1v1, 2v3, 3v4, Flashball, Down Ball, and traditional 7v7. All modified games are played on a 20-30 x 40-50 yd field with 4-8 players per side. Flashball follows the same rules as ultimate frisbee. Down Ball adds downs and a line of scrimmage where players cannot run with the ball and the ball is down wherever it is caught, teams have 4 downs to cross mid-field to earn a first down, and every possession starts on the opponent's 10-yard line. Additional rule modifications include 5 seconds to pass the ball, a new player must receive the ball each play, and there must be a new quarterback for each possession.
During the camp, players were encouraged to try different positions and there were lineman portions of the camp, specifically during skill practice. Some days, if there were enough lineman players, a line coach would work separately with players during the station rotation. Otherwise, a general blocking station was incorporated so that all players could learn the fundamentals of blocking, as blocking is inherent to all positions. Additionally, quarterbacks also received specific coaching from a quarterbacks coach during the station-rotation portion, after which they were integrated into stations where they threw to players during the station. Linemen were incorporated into modified games to be able to develop a variety of skills through gameplay.
Table 1: Station-Rotation Example Session
Schedule |
Skill or Tactic focus |
Warm-up |
Cooperative challenge Basic gymnastics Dynamic stretches |
SAQ Station #1 |
Chasing-fleeing-dodging |
SAQ Station #2 |
Jump-hop-bounding |
SAQ Station #3 |
Lateral change of direction |
Skill Station #1 |
Route running (refer to Block Plan) |
Skill Station #2 |
Press releases/juke the defender |
Skill Station #3 |
Blocking fundamentals and mirror challenge |
Skill Station #4 |
Reaction and pass break-up |
Skill Station #5 |
Backpedal drills |
Skill Station #6 |
1on1’s (refer to Block Plan) |
Modified Gameplay |
Option 1: Specific Competition Option 2: General Competition |
Reflection
Motor learning and motivation are enhanced within practice environments that are interesting, fun, and specific to the performance context. Most players participating in the camp are in the Learning to train, Training to Train or Sampling or Specializing stage of athletic development (Bayli et al., 2013; Côté et al., 2007). For these reasons, it was important to focus on skill development and fun, with a mix of football-specific training. In addition to developing competence, emphasizing relatedness through positive relationships within a fun environment and providing autonomy was important as we moved through the camp so that players could develop intrinsic motivation related to participation in football and sport in general. Some players were taking part in additional S&C sessions at their school, so it was important to not over-emphasize specialized training and competition, and promote fun, enjoyment of sport, and skill development.
Other than myself, all coaches had minimal experience or formal education on the GBA. After the camp, coaches were presented with an anonymous survey to gauge their experience in coaching the camp. All coaches that completed the survey (n=5) said it was their first time using a GBA. It appeared that playing and coaching experience helped them implement a GBA. One coach explicitly stated that their “background of coaching sports and playing helped [implement a game-based approach].” Difficulties in implementing a GBA as described by coaches included coming up with drills that were game-like and players transitioning between conventional practice tasks (closed environment) and game-like tasks involving play (open environment). A coach stated that “kids enjoyed playing early on, but the first 5 minutes of practice times the kids were still in play mode,” another stated it was difficult “getting the kids to transition back to practice.” Coaches thought that the GBA was received well because “it gave them [players] more freedom and less instruction led drill work,” players were “more engaged and had more fun,” as coaches stated. One coach attributed their likeness of the GBA to the fact that “kids like to play.” Most coaches (4/5) thought their involvement in the camp impacted their perspective moving forward and the likelihood of using a GBA in the future. I believe professional development and more coaching opportunities would further empower coaches to implement a GBA with increased fidelity. A list of takeaways from the Summer 2023 camp is below.
Takeaways:
Motor learning and motivation are enhanced within practice environments that are interesting, fun, and specific to the performance context. Most players participating in the camp are in the Learning to train, Training to Train or Sampling or Specializing stage of athletic development (Bayli et al., 2013; Côté et al., 2007). For these reasons, it was important to focus on skill development and fun, with a mix of football-specific training. In addition to developing competence, emphasizing relatedness through positive relationships within a fun environment and providing autonomy was important as we moved through the camp so that players could develop intrinsic motivation related to participation in football and sport in general. Some players were taking part in additional S&C sessions at their school, so it was important to not over-emphasize specialized training and competition, and promote fun, enjoyment of sport, and skill development.
