Skill Classification

Environmental Influence Continuum - Open Skills Versus Closed Skills

This continuum refers to whether the action is performed in a stable environment or whether this is constantly changing. Skills that take place in a complex, changing environment are called open skills, whereas closed skills are performed in a stable and consistent environment so are often referred to as being habitual. Closed skills that are repeatable are performed almost exactly the same way each time. They are usually self-paced skills (the performer decides when to start the movement) and examples are high diving, trampolining and taking a free throw in basketball. When a basketball player takes a free throw, clearly there are factors, such as anxiety, that affect him but the skill is repeatable and changes very little from one shot to the next.

Skills where the environment is constantly changing means modifications are made to the skill each time it is performed. These types of skills are usually externally paced (performer reacts to the situation), as they require judging and interpreting information as the skill is executed. In passing games like rugby, football and netball, the situation can rapidly change as players move around and a team-mate may be free to pass to in one instance then a fraction of a second later the situation may have changed. Therefore, a good example of an open skill would be the centre player in netball receiving and passing whilst the game is in progress. He/she must dodge and move into space and as the ball is received interpret the flight of the ball so the correct technique can be modified. Before and after they have caught the ball they must decide who is the best team-mate to pass to, then execute the skill, again modifying this action to suit the situation.

Complexity Continuum - High-low Complexity

The level of complexity of a skill refers to the amount of information processing that is required in the performance of the skill. In a game of basketball, driving to the basket through a crowded ‘key’ to execute a layup involves much information processing as the player must make a number of quick decisions. This can be described as a skill of high complexity. Other examples of skills that are high in complexity are batting in cricket, especially when facing a good spin bowler, catching an ‘up-and-under’ in rugby, and performing a smash in a badminton doubles’ match.

Where no, or few, decisions have to be made there is little information processing and the complexity of the skill is low. In a game of golf, the drive off the tee, though requiring decision making on where and how far to drive the ball, has time for that decision to be made, it is most often a case of hitting the ball on a particular path as hard as possible (as long as it can be controlled) so it can be described as a skill with low complexity or Basic/Simple. Weightlifting and basketball free-throws are also examples of skills where there is limited information processing, so would be placed towards the low complexity end of the continuum.

Organisation Continuum – High Organisation Versus Low Organisation

Often in sport a skill can be broken down into sections or parts. These smaller parts are described as ‘sub-routines’. Skill organisation refers to the ease of how easily the skill can be broken down into the parts or sub-routines for practice. Many of you will have been taught the javelin, from a standing position at the start of the lesson, then added the run-up later in the lesson. The javelin throw is a skill that has many sub-routines but these can be easily broken down for practice so the skill is said to have low organisation. From a skill learning perspective, it is easier to concentrate on the grip, stance and basic throw without having to run-up, so this is why the standing throw is taught first. For this reason many skills that can be broken down easily are done so in practice or training. Dance and gymnastics routines can usually be broken down easily for teaching so we can describe these routines as having low organisation.

However, if we consider a conversion kick in rugby or a serve in tennis, one sub-routine follows closely, or overlaps with the previous one so it is more difficult to break the skill down for practice, therefore these skills have high organisation. Have you ever seen anyone practice just perform the run up or the kicking part of a conversion kick? It is unlikely because taking the leg back during the backswing requires a long stride or step to position the standing foot next to the ball, whilst at the same time taking the kicking leg into position. For this reason the skill is performed each time and a coach will ‘shape’ the skill by getting the performer to change one part of the skill for a number of practices.

In an exam question you may be required to select the most relevant practice (see Forms of Practice ) to develop a range of skills or analyse how a coach might use knowledge of skill classification to design a training session.

Such as:

• How can closed skills be taught in a different way to open skills?
• Why are set plays considered closed skills?
• Explain how a coach would vary a training session when coaching open and closed skills.