STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES

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STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES
A STRUCTURE is the FORMATIONS and ORGANISATIONS
that teams use in different activities.
For example, a 131 attack formation in
Basketball or a 212 ZONE DEFENCE
A STRATEGY is the management of the TACTICS of
the Game HOW you APPLY the STRUCTURE
TACTICS are a PRE DETERMINED GAME PLAN which are
designed to make the MOST of Your teams
STRENGTHS and EXPLOIT your OPPONENTS WEAKNESSES.
TACTICS can be defined as procedures for applying
specific offensive/ defensive plans to Meet
match demands.
During PRACTICE SESSIONS players should practice
set moves in order to be able to meet a Variety
of game demands.
The ability of players to participate in or
execute a STRATEGY or TACTICAL PLAN will Depend
on the players TECHNICAL, PHYSICAL and MENTAL
qualities.
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KEY CONCEPT 1 THE STRUCTURES, STRATEGIES AND
COMPOSITIONAL ELEMENTS THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO
ACTIVITIES
Key feature STRUCTURE and STRATEGY FUNDAMENTALS
Why use STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES ?
So that you can
CONTROL SPACE
PRESSURISE OPPONENTS
CONTROL TEMPO OF PLAY
APPLY PRINCIPLES OF PLAY
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Control Space
Applying structures and strategies allows you to
CONTROL SPACE.
In ATTACK you can CREATE and EXPLOIT SPACE
In DEFENCE you can DENY SPACE
You can MANOEUVRE and OUT MANOEUVRE OPPONENTS
by controlling SPACE
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Pressurise Opponents
In ATTACK you can pressurise OPPONENTS by
OVERLOADING an AREA of the COURT Eg. Creating a
3v2 situation in the right lane.
In DEFENCE you can PRESSURISE OPPONENTS and DENY
them the SPACE that they would want to utilise
in their attack.
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Control Tempo of Play
Applying structures and strategies may allow you
to control the tempo of play
In ATTACK you may use a FAST BREAK where you want
to use SPEED to outmanoeuvre your OPPONENTS
In DEFENCE you may apply a ZONE DEFENCE where you
will be trying to DELAY opponents attack
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Apply PRINCIPLES OF PLAY
Using STRUCTURES and STRATEGIES makes applying
PRINCIPLES OF TEAM PLAY (Principles of Play)
easier.
In ATTACK
You will be able to provide WIDTH
You will be able to provide DEPTH
You will be able to provide MOBILITY and
PENETRATION
In DEFENCE
You will be able to provide WIDTH
You will be able to provide DEPTH
You will be able to provide DELAY
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Question
Why are STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES FUNDAMENTAL
to Activities?
Eg. What does using STRUCTURES and STRATEGIES
enable you To do in an activity?
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KEY CONCEPT 2Identification of strengths and
weaknesses in performance in terms of roles and
relationships formations tactical and design
elements
Key feature In terms of ROLES and RELATIONSHIPS
you should be able to
Recognise the demands of individual ROLES during
performance.
Recognise INDIVIDUAL strengths and weaknesses in
a STRUCTURE or STRATEGY
Select a relevant STRUCTURE or STRATEGY
appropriate for INDIVIDUAL / TEAM PERFORMANCE.
In terms of FORMATIONS you should be able to
understand
The STRUCTURE of relevant SYSTEMS OF PLAY
The benefits and limitations of various SYSTEMS
OF PLAY
The need to CO-OPERATE with and SUPPORT others in
team or group situations
The ABILITY to PRE PLAN STRATEGIES to meet the
demands of play
In terms of TACTICS you should understand
The NEED to IDENTIFY and EXPLOIT OPPONENTS
WEAKNESSES
Recognise the NEED to MAXIMISE STRENGTHS within
the chosen STRUCTURE/STRATEGY
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ROLES and RELATIONSHIPS
In every group or team it is important to know
and understand what your individual
RESPONSIBILITIES are and how your ROLE RELATES to
your TEAM-MATES
Here is an example of different players ATTACKING
responsibilities in BASKETBALL in TECHNICAL
(Skill) terms These are given in ORDER of
importance.

