Have you ever noticed teams of players, in territory/invasion games like soccer, rugby, basketball and hockey, when played well demonstrate a flowing and shifting synchronicity? Students, when playing a team game well, have a tendency to learn from each other sometimes without realizing it. When teaching using a games-based approach you see this more often if the game engages all the students. Rhodes and Hopper (2018) have referred to this phenomenon as a kind of nonconscious-mimicry (NCM). Mimicry plays a role both consciously when a student copies a teacher’s or peer’s demonstration, or non-conscious when one player picks up on the successful movement of another player. Rhodes and Hopper (2018) propose that NCM emerges in a self-organizing manner for players in relation to the rules and context of the games, formed often from countless hours of practice and play when using a ball. By self-organization they refer to a process where players combine to form a system around a common intent within a particular environment (Kauffman, 1997). As players self-organize they combine in their actions and co-evolve, effectively changing the environment for other players. However, if you watch young children play soccer for example, that self-organizing synchronicity only breaks out rarely, or is misplaced with the beehive effect of players chasing a ball wanting to kick it towards the goal. The NCM here has self-organized around the ball, not the team and the task of attacking the space with the object in order to score. Limited manipulative skills such as sending, dribbling or receiving the ball means it is sent chaotically around the field and out of play. Often this results in the teacher teaching manipulative skills in drills and practices that too often the children find boring, or some students are unable to do when they return to the game, meaning that the game lacks the excitement and flow of the synchronized movements described above.
What if we taught the team play movement first before adding in the ball? What if we could get our students to realize how they work as team to support the person with the object to create time when needed, to create space in attack or deny space for an opponent? What if they could pass the object without having to practice their sending and receiving skills? The game in Figure 1 called “invisible ball tag” addresses these questions by eliminating the physical ball by using an invisible ball (IB). Figure 1 summarizes the set-up and basic rules to start the game with scoring happening when a player runs between the gates with the IB. This game exaggerates working on the synchronicity between players on a team with a similar effect on the opposing team. The IB is passed from one player to the next by the sender calling the name of the player and the receiving player acknowledging receipt of IB by raising their hand. The opposing team gets the IB by tagging the player with the raised hand.
What if we taught the team play movement first before adding in the ball? What if we could get our students to realize how they work as team to support the person with the object to create time when needed, to create space in attack or deny space for an opponent? What if they could pass the object without having to practice their sending and receiving skills? The game in Figure 1 called “invisible ball tag” addresses these questions by eliminating the physical ball by using an invisible ball (IB). Figure 1 summarizes the set-up and basic rules to start the game with scoring happening when a player runs between the gates with the IB. This game exaggerates working on the synchronicity between players on a team with a similar effect on the opposing team. The IB is passed from one player to the next by the sender calling the name of the player and the receiving player acknowledging receipt of IB by raising their hand. The opposing team gets the IB by tagging the player with the raised hand.
To help you unpack this game below that paper walks you through a typical progression with the imagined learning process for a game with 4 on 4 players.
In Figure 2 a team of four players, John, Hong, Sue and Tom are playing invisible ball tag. Using the rules in Figure 1, John has his name called, he raises his hand to acknowledge he has the IB and runs to avoid being tagged. He then searches to see whom he could pass too. The self-organizing idea for the team with the IB is “Be quick, avoid being tagged.” Players on receivers team focus on “Get open to receive the IB.” The defending focus is to “tag the player with the IB” to get possession, but also “make sure you do not let the attacking team score”. At this point there is little synchronicity as players start to realize their role in trying to score or stop the opposing team from scoring.
In Figure 2 a team of four players, John, Hong, Sue and Tom are playing invisible ball tag. Using the rules in Figure 1, John has his name called, he raises his hand to acknowledge he has the IB and runs to avoid being tagged. He then searches to see whom he could pass too. The self-organizing idea for the team with the IB is “Be quick, avoid being tagged.” Players on receivers team focus on “Get open to receive the IB.” The defending focus is to “tag the player with the IB” to get possession, but also “make sure you do not let the attacking team score”. At this point there is little synchronicity as players start to realize their role in trying to score or stop the opposing team from scoring.
