Sport & Exercise Science.Skill Acquisition.Title: Investigating the nature of skilled performance.

AS and A Level Physical Education (Sport & Coaching)

Sport & Exercise Science.

Skill Acquisition.

Title: Investigating the nature of skilled performance.

Task 1a:

Skill classifications.

Skill can be split into many different classifications, in these classifications you have two ends of a scale for which you can place sports in between, these scales are called continuums , the placement of these sports on the scale is determined on how the sporting actions are carried out.

Open and Closed skill:

An open and closed continuum is based on the predictability of a skill action and can be affected by things such as the weather, surface type and playing against opposition teams where it is difficult to predict the move of that team. A closed skill is one where the environment is stable, and an open skill is one where the environment is unpredictable. An example to show these two skills are; A swimmer swimming in an empty lane pool knows that their environment will never change and they will not have to alter their skill to match the environment needs. However a american football player recieving a pass will know that the situation they find themselves in will always be different, in terms of where they are on the pitch, where their opponenents are and where their team mates are.

This classification outlines a specifically important feature for skills, it defines the performers need to respond to moment to moment variations in the environment. This introduces the process associated with perception, pattern, recognition and decision-making, these processes need to be performed quickly so that the skill action can be adapted for the environment.

Open skills:

Evirnoment is constantly changing

- Skill needs constant modification

- Needs pratice in a range conditions

- E.g dribbling in basketball, tackling in football, passing in netball.

Closed skills:

Evironment is stable

- Skill is predictable

- A movement pattern can be established

- E.g qymnastics, routine throwing darts, weightlifting.

Discrete, Continuous and Serial skills:

The discrete, continuous and serial continuum is a second way to classify a sporting skill action, This classification shows how clearly defined are the start and completion of the movement. A discrete skill has a definate beginging and a end. They are usualy performed in one single exertion and would include such skills as a tennis serve, a shot in netball or a tackle in rugby. Discrete skills are important to sports performances; hitting, kicking, throwing and catching skills make up many of the countries most popular sporting activities. A continuous skill which has no real clear beginning or end and is a constant ongoing action. An example of this is running or swimming. The end of one action is the start of another, Therefore continuous skills tend to be regular and rhythmical in nature. One important continuous skill is tracking, in which the performer’s limb movements control a lever, a wheel, a handle or some other device to the movements of a target or track. In between the two ends of the continuum are serial skills, which are often thought as a group of discrete skills strung together to make up a new, more complicated skilled action.Serial skills differ from discrete skills in that the movement duration are somewhat longer, yet each movement retains a discrete beginning and end. Serial skills would include a gymnastics floor routine, an ice dance display and the triple jump.

Motor and cognitive:

The motor and cognitive contiuum can be consider a third dimension of skill classification. This is based on the amount of thought that goes into performing a skill action. With motor skill the primary determinant of success is the quality of the movement itself. The skill actions don’t require much thought such as high jumping . The high jumper knows exactly what to do (jump over the bar) , but the problem is that the movement must be made effectivaely in order to achieve maximum height.

On the other side of the continuum, with ...