• Order Guards Forwards Centres
• dribbling shooting rebounding
• Passing rebounding shooting
• Shooting passing passing
• Rebounding dribbling dribbling

The same can be done for PHYSICAL qualities

• Order Guards Forwards Centres
• Speed muscular endurance C.r.e. Power C.r.e.
• Muscular endurance power muscular endurance
• C.r.e. muscular endurance muscular endurance
• Power speed speed

Mental qualities like concentration,managing your
emotions, mental rehearsal and controlling your
level of arousal also need to be taken into
consideration when deciding which Role to adopt
when part of a team
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Question
Decide which, attacking role in a Basketball team
you should adopt(Play). Explain how you arrived
at this decision. Take into consideration
Technical,Physical and Mental aspects of your
Play.
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Position skills
Position Skills In addition to the universal
skills of Pass, shoot ,dribble and rebound all
five offensive player positions have somewhat
different secondary skills and attributes. The
following is a rather simplified description of
these five offensive spots Point Guard Shooting
Guard Small Forward Power Forward Center
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Point guard
Point Guard Most systems designate a player to
run the offense. Often referred to as the point
guard. This player is usually the best ball
handler on the squad. He should be able to lead
the fast break that develops out of any
situation, whether it be a steal, a rebound, or a
basket by the opponent. If the fast break is not
there, he must be able to bring the ball up the
floor against pressure defense and set up the
Motion offense. The point guard does not have to
be a big scorer, but should be able to shoot well
enough to force defenses to come out and cover
him. The point guard should also be an excellent
passer. His ability to hit the open player is
very important, as is his ability to anticipate
the way a play might develop. He should have the
ability to get everybody involved in the offense.
He should have the ability to penetrate, attract
the defense, and finish the play. By finish the
play, I mean that he should make sure that the
offense gets a good shot, whether it be on a
fast break or through penetration and mobility.
The point guard should have the Intelligence to
read the defenses and adjust the offense
accordingly. The ideal point guard is an
extension of the coach on the court.
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Shooting guard
Shooting Guard The second guard is frequently the
bigger of the two guards. He is generally one of
the best outside shooters and, ideally, is the
second best ball handler on the team. He must be
a good receiver, because he will frequently get
the first pass to start the offense. And,
therefore, he must also be a good passer in order
to keep the offense moving and take advantage of
opportunities to get the ball inside to the post
players. Like the point guard, the shooting guard
should be able to create and finish the play
either on the fast break or by passing off to an
open teammate. This player can also help the
team by grabbing offensive rebounds, either by
following the shot or by sneaking in from the
weak side to get good rebounding position.
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Small forward
Small Forward The small forward will probably be
bigger than the guards, but perhaps not as quick
or as good a ball handler. But the small forward
should possess many of the same skills as the
guards. He should be able to handle the ball
well as he is sometimes called upon to help the
guards break down defenses. The small forward
must also pass the ball well. Sometimes this
player can be the best passer on the team,
because his slight height advantage over the
guards opens up more avenues through which to
pass the ball. And he should be able to shoot
from the outside. Where the small forward
differs from the guards is in the area of
offensive rebounding. The small forward must be
a good offensive rebounder. From the forward
position a player often has the best shot at an
offensive rebound because opponents concentrate
on blocking out the power forward and center.
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Centre
Center In many cases, the center will be the
heart of the team. Like the power forward the
centre should be either your best, or second
best, rebounder. Unlike the perimeter players,
the center must be able to play with his back to
the basket and be a solid inside scoring threat.
Therefore, you must work with your center to
develop the fundamental moves that will allow
him to score consistently from inside 10 feet.
Because the centre often shoots in traffic he
will frequently draw the most fouls. For that
reason, the center should be a good free throw
shooter. Shots taken near the basket are the
highest percentage shots, so a good part of your
offense should be designed to get the ball inside
to the center.
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Power forward
Power forward The Power forward should be one of
the biggest and strongest players on the team and
therefore, one of your dominant rebounders, both
offensively and defensively. ThePower forward
should be a physical player. Every team needs a
physical presence and,because of his size and
strength, the power forward can often provide
it. Like the guards and the small forward, the
power forward should be able to handle the ball
well and be a good passer and receiver. This
player's size and strength should enable him to
get inside and take the ball to the basket
either for an easy shot or to draw a foul.
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Motion offence
Ideally most teams would like to be able to
break out of defence and set up a scoring chance
before the opposition can get back into
defensive positions. This is called a fast break,
but it is not always possible. Every coach
therefore, will have an offensive pattern which
he or she hopes will lead to an open shot every
time the team has possession. Motion offence In
this type of attack, the players are moving all
the time. It involves fast, accurate passing
which can break down one-to-one defences. The
guard (the best ball handler) will generally be
at the centre of this attack. He or she is
positioned slightly behind the forwards, who are
to the left and right, around the front of the
key. These players are generally good at long
range shooting. The two centres - the tallest
players - are on either side of the basket. They
make good targets and are the best at scoring
from close range.
A good play in a motion offence is the SCREEN
This is when a player occupies some space on the
court and prevents an opponent from following a
team-mate. It requires lots of practice and there
are a number of patterns involving screens.
Another play is GIVE AND GO. As the name suggests
you pass ahead and then move ahead into A more
advantageous position often CUTTING to the
basket.
CUTTING is also important to create SPACE. The
most common CUT is the V cut where you Move in
one direction then QUICKLY CHANGE direction to
lose your MARKER
Post plays like SPLITTING THE POST also create
space and can lead to UNOPPOSED shots being taken
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Strengths and weaknesses of Motion Offence
STRENGTHS
You can take your time to build attack
Easy to apply team principles width depth
mobility - penetration
Retains possession of the ball
Can be used to run down the clock
Can control tempo of game
You can pressurise opponents eg. Create 3v2
overload In an area of the court
Create and exploit space
Adaptable to suit your players skills
Weaknesses
Slows down play gives opponents defence time to
recover
Requires good communication and teamwork
Requires constant movement
Requires patience
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Question
Choose an activity. Briefly describe a Structure,
Strategy or Composition you have used. Describe
your ROLE as you applied this Structure, Strategy
or Composition
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Fast break
Ideally most teams would like to be able to break
out of defence and set up a scoring chance
BEFORE The opposition can get back into
defensive positions . This is called a FAST BREAK
FAST BREAKS can be created from Steals, Rebounds,
Blocked shots or scored Baskets
The main parts of a basic fast break are
Secure the ball
Outlet pass
Dribble the middle
Fill the lanes
Shoot or pass off
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Basic fast break
  Diagram description Diagram 3 is a drill that
involves three players. Player XI rebounds the
ball and passes to player X2 who has moved to
receive an outlet pass. Player X2 dribbles the
middle and passes to player X3 for a lay-up.
Player Xl also fills the lane', opposite player
X3.  

