Invasion Games

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What are Invasion Games?

Invasion Games are team games whereby the main objective is for participants to invade their oppositions’ territory in striving to score more points within the allocated time frame (Webb, Pearson, & Forrest, 2006). According to Thorpe, Bunker, & Almond (1986) invasion games can be divided into 3 categories (as outlined in the table below) which include handball, football, & stick/ball.  
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Transferable Skills:

The following list compiled by Griffin & Butler (2005) outline examples of transferable skills that are common among most, if not all invasion games (including touch football):
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Transferable Skills

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Sending an object: For example, throwing a ball or a disk, kicking a ball or passing a puck, ball or ring with the appropriate apparatus.

·         Receiving an object: For example, catching with the hands, cradling a ball with the feet, or receiving an object with a stick.

·         Dodging: Dodging typically refers to maintaining personal space, making sure not to collide with other players or objects.

·         Changing direction: Changing the direction your body is travelling is an extremely important skill to all games in this category.

·         Travelling in multiple directions: An important part on both the offensive and defensive side of these games is being mobile; going forwards, backwards, to either side, and to all diagonals.

·         Speed & Agility: Two important skills utilised by participants in many sports within the category of invasion games.

·         Spatial awareness: Spatial awareness is a key concept within this category, and is useful in many other categories as well. Through TGfU, students can easily develop the complicated skill of recognizing their position with association of the object of play (ball, Frisbee, etc) and their opponent. Spatial awareness is considered one of the most important skills a student could possess when attempting to master more complex games.

·         Change of speed: Being able to change speed is a skill as well as a strategy within the invasion category.

·         Anticipation: While anticipation is not a necessary skill it can be extremely valuable when playing defence in these types of games.

·         Footwork: Having good footwork will not only improve balance, it will aid in learning all of the above skills. 

Strategies: Invasion Games (Touch Football)

Invasion games such as touch football exhibit numerous tactical problems which require subsequent problem solving by participants. Accordingly, some tactical goals are more complex than others. Thus, the tables below identify key tactical goals within the game of touch football together with the corresponding level of complexity in performing each task.
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Table 1: Attacking Strategies
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Table 2: Defensive Strategies