Game Sequence #1

Tactical Problem / Focus: Students will learn about placing shots in an open area which makes it impossible for an opponent to execute a returning smash.

Skill Focus: Students will learn how to:

• Move backwards and forwards in order to get to the birdie
• Make their opponent move backwards and forwards
  
• Execute a variety of badminton shots including the underhand / overhand clear and the underhand / overhand drop shot
  

Description

1. Students need to be in groups of two
2. Each group will need a tennis ball and a long, narrow badminton court (about one half of the actual badminton court is ideal)
3. The object of the game is to make the tennis ball land on the opponent's side of the net using only underhand throwing
4. The tennis ball must be caught before bouncing, and then immediately thrown (underhand!) back across the net

Simplification

• Students can use a larger ball if the tennis ball is too difficult to catch
• A "once bounce" rule can be put into effect if students have trouble moving quickly
  

Exaggeration

• The court can be made wider so that students need to move further to catch the ball
• A rule can be put into place so that students can only move when the ball has crossed the badminton net. This would reduce the time that the students have to get to where the ball is going in order to make the catch.

Modification

• Use a rubber chicken instead of a ball. The purpose of the game is to get students to realize that they should be throwing the ball into areas that are furthest away from the opponent. Any implement that will make the game more fun while keeping this goal in mind should be used.

Questions

Q: Why is it easy to catch the ball sometimes while it is difficult at other times?
A: I had to move to get the ball or the ball wasn't in the air long enough for me to get to it.

Q: If you don't want your opponent to catch the ball, where should you throw it?
A: To an open space far away from where my opponent is standing.

Q: Are there any sports that you can think of where this strategy would come in handy?
A: Yes. Badminton, tennis, volleyball, etc.

Progression #1

Description

1. Students will swap out the tennis ball for badminton rackets and a birdie
2. The court is the same, but now underhand and overhand shots are allowed
3. Instead of catching and throwing, students must now get the birdie across the net by hitting it with their racket

Simplification

• Reduce the size of the court. Although we are trying to teach strategy regarding movement, some students may really struggle with just hitting the birdie. Reducing the area of play makes it a little bit easier so that students can concentrate on placing shots rather than just worrying about getting the shot over the net.

Exaggeration

• Emphasize hitting the birdie as high as possible during clear shots to ensure that it goes over the opponent's reach, and to develop the specific muscles associated with hitting clear shots.
  
• Suggest hitting the top of the net with the birdie during drop shots. This is very tricky to do while still making the birdie go over the net, so it will give the students who are badminton pros something to strive for during this game.
  

Modification

• Disallow smashes. Lots of students have trouble hitting clear shots far enough, and we don't want those students to become scared of the birdie as a result of getting it smashed into their faces repeatedly.
• Use a volleyball net. This allows students the time to get under the birdie, and it also enforces nice high clear shots so that the birdie travels above the opponent while staying out of his or her reach.

Questions

Q:What is the easiest shot to return? Why?
A: Shots that were in the middle of the court. I didn't have to move in order to get them.

Q: What is the most difficult shot to return? Why?
A: Drop shot / clear shot / smash. I didn't have time to get to the birdie.

Q: How can we use this in a real game of badminton?
A: Hit a drop shot, followed by a clear, followed by a drop shot, etc. Get the opponent moving constantly.

Progression #2

Description

1. Students play again, this time in pairs on the full badminton court.
2. This is very similar to the actual game of badminton, but in true TGFU fashion, we aren't going to emphasize protocols for starting a game, rules of serving, or ideal shot mechanics. The students should again be focusing on placing shots away from the opponents, as well as how the extra opponent changes the various strategies regarding movement.

Simplification

• Go back to throwing a ball if the students don't understand the new strategies. Some students may be too focused on hitting the birdie rather than thinking about the tactics when there are two people per side.

Exaggeration

• Tape some circles in the corners of the court. If the team scores a point by getting the birdie to land in one of these designated areas, the point is worth 2 points. This will encourage students to place the birdie in areas which are extremely difficult to get to for the opposing team.

Modification

• Make the students switch who has to hit the birdie every time. So if I hit it this time, my teammate would have to hit the next return, then me again, etc. This would bring about new movement strategies related to other wall games such as doubles squash.
  

Questions

Q: What is the main difference when playing against two opponents rather than only one?
A: I can hit the birdie side to side with the wider area of play and it's harder to catch the opponents out of position.

Q: How did you decide who hit the birdie when it was close to both you and your teammate?
A: We didn't and we lost the point or we communicated and one of us took it.

