Tactics
Team strengths and weaknesses
Team strengths and weaknesses are where you take into account what capabilities you have in your team such as speed, strength, skill level, fitness etc. Once you have done this you can come up with a suitable approach to the match or competition.
Impact on performance
A rugby team with backs players who have lots of speed will try to attack by setting up lots of rucks and mauls in the middle of the pitch. They will then look to move the ball wide into more open spaces to use the speed of the back players to get round defenders.
If a basketball team have decided to use a fast break tactic because they have good success at lay ups, but the opponents are much quicker around the court, will not have much room to play this tactic.
In football, a team which has obvious height advantage in their team will look to create as many set pieces as possible such as corners and free kicks. This will give them much more chance to get to crosses first and direct chances towards the goal.
Principles of play
Width
Width is the ability to use the full space across a playing surface by having a spread of players in that area. It also relates to the space between players across that pitch or court.
Impact on performance
A rugby team playing with wingers who stay out near the side line will be able to make the opponents think about how to defend that. Opponents will have to match up as much as possible with these wide players, leaving much more space infield for attacking runs.
In basketball, a team with good width will be able to pass out wide to both sides and draw opponents out to the ball. This then leaves the spaces in the middle. This will give the attackers a better chance of a scoring opportunity.
A hockey team which does not keep good width in attack will become much more bunched up in the centre of the pitch, making it easier for the opponents to defend and it also becomes much more difficult to make successful passes in such tight spaces.