Home > Assessment > Opponent Assessments

Assessing Game Opponents

Who Does Opponent Assessments?

Learning to observe opponents behavior prior to and in games is a critical skill for coaches, scouts and players.

• Coaches should observe opponents prior to and during games for those opponent behaviors that their team should counter to be more successful in the game (high level teams often have coaches assigned this role and may also have scouts who observe opponents throughout the year),
• Players of all ages should learn to observe opponent behaviors as a part of their player development. All players should observe opponents prior to games and during games those players on the bench should observe their opponent's behaviors and report their observations to the coaching staff.

Player's who observe opponent's in games help their teammates with their observations, learn a better understanding of the game, are significantly more focused on the game, and better prepared to step on the field and play well immediately. Players need to learn to focus on playing the game and answering their own questions because on a full size field they can't always hear advice from their team's bench.

Pre-Game Opponent Assessment

If you have the opportunity to watch your opponents warm-up prior to a game you can start learning how each opponent plays and what you can do to take advantage of their weaknesses and counter their strengths.

Observation starts with reading your opponent's body language. For example, if an opponent's:

• posture is poor they often lack self-confidence and are less likely to play strong,
• standing with all their weight on one foot, that foot is more likely their plant foot and not the foot they use to manipulate the ball,
• standing with one foot pointed more to the outside, that foot is more likely the foot they use to manipulate (touch) the ball, and 
• text messaging, chatting with teammates and/or not getting ready to play they are more likely not focused on playing a game in a few minutes.

Observation continues with observing how each opponent warm's up with a ball prior to playing the game. Observe:

• which foot they use all or most of the time when they have a ball (the foot they use almost all the time is the one everyone on your team needs to always be prepared for),
• if they only use one foot when they have the ball and always avoid using the other foot (if they are not comfortable using the other foot they are predictable and your team only needs to defend ball handling moves with that foot),
• if they always turn in the same direction (if they are only comfortable turning in one direction they are predictable and your team only needs to defend turns in that direction),
• if they dribble straight or on a diagonal to shield the ball from an opponent (players who dribble on a diagonal prefer to protect the ball and not use their skills to beat their opponents),
• what ball handling moves they use, which foot they use when they do the move and what they are doing with their body just before they start the move (most players only have two or three moves they prefer to use and if counter these moves they can not be as successful), and
• when they have the ball do they have their head down to see the ball when other players are close by (players who always look down when someone is close to them are afraid of losing the ball and are very predictable, so apply instant high pressure on them and they won't look up to see where their teammates are and then they can't pass).

Observation continues with what each opponent does when they don't have the ball in small sided warm-up games. For example:

•  when a teammate has the ball do they move to be open for a pass (opponents who stand next to you are less dangerous, opponents who only move when reminded to do so are a little more dangerous and players who always instantly move to be in the best position to receive a pass are the most dangerous),
• when their team loses possession do they instantly move to pressure their opponent with the ball (if they do your team must instantly move to support your teammate with the ball), and
• when their team loses possession and a teammate instantly moves to pressure their opponent with the ball, do their teammates move to cover opponents to whom the opponent with the ball can pass (if they do then all your teammates must instantly move to be open when your team wins possession of the ball).

First 10 Minutes on Field Assessment

​The first 10 to 15 minutes each opponent is on the field your observations continue to confirm what you observed prior to the game and to collect more information that can help your team be even more successful. After 10 to 15 minutes continue for the rest of the game to determine if there are other opponent behaviors your team's players may need to know about.

Chunking in Player Instructions

Telling all players everything you can about all your opponents is information overload. Working memory, what people have on their mind and will remember is very limited in capacity. Too many pieces of information or chunks of information that are too big causes information overload and indecision. 

To enable your players to best use observed information limit instructions to each individual player to two items for best recall, but never more than 4 items. Research shows most people can only keep 4 items in working memory at the same time. (see article on Chunking)

For best results the coach should decide what 4 chunks of information each player should know about their specific opponent(s). And only the coach or an individual assigned by the coach should tell each individual player what they need to know about their specific opponent(s).

If team assistants, spectators and/or parents yell out additional chunks of information Working Memory will be overloaded and the player will not focus on the 4 chunks of information the coach has decided are critical to that player's best performance.

Opponent Assessment Forms

Teams can create their own assessment form, print our suggested form Opponent Behavior Assessment, or print our blank form Opponent Behavior Blank Form. After printing the form you want to use make a copy for each individual who will be assessing your opponent's players during the game. 

Common Opponent Behaviors & Counters to Them

There are some common opponent behaviors on the Opponent Behavior Form. There are also blank columns and spaces for observing additional behaviors. See Common Opponent Behaviors for additional opponent behaviors you may wish to observe.

There are common counter measures for many opponent behaviors on the Counters to Opponents page.

Opponent Assessment Form
Opponent Blank Assessment Form
Common Opponent Behaviors
Counters to Common Behaviors