Q:How were you and your partner arranged on your side of the net? Could there be a more effective way to cover the court while playing doubles?
A: Side to side / diagonal / front and back. Front and back is the best way to set up because it's easier to move to the sides than it is to constantly move backwards and forwards.

Game Sequence #2

Tactical Problem / Focus: Students will learn about the value and strategy of placing shots in the short range and the long range, as well as improving their aim.

Skill Focus: Students will learn how to:

• Move backwards and forwards in order to get to the birdie
• Make their opponent move backwards and forwards
  
• Execute a variety of badminton shots including the underhand / overhand clear and the underhand / overhand drop shot
  

Description

1. Students need to be in groups of two
2. Each group will need rackets and 6 birdies as well as a narrow badminton court (about one half of the actual badminton court is ideal)
3. The students will alternate and take turns trying to get 3 birdies in the front hoop (directly on the other side of the net) and 3 birdies in the back hoop (at the very back of the court)
4. For each birdie that lands in its target the student recieves a point.
5. The game goes back and forth untill both students have improved their short and long aim.

Simplification

• Students can use a tennis ball if the birdies are too difficult for them to aim.
• Once they have mastered the tennis ball, they should progress to the birdies again.
  

Exaggeration

• Smaller hoops can be used or the hoops can be moved to practice aiming for different range shots if the game becomes too easy.

Modification

• The students can be come the targets instead of using hoops. SAFETY NOTE--> NO OVER HAND SHOTS, ONLY UNDERHAND SHOTS CAN BE ALLOWED IF THE STUDENT IS THE TARGET. This will allow for the students to aim for a more realistic target, their opponent. This will help them develop the skills to rally.

Questions

Q: What is the purpose of aiming for these two specific areas?
A: These are two very difficult shots to return.

Q: Using these two shots how can I make it more difficult for my opponent
A: By alternating between the two areas.

Progression #1

Description

1. Students will put the hoops away and mark two zones on each side of the net with cones. One close to the net and one at the back of the court.
2. The court is the same, but now underhand and overhand shots are allowed
3. The students will play a game to 5, but a point can only be scored if the birdie lands in one of the two designated zones.

Simplification

• Make the zones at the front and back of the court bigger so that the space between them is smaller.
• Remove the net and play over a line on the floor.

Exaggeration

• The students must choose one area to stand in (ie they can not stand in the middle between the two areas) and they can not leave that area untill their opponent has made contact with the birdie.

Modification

• Disallow smashes. Lots of students have trouble hitting clear shots far enough, and we don't want those students to become scared of the birdie as a result of getting it smashed into their faces repeatedly.
• Use a volleyball net. This allows students the time to get under the birdie, and it also enforces nice high clear shots so that the birdie travels above the opponent while staying out of his or her reach.

Questions

Q:Where is the best place to shoot for?
A: The area that your opponent is not standing

Q: Where is the best position to stand on defense.
A: In the middle between the two areas, so that they are equal distance between each area.

Q: How can we use this in a real game of badminton?
A: By shooting back and forth between the two most difficult areas this ensures that your opponent is moving constantly.

Progression #2

Description

1. Students play again, this time in pairs on the full badminton court.
2. This is very similar to the actual game of badminton, but in true TGFU fashion, we aren't going to emphasize protocols for starting a game, rules of serving, or ideal shot mechanics. The students will still have two designated areas that they can score in, but now it will be a three foot space along the whole back of the court and up to the service line along the whole net.

Simplification

• Go back to throwing a ball if the students don't understand the new strategies. Some students may be too focused on hitting the birdie rather than thinking about the tactics when there are two people per side.
• Allow two hits per side, this will allow the studets to more time to decide where they will put the birdie, it will also allow for some team work.

Exaggeration

• To make it more difficult, each shot must alternate between team mates. Hopefully the students will have realized that it is easiest to have one player taking the shorter shots and one player taking the longer shots. (This will be addressed in the questions to follow). While each player must alternate taking shots, the opposing team can place the birdie in either area.

Modification

• If the students are still having trouble with these strategies, play this game with a tennis ball using only underhand shots. This will atleast allow them to learn and appreciate the different strategies involved in badminton.

Questions

Q: What is the best defensive strategy?
A: To designate a specific area to each player (eg. onestudent takes short, one takes long)

Q: What offensive strategy worked best when team mates had to alternate shots?
A: Putting the birdie in the same section twice, it forced the opponents to trade areas, multiple times.