Half Court game with Shuttle & Racquet

 

Modifications and Scoring

Game/Task:

1 v.1 half court game

Shuttle and racquet

Students are encouraged to create open space in their opponent’s court by moving their shots to the back of the court. Once this is established the front of the court will be “open” and a scoring shot may be played.

 

Conditions:

  • alternate service
  • score on every service (not only when serving)
  • score one point if the shuttle comes in contact with floor on opponents side of the court

Suggestion:

  • to further emphasize the importance of moving opponent to the back of the court, students only score with shots that land in the front of the court, thereby creating a need to push their opponent back.

Diagram: 
 

     (a) let’s say “yellow” wins   (b) “yellow” now moves the two end cones

          4-2 with a short play            back - increasing his/her court size

Organizational Points: 

  • students are in groups of 2 or 3
  • one retrieves a ball and a rope, the other retrieves four cones and  locates a playing area
  • cones, ropes, and  balls are set out prior to instruction and spaced apart
  • balls are contained
  • unused equipment is not left lying on the sidelines
  • be sure that there is ample room off the ends of every court

Consider: staggering all of the courts if there is enough gym space.

Teaching Points: 

Ø      Q. “How do you create open space in your opponents court?”

A. “By moving him/her front and back.”

Ø      Q. “Where is it harder to score from?”

A. “The back of the court.”

Ø      Q. “Why?”

A. “Because the opponent is farther from the net.”

Ø      Q. “Then is it best to send your opponent to the back or the front?”

A. “Back.”
 

Modifications / Refinements / Progressions:

  • students are able to change the dimensions of the playing area (always longer or shorter - never wider)
  • play games to a low total (i.e. 4)
  • the first to 4 will then increase the dimensions of their half of the court by moving their cones (end line) further back
  • this will continue to occur so long as that player continues to reach for first, when this fails to occur, he/she will begin to move the cones back in

 

By modifying the individual halves of the court it is possible for two students with quite different abilities to challenge one another in a game situation.