Skill Practice Exams 2018-2023

Question 1

What are four characteristics of someone in the cognitive stage of learning? (2 marks)

Answer 1

Make many errors, devote attention to step by step procedures, rarely repeat the skill the same way, can preform the skill slowly, poor skill timing, good progression and improvement, self-talk while preforming, frustration, lose motivation, needs extrinsic feedback.

Question 2

Select a skill and place four subroutines in the correct sequence. How is this skill classified?

Question 3

If you are coaching someone to learn a skill, present three key, specific teaching points that you could make to reinforce skill learning for the learner enhance learning. (3 marks)

Answer 3

Answer could relate to either specific coaching tips for the cognitive learner, or relate specifically to the chosen subroutines, much like skill analysis.

Question 4

Describe massed practice and identify why this form of practice may not be preferable for someone learning a skill. (2 marks)

Answer 4

Practicing a skill without breaks until it is learnt. It may be fatiguing and prolonged periods of struggling with the skill may decrease motivation. Might preform the skill incorrectly 100 times if a beginner.

Question 5

Define schema and, using an example describe how it could influence response selection to a soccer match in heavy rain. (2 marks)

Answer 5

The rules we learn to guide the execution of skills in different environments.
E.g) a pass made to a player may slow up on the wet ground. They choose to move toward the ball more quickly than they usually would.

Question 6

Outline what is meant by selective attention and discuss how it’s used early in a second half of a soccer match may assist a player to adapt to the changing conditions. (3 marks)

Answer 6

Selective attention is knowing what information/ stimuli to attend to in an environment and blocking out irrelevant cues/ noise.
Once on the wet ground players should attend to how the ball bounces, rolls, changes in players agility, puddles and wet parts of the field ect.
E.g) a ball kicked by the GK may now skid on and not bounce as high. OR a defender may change the distance between themselves and the bounce to deal with the new trajectory.

Question 7

Effective fakes and baulks can work well in team sports. Name and describe the process a fake or baulk may initiate in an opponent. (2 marks)

Answer 7

Psychological Refractory Period. We can only process one stimulus at a time.
There will usually be a delay in responding to a second stimulus presented soon after the first; so this will initiate a delayed response or an error from the opponent.

Question 8

Discuss how temporal anticipation may assist a goalkeepers response time now that their movements may need to be a little slower in wet conditions.

Answer 8

Temporal anticipation is anticipating WHEN something is likely to happen. If a GK can anticipate in this way they can begin to move sooner.
The ability to know when there is a likely shot attempt means the GK can make up for a slower MT with a quicker reaction time and reduced overall response time.

Question 9

Differentiate between knowledge of performance and knowledge of results. For a player struggling in the wet conditions which type of feedback would be most useful? provide an example, specific to this scenario, of this type of feedback.

Answer 9

KP- feedback relates to the skill performance and why something happens.
KR- feedback relates to the outcome of their performance.
In the wet - KP is most appropriate.
E.g) to maintain your footing when changing direction, shorten your stride and lower your centre of gravity.

Question 10

What does flexion, adduction, extension, and anterior mean?

Answer 10

Flexion - angle decreases at a joint
Adduction - movement to the midline of the body
Extension - angle increases at a joint
Anterior - front of the body

Question 11

Identify a sporting skill in which flexion occurs at the wrist and another skill in which extension occurs at the hip.

Answer 11

Flexion - Follow through on tennis serve
Extension - take-off leg straightening in high jump

Question 12

If an elite netball goal shooter decides to play basketball, what are three ways she can ensure stability before shooting which she can transfer to her new sport?

Answer 12

• Wide base of support
• Lower centre of gravity
• Centre of gravity within base of support
• Good pair of court shoes to increase friction and therefore stability

Question 13

Outline the characteristics of autonomous skill performance and describe how long-term memory assists an elite performer in the execution of their skills in competition. (3 marks)

Answer 13

ASP - skills can be performed automatically, without thought, seem effortless, good timing, minimal errors, can self correct.
Muscle memory - committing a movement to LTM through repetition so it can be encoded and performed autonomously. The LTM can also be useful the storage of set plays (chunking) and Schema rules to improve decision-making in autonomous athletes.

Question 14

Good coaching often requires naked eye analysis and immediate and concise feedback to players who are struggling to work out why they are making skill errors. Classify this type of feedback.

Answer 14

Extrinsic/external/augmented; KP; Terminal; concurrent

Question 15

Explain how the angle of takeoff and velocity of takeoff influence the person‘s ability to jump successfully from one structure to another. (3 marks)

Answer 15

Too great an angle beyond 45° or too small an angle below 45° will decrease distance covered.

Takeoff velocity must be fast enough to project them forward and stay in the air long enough or not so fast that they cannot establish a takeoff angle of 45° and overshoot the wall

Question 16

Identify two cues available to the players to help them plan their response as the ball crosses the net onto their side of the court in volleyball. (1mark)

Answer 16

Any two for half mark each: speed of ball, balls angle of flight, balls direction, position of own players, position of opponents, sound of the ball on contact.

Question 17

Define orienting And selective attention and use any example in volleyball

Answer 17

Orienting - knowing where in the environment to focus your attention and look for important information.

Selective Attention - knowing what to focus your attention on (relevant cues).

Orient to the player (9) striking the ball. Selectively attend to its speed and direction whilst blocking out noise.

Question 18

Identify two things volleyball players do to improve their stability.

Answer 18

Any two for half marks each: lowering her centre of gravity, broadening her base of support and positioning her centre of gravity within her base of support.

