Duncanrig Secondary School

Standard Grade

Official and Unwritten Rules

1

Official and Unwritten Rules

Page Contents

3 – 9 Rules

10 Conduct and Behaviour

11 – 14 Scoring

15 Adaptation

16 Small Sided Games

17 Conditioned Games

2

Rules

Official Rules

Official rules are listed in the official rule book of an activity and must be followed by each participant.

Examples

3

Activity – Football

Written/official rule – Offside rule

Description of rule

A player is in an offside position if he is closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and all but zero or one of the opposing players, but only if the player is on his opponent's half of the pitch.

Activity - Basketball

Written/official rule – 3 second rule

Description of rule

Attacking players are only allowed in the opposing teams’ zone for 3 seconds when their team has possession of the ball.

Consequences for Breaking Rules

When rules are broken a punishment is applied. These are called consequences or sanctions.

Examples

Unwritten/unofficial Rules

Unofficial Rules are not written anywhere but are commonly applied and are examples of good sporting behavior within activities.

Examples

4

Team Activity – Football

Unwritten Rule

Kick the ball out of play if a player is injured.

Reason for Rule

So that the injured player can receive medical attention.

Individual Activity – Golf

Unwritten Rule

Stand still and keep quiet when players are playing.

Reason for Rule

So that you do not distract the players when they are taking their shot

Rule: In football outfield players cannot handle the ball in open play.

Sanction: A free kick is awarded from where the offence occurred. Players may also be cautioned or sent off.

Rule: In tennis you must serve from behind the base line.

Sanction: A foul is called. If you repeat this twice in a row you will lose a point.

Rule: In gymnastics floor routines you must stay inside the marked floor area.

Sanction: A point is deducted from your score.

Rule: In 100m races you must stay inside your lane.

Sanction: You will be disqualified from the race.

How does Rules Effect Performance?

In sport and activity rules affect performance in a variety of ways to ensure that the activity is constant and fair.

For example, rules assist with the following,

To ensure Safety

To allow activity to run smoothly

To start, restart, stop and scoring

To assist tactics

To developing skill development

To restrict movement and actions

The layout of the activity

Rules to ensure safety

Activity Rule Reason/Action taken toavoid breaking rule

Action taken if ruleis broken

Football Must wear shin-guards

To protect legs from injuryduring tackles

Player removed from pitch until shin- guards are put on.

Indoor Hockey

Ball The ball must not be lifted off the ground as it may hit a player causing injury.

Player cautioned and free pass awarded to opposing team.

Boxing Mouth guard must be worn by participants

Boxers must wear a mouth guard so that they are not injured when punched.

Participant removed from pitch until shin- guards are put on.

Rules to ensure the smooth running of activities

Examples

Rules to start, restart, stop and related to scoring

5

Team Activity – Football

Rule to ensure smooth runningSubstitutions can only be made when the referee has given permission and the play has stopped.

Reason activity runs smoothly Play is not disrupted by the substitutions and teams can reorganize as a result of the substitution before play resumes.

Individual Activity – Tennis

Rule to ensure smooth running Players are only allowed a 2 minutes break when changing ends.

Reason activity runs smoothly So that the game is not interrupted for too long causing the players to cool down which may result in injury.

Activity Rule Action taken as a result of rule or if rule is broken

Change made to performance to avoid breaking rule

Football(team)

Players must be intheir own halfwhen the kick offis taken

Kick is retaken Make sure you stay in own half until the ball iskicked

Badminton(individual)

Players feet must beinside the service box when serving

Service awarded to youropponent

Keep both feet inside theservice box when serving

Activity Rule Action taken as a result of rule or if rule is broken

Change made to performance to avoid breaking rule

Football The whole ball must be over the line for a goal to be scored

No goal awarded/play continues

N/A

Table tennis You must win the game by two clear points

Game continues until oneplayer is two points ahead

N/A

Rules To Assist Tactics

Activity Rule Reason/Action taken to avoid breaking rule

Action taken if ruleis broken

Football Offside rule Defensive team moves out to catch attacking team offside so you mustlearn to time your run to be onside when the pass is played.

Free kick awarded to defending team

Rules to Develop Skill Development

6

Activity Rule How rule is adapted Why rule is adapted Effect on performance of rule adaptation

Volleyball (team)

You must not catch the ball when playing a volley

Allow players to catch the ball in the volley position

So that you canlearn the volley position and it givesyou more timeto make a pass.

