Coaches’ use of game-based approaches in team sports

Abstract

In sport, coaches play a pivotal role in the acquisition of the skills necessary for effective athlete performance. In recent years coaches are incorporating more game-based approaches (GBAs) to create a player-centred learning environment. In these sessions, coaches aim to replicate the demands of the competitive game environment, by coupling technical and tactical skills, to provide game-related problems for developing decision-making skills while reducing the amount of direct instruction they provide. While GBAs are recognised as an effective pedagogy, there is still a need to understand how coaches use these activities for athlete development. Therefore, this chapter synthesises the current knowledge on the use of GBAs in team sports (examining activity type and coach behaviour). Further, we provide examples of the strategies coaches use to incorporate GBAs into their sessions and highlight potential challenges when adopting this approach. Finally, we provide recommendations for practitioners, in relation to how to incorporate GBAs to their practice sessions, and sport coaching and pedagogy researchers to further our understanding of the strengths and limitations of GBAs for athlete development.