: Racquet Strike
Trend task
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Approach: Open space Level: Year 4 and year 8 
access task
Focus: Hitting
Resources: 4 cones, tennis racquet, floor plan
Questions/instructions:

Start at the mark, side-on to the target area.

1. Bounce the ball and hit it with the tennis racquet.
• Try to hit into the target area.
• Have three goes - the first is a practise hit.

2. Throw the ball into the air then hit it with the tennis racquet.
• Try to hit into the target area.
• Have three goes - the first is a practise hit.

run


% responses
2006 ('02)
y4
y8
Bounce ball, then hit:
Number of firm or strong hits –
2
61 (66)
86 (82)
1
28 (21)
12 (14)
0
11 (13)
2 (4)
Technique –
(stood facing perpendicular to target direction; backswing to opposite direction from target; foot opposite striking arm stepped towards target; marked sequential hip to shoulder rotation during strike; ball contact opposite body with straight racquet arm; followed through towards target then around body.)
very good/excellent
3 (4)
6 (5)
good
33 (34)
48 (41)
fair
50 (47)
44 (51)
poor
14 (15)
2 (3)
Throw ball up (or out), then hit:
Number of firm or strong hits –
2
64 (66)
87 (83)
1
25 (21)
11 (13)
0
11 (13)
2 (4)
Total score:
6–7
25 (30)
48 (41)
5
30 (25)
34 (36)
4
17 (15)
13 (13)
0–3
28 (30)
5 (10)
Subgroup Analysis:
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
About 85 percent of year 8 students and 60 percent of year 4 students hit balls reliably but only about one third of year 4 students and half of the year 8 students were judged to have good technique. Boys scored markedly higher than girls. There was little change at either year level between 2002 and 2006.
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