Figure 2 Initial set-up of game with players realizing how to pass and how to tag
In Figure 3 the players have learned to use the space to draw out the defending term. This form of self-organization develops from observing others (see NCM) and their use of space to receive the IB and also from any team planning where players elect to take a positional role in the team (i.e. more defensive or offensive). In Figure 3 the synchronicity is high as players make effective use of space: John draws two defenders by invading opponents’ territory, then quickly sends the IB back to Tom before being tagged. Tom, in the open defensive space has more time to look but attracts the tagging attention of a opposing player, so sends the IB to Hong who draws another player, then sends to Sue who was already making a run into the space behind the defenders. This space was created by John’s initial run that drew a defender away from the gate. Unless the defenders are really fast or pick up Sue’ run early, Sue will score.
Figure 3 Attacking spaces to draw out defenders then attacking created space.
Figure 4 focuses on the attacking team using width in attack to draw defenders away from the center of the defensive area. Again Hong starting from a deep position in her own half has time to select a pass to John as he makes a move out to the wing. As John raises his hand indicating he has the IB he draws the attention of a defender. John then passes to Tom who has made a similar move to the opposite wing having a similar effect on another defender. As these movements unfold Sue makes a diagonal cut across the opponents’ defensive area, behind the defenders, receiving a pass, as she is moving towards the goal. The combination of quick passes to use the width of the area, and Sue’s anticipatory run behind the defenders, creates this scoring opportunity.
Figure 4 Switching wings and diagonal cut
In Figure 3 and 4 the synchronicity of the players arises from their common understanding of the rules and commitment to invading with the IB to score. NCM creates patterns of play within the gameplay space and the rules that players observe and then try to mimic as situations arise. Collectively they operate as a complex learning system that communicates through calls, movements and emerging patterns that they start to notice. This noticing or perceiving can be augmented by teacher questions in line with the ideas advocated in the TGfU approach (Thorpe, Bunker & Almond, 1986). Such as “Where should you go after making a pass?”, “How can you create space for a teammate to attack?” or “How can you create time for your team to set up an attack?” Through players actions and the responses of the opponents, the attacking team is collectively learning how to use their movements in and out of spaces to create opportunities to attack, using time before being tagged to draw defenders then make passes to peers in space or who are making runs into openings. All these movements are made with changes of speed and direction in order to out maneuver the opposing team.
Figure 5 adds another possible synchronicity that builds on the previous two. From a teacher prompt such as “how can you attack the space behind a defender?” an attacking player with the IB can consider how to use their movement speed and quick passes. For example, as a defender moves to tag Hong who is moving forward with the IB, in order to avoid being tagged, Hong passes the IB to Tom but carries on running. Tom, sensing he might get tagged, sees that Hong is carrying on her run into space behind her defender so sends the IB back to Hong, creating the “1 - 2” pass or Give and Go.
Figure 5 adds another possible synchronicity that builds on the previous two. From a teacher prompt such as “how can you attack the space behind a defender?” an attacking player with the IB can consider how to use their movement speed and quick passes. For example, as a defender moves to tag Hong who is moving forward with the IB, in order to avoid being tagged, Hong passes the IB to Tom but carries on running. Tom, sensing he might get tagged, sees that Hong is carrying on her run into space behind her defender so sends the IB back to Hong, creating the “1 - 2” pass or Give and Go.
Figure 5 GIVE and GO
Hong’s ongoing movement creates a defensive issue for the two defenders guarding the gates who now have to ensure Hong cannot run through either of their gates. This is made more complex for them as the two other attacking players are taking up wide positions ready to move in on the gates to score if Hong makes a pass to them. Again synchronicity of movement relationship to space, time and speed between all four players creates an opportunity to score.