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5 man fast break
Positions. O1 guard O2 forward O3
forward O4 power forward O5 - centre

• Power Forward secures REBOUND
• Forward breaks to side of court OUTLET PASS
• Forward passes to Guard who DRIBBLES THE MIDDLE
• Guard (decision by the time he reaches the foul
  line) SHOOTS or PASSES OFF
• Forwards get ahead of the ball and - FILL THE
  LANES
• Centre and Power Forward - TRAIL to secure
  rebounds or to act as primary defence
• in case of a TURNOVER

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Strengths of Fast Break
1. The fast break is the best method to create
easy scoring opportunities
2. The fast break allows you to control the tempo
of the game
3. The fast break is the first and most effective
way of beating full, threequarter, or
half-court pressure defences
4. The fast break is very effective against zone
defences providing your players push the ball
up-court quickly enough to get a scoring
opportunity before the zone has time to organize.
5. Running a fast break combats the numerous
changes in defence that one sees today. It is
better to get down the floor quickly to eliminate
the necessity of worrying about what particular
defense the opposing team is using at the moment

6. Through a fear of being caught up the floor,
rebounders may drop off the offensive backboard
too soon, to the advantage of the fast-breaking
team. Conversely, they may stay too long, in an
effort to slow down a break.  
7. Another important advantage of the fast break
is that it makes every player a potential
scorer. A mediocre scorer, who would get no more
than half a dozen scoring opportunities a game
when running a motion offence, can pick up many
baskets
11. Another important advantage of the fast break
is that it makes every player a potential scorer.
The mediocre scorer, who would get no more than
half a dozen scoring opportunities a game when
running patterns, can pick up two, three, or
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Weaknesses of a Fast Break
1. Needs a lot of organisation
2. Needs a lot of practice everyone needs to
know their ROLE
3. Needs effective communication
4. Needs a high level of skills Rebounding,
passing, dribbling and shooting
5.All skills need to be applied at SPEED
6. Players may desert their defensive duties too
early to in an Attempt to Break as quickly as
possible
7. Can fail early in the Break if the opposition
apply an immediate and effective Full court Man
to Man marking system
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Systems of defence
The main systems of DEFENCE used in Basketball are
Man to man marking both FULL COURT and HALF
COURT
ZONE defence
A COMBINATION of these two
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Man to Man Marking
Man to man defence is a system where each player
is assigned a player in the offence who he has to
defend. The defensive player positions himself
between the basket and the player he is
defending. This can be done when the opponents
have the ball in their own Court Full court Man
to man, or only when the opponents bring the ball
into the attacking half of the court Half
court Man to Man marking
STRENGTHS of Man to Man marking
Easy to organise
Easy to understand
It can be an AGGRESSIVE form of defence
You can put your BEST defender on the opponents
BEST attacker
It allows you to mark a player who MUST be marked
all the time.
It is good against teams who do NOT have the
PATIENCE to run a good MOTION OFFENCE
Against teams that ARE PATIENT it can force then
into LONGER possessions Taking some time off the
clock
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Man to Man marking
WEAKNESSES of Man to Man marking
Weak against good DRIBBLERS
ONCE ONE MAN has been BEATEN then the whole
system is in disarray
WEAKER or SLOWER defenders are exposed
OFFENSIVE SCREENS are very effective
It does not DICTATE any thing to the attacking
team it allows them to run their OFFENCE
Can be physically very demanding
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Question
2003 Higher Paper
Choose an activity and a structure ,strategy or
composition that you have used. Describe briefly
two strengths and two weaknesses that affected
your performance when applying this structure,
strategy or composition
(6)
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Zone defence
A ZONE defence is where you mark an AREA or ZONE
instead of marking a specific PLAYER
You MARK whichever PLAYER enters your ZONE
Typical zone formations would be a 212 zone or
122 zone
The essence of a ZONE defence is that immediately
your team loses POSESSION you get back Into your
defensive positions as QUICKLY as you can but
definitely BEFORE the ball arrives
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Strengths of a ZONE DEFENCE
It allows you to put your defensive players WHERE
YOU WANT them regardless of where your opponents