Question 19

Is volleyball played in a closed or open environment? Justify your answer?

Answer 19

Open. Towards the open end of the continuum.
The environment (players and ball) dictates the timing and execution (externally paced) of skills and the environment is unpredictable. Except for the serve, which is closed, the player has full control of this.

Question 20

A ball often changes direction by deflecting of a player or the net. Name and explain the concept that leads to players often not reacting quickly enough to this change.

Answer 20

Psychological Refractory Period.
There is a delay in reacting to a second stimulus (change of direction) presented soon after the presentation of an initial stimulus (original direction) because we can only process one stimulus at a time.

Question 21

Javelin throwing has both fine and gross skill elements. Demonstrate your understanding of these skill classifications by identifying an aspect of throwing the javelin that is fine and one that is gross.

Answer 21

Fine - hand position on grip
Gross - white transfer onto front foot

Question 22

Kelsey-Lee has spent many years learning and refining her javelin throw. Identify the three stages of learning and, for each, provide a practical example of how her coach may have applied them to her skill development.

Answer 22

Cognitive- understanding the skill, make many errors, highly reliance on feedback - coach corrects order of the sub routines after each throw.

Associative- practising the skill to establish feeling timing and sequencing of sub routines - coach has her repeatedly practising her run up.

Autonomous- skill performed without thought on individual components and repeats skills consistently - coach has taught her to pick up wind changes and modify direction of throw.

Question 23

What is Schema? Explain how it could apply to throwing the javelin.

Answer 23

The rules/guidelines that enable change in skill execution to match environmental change. We learn these general rules and store them in LTM. Wind blowing across from the right may need a run up that takes the athlete to the right of centre.

Question 24

There are a number of factors which influence projectile motion. Identify three and explain how changes in each could have a positive and/or negative influence on how far the javelin can be thrown.

Answer 24

Angle of release - if the angle is too great the javelin will go too high and lose distance. Too acute and it will go too low and lose distance.

Velocity of release - if the velocity is too slow distance will be compromised.

Height of release - if the height is too high it will be difficult to sequence sub-routines correctly. Too low and the upper arm will not be used fully. Force and distance lost in each situation.

Question 25

What is a sub-routine? Discuss why it important for Kelsey-Lee and her coach to have a good understanding of the sub-routines necessary to throw a javelin.

Answer 25

A sub-component of a skill. Sub-routines are joined together to form a skill. Sub-routines need to be sequenced in the correct order and executed with the correct timing. This knowledge enables informed change able to be made when problems occur and/or when seeking increased distance.

Question 26

Outline two reasons why distributed practice may better suit beginners in sport than massed practice.

Answer 26

Massed practice entails practicing a skill consistently and continuously without breaks until the skill has been learned. It is fatiguing and may decrease motivation and is not as appropriate for beginners.

Distributed practice consists of short, frequent practice sessions interspersed with intervals to recover and receive feedback.

Question 27

Once an athlete has acquired the necessary skills to compete explain how their competitive performance could be improved through varied practice.

Answer 27

Varied practice encourages problem solving and development of game sense through the use of various situations athletes may encounter in competition. Skills are practiced in an open environment and schema can be developed.

Question 28

Identify two main roles of feedback. For one, briefly discuss how it could be applied to a taekwondo athlete.

Answer 28

Motivation - improving consistency of foot strikes confirms quality of training. (KR)

Reinforcement - winning more matches reinforce skill set.

Regulate or change performance during the activity - KP about balance enables athletes to make changes whilst competing.

Improve future performance - external KP provides guidance for necessary change.

Question 29

What is short term memory? In providing feedback to athletes why should a coach avoid providing them with too much information?

Answer 29

STM is limited to (5-9 items) which can be retained for about 60sec. Too much information will overload the athlete and much of the feedback will not be attended to.

Question 30

Elite taekwondo athletes kick and punch with great speed. Identify two factors that will influence their opponents ability to avoid contact.

Answer 30

Reaction time, age, gender, movement time, Psychological Refractory Period, orienting, selective attention, schema, anticipation, presence or absence of warning signals, experience, fatigue, sensory (visual) acuity, ect

Question 31

Using two anatomical terms to describe movement, how did athlete 1 move his left leg to its position and how did he bend his right leg.

Answer 31

Left leg was abducted, or left hip was flexed, and left knee was extended. Right leg flexed at the knee.

Question 32

Discuss two benefits of the athletes coach using video analysis following competition to review the performance with the athlete.

Answer 32

Recorded vision is a constant record and can be replayed, it can be played in slow motion, paused, and watched by the athlete, the athlete can match the feel of their performance with actual movements.

Question 33

What are two characteristics of a closed environment?

Answer 33

Highly predictable environment/ the environment does not change; the performer has full control of the timing of the movement; performer can commence the action when they are ready; skills are internally paced.

Question 34

Provide two reasons why a skiers skill need to be autonomous.

Answer 34

Can preform the skill without thinking while going around the gates

Has automatic timing of subroutines when skiing

Preform with high speed and high efficiency

Performer can carry out another skill simultaneously, as in, looking further down the course

Repeatable and consistent performance

Question 35

Provide 2 reasons why a beginner skier in the cognitive stage of learning would struggle to preform well in this event.

Answer 35

Subroutines are poorly timed when skiing

Makes many errors when going around the gates and falls

Devotes attention to step by step procedures which slows them down

Has a high attentional demand on the skill on how to ski

Rarely repeats the skill the same

Preforms the skill slowly and thus goes around the gates very slowly