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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Skill, ability and technique : Understanding different skills In our previous sports page (on February 6), we explained what skill, ability and technique are, and how they came into play in various sports. Today, let's look more closely at the different skills....
Fine skills involve intricate movements using small muscle groups, tend to be precise and generally involve high levels of hand-eye coordination. A snooker shot or playing the piano are examples for fine skills. Sports such as Netball, Football, and Hockey usually involve open skills. This is because the environment is constantly changing and so movements have to be continually adapted. Therefore, skills are predominantly perceptual. The skill is mostly externally paced, for example a pass in football. Closed skills take place in a stable, predictable environment and the performer knows exactly what to do and when. Therefore, skills are not affected by the environment and tend to be habitual. Movements follow set patterns and have a clear beginning and end. The skills tend to be self-paced, for example a free throw in Basketball, and serving in Squash or Tennis. Internally paced or self-paced skills: the performer controls the rate at which the skill is executed. These skills are usually closed skills. i.e. javelin throw, discus.
Discrete skills are brief, well-defined actions which have a clear beginning and end. They are single, specific skills, which make up the actions involved in a variety of sports such as hitting and throwing. Hockey. i.e. a penalty flick. Serial skills are a group of discrete skills strung together to make a new and complex movement. i.e. the sequence of skills for the triple jump. Continuous skills have no obvious beginning or end. The end of one cycle of movements is the beginning of the next, and the skill is repeated like a cycle. These skills could be stopped at any moment during the performance of the skill. i.e. Swimming, Running, Cycling. Individual skills are those performed in isolation. e.g. Figure Skating, high jump Coactive skills are those performed at the same time as others but without direct confrontation. e.g. running, swimming Interactive skills are those performed where other performers are
directly involved. e.g. rugby, football, basketball, netball.
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Gross skills involve large muscle movements, where the major muscle
groups are involved. The movements are not very precise, and include many
fundamental movement patterns such as walking, running and jumping. The
shot putt is an example of a primarily gross skill. 
Externally paced skills, which may include opponents, controls the rate
of performing the skill. The performer must pay attention to external
events in order to control his/her rate of movement. These skills involve
reaction, and are usually open skills. i.e. in ball games the performer
must time his actions with the actions of other players and the ball. 