Other than myself, all coaches had minimal experience or formal education on the GBA. After the camp, coaches were presented with an anonymous survey to gauge their experience in coaching the camp. All coaches that completed the survey (n=5) said it was their first time using a GBA. It appeared that playing and coaching experience helped them implement a GBA. One coach explicitly stated that their “background of coaching sports and playing helped [implement a game-based approach].” Difficulties in implementing a GBA as described by coaches included coming up with drills that were game-like and players transitioning between conventional practice tasks (closed environment) and game-like tasks involving play (open environment). A coach stated that “kids enjoyed playing early on, but the first 5 minutes of practice times the kids were still in play mode,” another stated it was difficult “getting the kids to transition back to practice.” Coaches thought that the GBA was received well because “it gave them [players] more freedom and less instruction led drill work,” players were “more engaged and had more fun,” as coaches stated. One coach attributed their likeness of the GBA to the fact that “kids like to play.” Most coaches (4/5) thought their involvement in the camp impacted their perspective moving forward and the likelihood of using a GBA in the future. I believe professional development and more coaching opportunities would further empower coaches to implement a GBA with increased fidelity. A list of takeaways from the Summer 2023 camp is below.
Takeaways:
- Include both general (e.g. chasing-fleeing-dodging) and specific skill development (e.g. guarding an wide receiver on a pass route).
- Open and closed practice environments should be specific to performance environment (i.e. tasks required in the modified game).
- Think game-like when designing practice tasks or SAQ stations.
- Pose questions to players to encourage critical thinking.
- Promote autonomy through the choice of modified games.
- Incorporate resistance training skills in SAQ stations (i.e. lunge, push, squat, jump/hop, etc.).
- Plan ahead, adjust on the fly.
- Promote personal and social responsibility throughout camp (i.e. being respectful, self-control, fairness, helping others, etc.).
- Group heterogeneously to emphasize cooperation and social learning, homogeneously during competition.
- Ease into competitive environments as competence develops.
- Assist coaches in creating game-like practice tasks.
- Emphasis the Block Plan each day to stay on track with the skill or tactical focus.
References
Balyi, I., Way, R., & Higgs, C. (2013). Long-term athlete development (1st ed.). Human Kinetics.
Côté, J., Baker, J., & Abernethy, B. (2007). Practice and play in the development of Sport expertise. In R. Eklund & G. Tenenbaum (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology (184–202). Wiley
Dania, A. (2022, September 2). The messiness of Game-Based teaching. TGfU.Info. Retrieved July 23, 2023, from http://www.tgfu.info/blog/the-messiness-of-game-based-teaching
Football. (n.d.). EFORCE SPORTS. Retrieved July 31, 2023, from https://www.eforcesports.com/
Haff, G. G., & Triplett, N. T. (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. In Human Kinetics eBooks. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/1882/
Hellison, D. R. (2011). Teaching personal and social responsibility through physical activity. In Human Kinetics eBooks. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781718208919
Lund, J., & Tannehill, D. (2015). Standards-based physical education curriculum development (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Mitchell, S. A., Oslin, J. L., Griffin, L. L (2020). Teaching Sport Concepts and Skills: A Tactical Games Approach (4th Ed.). Human Kinetics.
Balyi, I., Way, R., & Higgs, C. (2013). Long-term athlete development (1st ed.). Human Kinetics.
Côté, J., Baker, J., & Abernethy, B. (2007). Practice and play in the development of Sport expertise. In R. Eklund & G. Tenenbaum (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology (184–202). Wiley
Dania, A. (2022, September 2). The messiness of Game-Based teaching. TGfU.Info. Retrieved July 23, 2023, from http://www.tgfu.info/blog/the-messiness-of-game-based-teaching
Football. (n.d.). EFORCE SPORTS. Retrieved July 31, 2023, from https://www.eforcesports.com/
Haff, G. G., & Triplett, N. T. (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. In Human Kinetics eBooks. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/1882/
Hellison, D. R. (2011). Teaching personal and social responsibility through physical activity. In Human Kinetics eBooks. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781718208919
Lund, J., & Tannehill, D. (2015). Standards-based physical education curriculum development (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Mitchell, S. A., Oslin, J. L., Griffin, L. L (2020). Teaching Sport Concepts and Skills: A Tactical Games Approach (4th Ed.). Human Kinetics.
