Striking

Stages of Development
Teaching and Learning

Striking is the most complex of the fundamental movement skills. A form of striking is used in many sports; tennis, teeball, cricket, hockey and golf. Although they all differ, the same mechanical principles apply across all of them. Striking can be introduced in the Foundation year and by Year 2 most children should be able to demonstrate a two-handed strike. Most children will not instinctively know how to demonstrate a two-handed strike.

Teaching cues
  1. Hands together
  2. Ready: stand side on to the ball (use markers to assist)
  3. Eyes on the ball
  4. Step & Swing – step with the front foot towards the target (use a marker to step on to)
Teaching strategies

  • Focus on standing side on to the ball and having eyes on the ball
  • Use hands as your striking implement to start with and hit balloons or soft balls hanging from trees
  • Next try using pool noodles for a bat and hitting large soft balls
  • Use dome cones as a tee
  • Use foot markers as a guide for where children should stand
  • Hitting medium sized soft balls off small cricket tees is an excellent way to introduce striking
  • Focus on distance over accuracy
  • Play games such as Noodle Run and Pirate Treasure

  • Move on to teeball tees and smaller balls such as tennis balls
  • Encourage children to step towards the target with their front foot, use markers to help with this (step & squash the cone)
  • Focus on children striking the ball as hard as possible and following through with bat around the body
  • Place targets further away and play games such as Rapid Fire and Fetch Cricket

Skill criteria
  1. Stand side-on to target
  2. Eyes on ball
  3. Hands next to each other, bottom hand matches the front foot (teeball)
  4. Step towards target with front foot
  5. Hips then shoulders rotate forward
  6. Ball contact made on the front foot with straight arms
  7. Follows through with bat around body
Common errors
  • Incorrect grip – hands apart or the wrong way around
  • Standing front on to the target
  • Not stepping
  • No weight transfer
  • No follow-through
  • Not watching the ball
Skill usage

More striking activities

girl running
Running, Catching, Overarm Throw, Striking, Cricket Skills , Tee Ball Skills
child with ball
Striking, Volleyball Skills , Hand Strike, Racquet Skills
cricket striking
Catching, Overarm Throw, Striking, Underarm Throw, Cricket Skills , Tee Ball Skills