puts their players
This means that you can ensure you have your
biggest and best rebounders close to the basket
Zones are effective against teams that have good
inside players because the lane is packed and
there is less space for these players
Zones are effective against teams that have poor
outside shooters
Zones can Hide weak defenders to an extent
becuase other team mates are close by to help
Zones can SLOW down your opponents and can take
time off the clock
Zones can be effective against teams that do not
have enough PATIENCE to build an effective
MOTION OFFENCE
Zones are usually less PHYSICALLY DEMANDING and
teams who are tiring or lack a high level of
fitness may find them easier to operate.
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Weaknesses of a ZONE defence
Zones tend to be weak on the perimeter and are
not so effective against teams who have good
outside shooters.
Zones have gaps between players that can be
exploited by teams that pass well or have guards
that are good dribbblers and can penetrate the
zone
If a team is behind in the game then playing zone
defence usually allows the attacking team to Take
more time off the clock on each posession
If the team does not change ends quickly after
posession has been lost then a zone is vulnerable
to a fast break
A zone does not present the individual challenge
presented by man to man defence. There is less of
a feeling of individual responsibility.
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Question
2003 exam
Choose an activity and a structure strategy or
composition which you have used. Describe briefly
two strengths and two weaknesses that affected
your teams Performance when applying this
structure strategy or composition. (6)
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Key concept 3
Information processing, problem solving and
decision making when working to develop and
improve performance
Key feature Using information on
team/individual performance to make appropriate
decisions When DEVELOPING MONITORING
EVALUATING performance
Developing performance BEFORE performance
Monitoring performance DURING performance
Evaluating performance AFTER performance
In this KEY CONCEPT we look at how you can
DEVELOP structures and strategies BEFORE your
performance
How you can ADAPT and REFINE structures and
strategies DURING performance
How you can EVALUATE the success/failure of
structures and strategies AFTER performance
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Developing performance
To develop performance you use INFORMATION
PROCESSING
You use DECISION MAKING
You use these to SOLVE PROBLEMS
Information which you may PROCESS BEFORE
PERFORMANCE could contain some of the following
Your knowledge of your opponents strengths and
weaknesses
You may have seen them play / watched them on
video
You may have had a report from a Scout
You may have done an observation schedule on them
You also have knowledge about your own teams
strengths and weaknesses
You know if your team are fast, skilfull, fit,
tall etc.
You know which structures and strategies your
team are good at / have practiced
You also have information about physical
conditions eg. Wet, windy, hot etc.
Size and surface of the court
Proximity of the crowd etc.
Processing all the above information you would
make DECISIONS to try to SOLVE THE PROBLEM of
how to beat your opponents
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MONITORING performance
During your performance you have to PROCESS
INFORMATION, MAKE DECISIONS to SOLVE PROBLEMS
Some of the INFORMATION that you would have to
PROCESS DURING THE PERFORMANCE could be -
The success / failure of your chosen structure or
strategy
The SCORE in the game
The TIME in the game
The SITUATION IN THE GAME eg. Foul trouble,
injuries, lack of form of a player(s)
Actions of your opponents change of formation,
tactics,players etc.
Changes to physical conditions
You would have to PROCESS this sort of
INFORMATION and make EFFECTIVE DECISIONS Under
PRESSURE to solve any PROBLEMS in your PERFORMANCE
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EVALUATING performance
After your performance you EVALUATE how
successful your PERFORMANCE has been.
Some of the INFORMATION you would PROCESS to MAKE
DECISIONS to SOLVE PROBLEMS could be -
The RESULT of the GAME (s)
Watching a VIDEO of your performance and
REFLECTING on it.
The SUCCESS / FAILURE of the structures and
strategies that you USED
FEEDBACK about your PERFORMANCE - VISUAL,VERBAL
WRITTEN
POSITION in LEAGUE etc.
As you EVALUATE how SUCCESSFUL your PERORMANCE
has been then you
PROCESS THE INFORMATION
MAKE DECISIONS about FUTURE PERFORMANCES
Which try to SOLVE PROBLEMS
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QUESTION
Choose an activity. Explain two decisions you
made when PLANNING your performance and Two
decisions you made DURING your performance.
Explain how these decisions led to a successful
performance. (6)