All these attacking interactions create a challenge for how to defend. A teacher could call a time-out and ask the teams to figure out how they can defend as a team. The next two examples suggest the type of defensive synchronicity that can emerge. Figure 6 presents the first defensive option where the defending team marks a player from the other team. This means the defending players shadow a player on the attacking team and if their player gets the IB then they try to tag the player without letting them get past them. However, if an attacking player does pass a player then another defending player needs to swap to pick up the free attacker; their beaten teammate then picking up the player they were making as indicated in Figure 6. The defending team works as a single unit focused on keeping gate side of the attacking players at all times.
All these attacking interactions create a challenge for how to defend. A teacher could call a time-out and ask the teams to figure out how they can defend as a team. The next two examples suggest the type of defensive synchronicity that can emerge. Figure 6 presents the first defensive option where the defending team marks a player from the other team. This means the defending players shadow a player on the attacking team and if their player gets the IB then they try to tag the player without letting them get past them. However, if an attacking player does pass a player then another defending player needs to swap to pick up the free attacker; their beaten teammate then picking up the player they were making as indicated in Figure 6. The defending team works as a single unit focused on keeping gate side of the attacking players at all times.
Figure 6 One-on-one marking in defense
Alternatively, in Figure 7 the defending team guards the high priority space in front of the gates by taking up a zone that adjusts to who has the IB and other players on the attacking team. The zones defended by the players’ adjusts as the players move as a synchronized whole, looking to tag any attacking player who receives the IB within their zone.
Figure 8 highlights the shift and synchronicity that happens between the players as the team transitions from attacking with the IB to defending. In this example Hong has tagged the attacker and now has a free pass, either back to safety where Tom is in support or forward to either wing where John and Sue have moved to stretch the defense; if the defending team does not retreat quickly enough either John or Sue can score. This rapid shift of role quickly forces the players to read the situation and respond with movements to either counter the attack or leave an easy opportunity to score.
Figure 8 Transition from defense to offence
Conclusion
Invisible ball tag draws on movement, as a form of literacy, communicating intent through movement to teammates. This form of human interpersonal synchrony and NCM, at its most basic level constitutes a communication network. This network has evolved over time to provide shortcuts in learning essential survival tasks. The game of invisible ball tag, played with an imaginary object, creates the ideal situation for players to see each other’s actions in the complex dance of attacking and defending the goals. This game allows the teacher to help the players learn to play as a team, to respond to their opponents working as a team, challenging players to adapt to their peers both on their own team and the opposing team. In this way players mimic, synchronize and co-evolve through the emerging interactions of the game.
References
Kauffman, S. (1997). At home in the universe: The search for the laws of self-organization and complexity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Rhoades, J. L., & Hopper, T. F. (2018). Utilizing Student Socio-coordinated Mimicry: Complex Movement Conversations in Physical Education. Quest, 0(0), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2017.1373683
Thorpe, R., Bunker, D., & Almond, L. (1986). Rethinking games teaching. Loughborough: University of Technology, Loughborough.
Invisible ball tag draws on movement, as a form of literacy, communicating intent through movement to teammates. This form of human interpersonal synchrony and NCM, at its most basic level constitutes a communication network. This network has evolved over time to provide shortcuts in learning essential survival tasks. The game of invisible ball tag, played with an imaginary object, creates the ideal situation for players to see each other’s actions in the complex dance of attacking and defending the goals. This game allows the teacher to help the players learn to play as a team, to respond to their opponents working as a team, challenging players to adapt to their peers both on their own team and the opposing team. In this way players mimic, synchronize and co-evolve through the emerging interactions of the game.
References
Kauffman, S. (1997). At home in the universe: The search for the laws of self-organization and complexity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Rhoades, J. L., & Hopper, T. F. (2018). Utilizing Student Socio-coordinated Mimicry: Complex Movement Conversations in Physical Education. Quest, 0(0), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2017.1373683
Thorpe, R., Bunker, D., & Almond, L. (1986). Rethinking games teaching. Loughborough: University of Technology, Loughborough.