Because you are under less pressure and can more easily pass the ballhigh to a team mate

Basketball (team)

Opponents can take the ball outof your hands during play

Players are not allowed to take the ball out of your hands during play

To give you more time on the ball withless pressure.

You are under less pressure when on theball and it is easier to pass the ball to your team mates

Badminton (individual)

You must serve from below the height of the net

You can throw the shuttle up and hit it over the net

Because you could not serve underhand.

It allowed us to get the game started and play arally

Tennis (individual)

The ball can onlybounce once in your court beforeyou hit it

You can let the ball bounce twice beforehitting the ball

You are finding it too difficult to get to the ball return it after one bounce.

You have more time to get into position to return the ball and can play it accurately over the net

Rules to Restrict Movement and Actions

7

Activity Rule Reason/Action taken to avoid breaking rule

Action taken if ruleis broken

Basketball

Attacking team not allowed in opposition key formore than 3 secondswhen in possession

Attacking players mustkeep moving through/in and out of the key

Side ball awarded todefending team

Tennis

When serving your feet must be behind the service line

You could gain an unfair advantage if you are too close to the net so you must keep yourfeet behind the line untilyou have served

Foot-fault called – lossof point or second service

Hockey

When swinging the stick to hit the ball near other players it must be kept belowshoulder height

You could hit someonenear you and injure them so you must keepthe stick below shoulderheight when hitting

Free hit to defendingteam

Badminton You must not hit the shuttle until it crosses the net

You may hit your opponent with the racketinjuring them so you must make sure your racket does not cross thenet when you hit a shotnear the net

Point or service awarded to youropponent

100 meter Hurdles

Runner must stay in lane

Runner leaving his/herlane may impede/put offother runners

Runner disqualified

Rugby Rugby must be played on a grasspitch

Playing on other surfacesmay cause injury

N/A

Badminton You must not walk across the court whensomeone is playing

You must stay off the court when not playing

You will not collide with aplayer causing injury to them or yourself

Rugby Teams must not come together in the scrumuntil the referee hasgiven permission

You must stay upright ready to engage the scrum and not go down andforward until your opponents are ready

You will not injure any players inyour own team or the opposition

Layout

8

The Rules of the activity normally tell us how the game or activity is set up. i.e. the layout of the court, pitch, lanes, or area used. In most activities this is important as play must remain inside the given area. For example in badminton, volleyball and tennis a point is lost if the ball lands outside the court area. In gymnastics you lose a mark if your foot goes outside the floor area. In football, basketball and netball you lose possession if the ball goes outside of the court.

In basketball the layout is a rectangular court marked out with side lines and base lines (the back line). The ball must be played within this area. The game begins with a jump ball in the tip off circle in the middle. The 2 keys and the 3 point lines mark the shooting areas.

In Badminton the court is a rectangle with 2 side lines and 2 base lines (for singles and for doubles). Players must serve from behind the service line over the net in the middle.

Conduct and Behavior

9

Good behavior

Ensures the safety of yourself and others and that the rules are applied so that the activity runs smoothly.

This in known has Sportsmanship or etiquette.

Examples of Good Behavior

Activity Example of good behavior Positive effect of good behavior on smooth running of the activity

Football (team)

Kick the ball out of play if a player is Injured.

Players can receive immediate medical attention

Golf(individual)

Stand still when a player is playing adrive.

Player is not distracted when playing a drive so that the ball lands on the fairway

Bad behavior

Endangers yourself and others and can result in disruption to the activity so that it does not run smoothly.

Examples of Bad Behavior

Activity Example of bad behavior

Negative effect of bad behavior on smooth running of activity.

How bad behavior may be penalised

Football (team)

Tackling from behind Opponent could be injured and opposing team become angry.

Booked or sent off by referee

Tennis(individual)

Deliberately hit the ball at your opponent during a rally.

Opponent could be injured and is likely to become angry.

Warning given by umpire and point awarded to opponent

Scoring10

Activities can be scored objectively or subjectively.

Objective Scoring

When the winner is the person/team with:

the highest score the longest/highest distance the fastest time most goals or points

The result is a clear indication of who the winner is. In games like Basketball, all players can see when someone has scored a basket. In some activities, like Athletics, the result is measured, for example, in time or in distance and it is obvious who the winner is.

Examples

Activity How scored or winner decided Activities with similar scoring systems

Football Most goals scored Hockey, handball, lacrosse

Basketball Most points scored N/A

Athletics100 meters

First to the finish line wins Swimming 100 metres

Subjective Scoring

When a judge or a panel of judges decides the winner of an activity, the result is subjective. This means the result is subjective to the opinion of the judges. Each judge may have a different opinion on whether the performance looks good.

