Lesson 6 - Team Play and Competition
Progressive Skills & Game Tactics
•Year 4
•Hockey
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How can we use our hockey skills effectively in competitive team situations while supporting our teammates?
Learning Objectives
- Use a range of passes (push, slap) to build attacking play
- Apply tactics and teamwork to score goals in competitive situations
- Evaluate and suggest improvements for own and others' gameplay
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate varied passing techniques in game situations
- Students will work collaboratively to implement team tactics
- Students will provide constructive feedback to improve team performance
Equipment & Resources Required
Check stick height reaches students' hip bone
Alternative: Floor hockey sticks, shortened sticks for Reception/Year 1
Have spare balls available around pitch perimeter
Alternative: Tennis balls, foam balls for indoor use
Mark out multiple small pitches and goal areas
Alternative: Marker discs, chalk lines
Ensure clear colour distinction between teams
Alternative: Coloured bands, temporary tattoos
For drawing tactics and recording scores
Alternative: Clipboard with paper
For timing game periods
Alternative: Phone timer, classroom clock
Key Vocabulary
A tournament format where each team plays every other team once
Planned strategies used by a team to gain advantage
Managing energy throughout a game by varying running speed
Illegal contact with the rounded back of the hockey stick
Restart awarded when the opposing team commits an infringement
Goals scored minus goals conceded, used to separate teams on equal points
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Push pass technique and accuracy
- Slap hit for power
- Ball control and dribbling
- Basic defensive positioning
- Individual skill challenges
Current Skills
- Combining skills in competitive situations
- Team tactical awareness
- Pacing effort throughout games
- Providing constructive feedback
- Leadership and communication
Next Steps
- Advanced tactical systems
- Set piece strategies
- Tournament organisation
- Peer coaching and officiating
- Inter-school competition preparation
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Emphasise skill application under competitive pressure rather than just technique
- Encourage effective communication and teamwork throughout tournament
- Model and reinforce excellent sportsmanship in competitive situations
- Help students understand the importance of pacing for sustained performance
- Use competition as motivation while maintaining focus on learning and improvement
- Celebrate effort, improvement, and positive attitudes alongside results
- Connect individual skills learned to effective team play
Common Misconceptions
- Competition means winning at all costs - correct by emphasising sportsmanship and learning
- Only the winning team was successful - highlight improvements and positive behaviours from all teams
- Individual skill is more important than teamwork - demonstrate how team tactics lead to success
- Fast pace means constant sprinting - teach strategic pacing for game-long performance
- Hockey is just about hitting the ball hard - emphasise control and accuracy over power
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Break tournament into shorter game segments, provide clear role definitions, use movement and competition as positive energy outlets
dyspraxia
- Allow extra practice time with skills, modify equipment weight if needed, provide additional encouragement and patience
autism spectrum
- Provide clear structure and routine for tournament format, offer quiet space for breaks, prepare for potential sensory overload from excitement
visual impairment
- Use brightly coloured balls and bibs, provide verbal commentary during games, assign sighted buddy for guidance
hearing impairment
- Use clear visual signals for game starts/stops, provide written rules summary, ensure facing student when giving instructions
physical disability
- Adapt to seated hockey with appropriate equipment, modify pitch size and rules as needed, consider alternative roles like coaching
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Communication skills during team talks, vocabulary development with hockey terminology, descriptive language for performance analysis
Maths
Tournament point calculations, goal difference calculations, time management, statistical analysis of team performance
Science
Understanding heart rate during exercise, effect of pacing on performance, forces in hockey hits and passes
Geography
Spatial awareness on hockey pitch, tactical positioning, understanding of field dimensions and areas
PSHE
Teamwork and cooperation, leadership skills, resilience in competition, respect for opponents and officials
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Central position allowing observation of all tournament games, move between pitches regularly
Observation Focus
Skill application under pressure, team communication, pacing strategies, sportsmanship
Intervention Points
Poor sportsmanship, unsafe play, students struggling with competitive pressure
Demonstration Notes
Highlight positive examples during games, intervene with brief tactical guidance, celebrate good sportsmanship publicly
Verbal Cues
- •'Great team communication!'
- •'Remember to pace yourselves!'
- •'Choose your passes carefully!'
- •'Support your teammates!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 30m x 40m for multiple small-sided pitches, clear boundaries marked
Surface Check
Dry, even surface free from obstacles and hazards
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check hockey sticks for correct height and no damage
- •Ensure balls are properly inflated and suitable for surface
- •Verify bibs are secure and not torn
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Stick contact between students
- •Ball strikes to head or body
- •Collisions during competitive play
- •Fatigue leading to poor control
- •Over-competitive behaviour
Risk Mitigation
- •Emphasise and enforce no-contact rule consistently
- •Maintain adequate spacing between pitches
- •Monitor energy levels and encourage appropriate pacing
- •Position teacher for maximum visibility of all games
- •Have clear signals for stopping play if needed
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position centrally to observe multiple games simultaneously
- •Move regularly between pitches to maintain presence
- •Monitor for signs of fatigue affecting safety
- •Watch for escalating competitive emotions
Emergency Procedures
Stop all play immediately, assess situation, provide appropriate first aid or support, maintain calm environment