Examples

Dance, high board diving, ice skating, ice dancing, gymnastics, synchronized swimming.

In the event of performers being awarded the same number of marks both are declared winners.

11

Examples - Deciding the Winner

By points, goals or baskets

An activity can be won if an individual or a team has the highest score by having the most points or goals.

For example, in Volleyball the team with the most points is the winner.

In gymnastics the winner is decided by the judges who award the most points to the best technical performance.

The highest or longest distance

In some activities, like Athletics the winner is the person who throws the longest distance e.g. Discus.

The Triple Jump where the winner is the person who jumps the longest distance.

Achieving the fastest time

12

The winner can also be decided by having the fastest time for completing the activity.

For example, in cycling the person who cycles the course or distance in the fastest time is the winner.

In Hurdles, the person with the fastest time is the winner.

Winner is decided by Judges

The judges decide which performance looks the best and give points for the performance which is most controlled and pleasing to the eye. The winner is the person or team who has the most pleasing performance.

13

Winner is decided in a tie break/draw

In some activities the result could be a tie or draw. Sometimes, for example in a cup final, we need to find a winner. This can be done in several ways.

In Football, if the result in a final is a draw, the winner is decided in either extra time or by taking penalties.

In Hockey, if the result in a final is a draw, the winner is decided by penalties.

In Boxing, if both boxers make it to the end of the fight, the judge’s award points for the best fighting. The judges decide the winner.

Adapting Activities

14

Activities can be changed to assist skill development and performance by adapting activity rules, scoring systems, equipment, duration, team size, lay-out, or playing area are changed to make skill learning or performance easier.

Activity Adaptation Reason forAdaptation

Effect of adaptation onskill learning

Effect of adaptation on performance

Football No offside rule (Rules)

It is less confusing forbeginners andmore goals will be scored

I don’t have to worry about my position in relation to opponents orthe timing of my runs and I can concentrate onlearning the basic skills

The game is stopped less and we get more shots at goal/score more goals

Basketball Change from 5v5 to 3v3 (Team size)

In 5v5 game I get fewer touches of theball, less chances to score and I amput under a lot of pressure

I get more of the ball andmore opportunity to perform the skills in a game

I am under less pressure and have more time, sothat it is easier for me to pass to my team mates or shoot at the basket

Football Change from 45 mins. eachway to 30 mins. each way (Duration)

Players or learners tire towards the end of the 90mins. and areunable topractice/playeffectively

I am able to keep performing the skills of the game well, for the whole of the practice match

I can perform the skills ofthe game at the best of my ability for the full match without tiring

Badminton Change from only scoring apoint if you win a rally when serving, to whoever wins the rally wins the point (Scoring)

Easier to Understandfor a beginner

It is less confusing and Ifind it easier to keep thescore accurately

N/A

Hockey/Football

Change from playing on a full size pitch to playinggame across half of the pitch(Playing area or Layout)

It is easier to cover defensively and puts less demand on my fitness

I get less tired when I ampractising in the gameand I can keep concentrating on what Iam trying to do in attack or defence

N/A

Small Sided Games

Another way in which we can make learning easier is to change the numbers of players in a team.

15

For example, basketball teams normally have 5 players on court but by reducing this number to 3 we can ensure that players get more touches of the ball and therefore get more time to practise the skills they have learned.

Further Benefits of small sided games

More touches/possession of the ball.

More chance to perform the skills of the game.

More chances to score goals/points.

Less pressure when in possession.

More time to perform skills when in possession.

Pitch/court less crowded/more space to play in.

Effects of small sided games on skill learning and performance

Team Game Team size Effect on skill learning Effect on performanceFootballBasketball Hockey

5v5 instead of 11v113v3 instead of 5v55v5 instead of 11v11

I get more touches of the balland more chance to perform the skills in the game situationand it is easier to perform the skills because I have more space to play in

I have more time and less pressure when I get the ball and it is easier to pass to one of my team mates because thepitch/court is less crowded

Conditioned Games

In addition to adapting the rules, in school we sometimes apply conditions to games to assist skill learning and meet the needs of all participants

16

For Example

1. Practicing using more attackers than defenders

The benefits:

Attacking team always has a free player to pass to.

Easier for attacking team to get a shot at goal/more shots at goal.

Defending team can practice under increased pressure.

2. Scoring

In basketball your teacher might condition the game so that you score 5 points if you score a basket using a lay-up.

We do this to encourage players to use skills that they have been learning.

17