Wall

An imaginary wall can be used to shrink the space within any small-sided game. By using extra players/coaches to stand on the wall and act as extra stunt defenders. The wall can be fixed or change in shape and size across every repetition. This avoids small-sided games with fewer players taking space in the whole half-court area.

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Variable Clock

A variable shot clock can be used for any activity, with players not knowing the available time until the coach starts counting out when the repetition starts. This is usually anywhere from 3 to 15 seconds. This impacts the movement solutions that subsequently emerge. For teams practicing with a shot clock, a random figure can be used each time.

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Three Lives

Players have 'three lives' within any small-sided game or scrimmage. Teams win by getting to the most points first, or if the other team loses all three lives. Lives can be lost according to whatever principle of play the coach wants to emphasise. E.g., a life is lost each time a defensive coverage is not called out in a leadership voice.

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One Opportunity

Offensive players have one opportunity to create an advantage out of any trigger. If no advantage is created, the repetition immediately stops and a turnover is called. This incentivizes the defense to execute one great defensive coverage, while the offense attunes to affordances to start dominoes (coverage solutions).

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Bursts

Another concept invented by Alex Sarama to increase time-on-tasks. Instead of a traditional rotations within drills, players stay in the same roles (e.g. offense/defense) for a series of repetitions, or even better, across a fixed time period. New teams may then rotate in to play against them. This creates a high amount of repetition without repetition.

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No Score, No Basket

Rather than the coaches keeping score for the players, a culture must be created where the players keep score themselves in every practice task. This is done by the players calling out the score after every point(s) is earned. If no new score is communicated, the basket does not count and the players must continue playing on their old score.

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Golden Snitch

If the coach desires to make one affordance particularly enticing, the golden snitch scoring system can be used. If the golden snitch is caught, the game is automatically won without needing to reach the required points threshold. This means a team could be losing, but if they catch the snitch, they immediately win.

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Gold and Silver Medals Only

Gold medals are the most efficient shots in basketball: fouls and finishes inside the smile (restricted area). Silver medals are catch and shoot threes from any location. Players must explore alternative movement solutions to seek out the most efficient shots. Bronze medals may be taken by certain players or in the last 8 seconds of the clock.

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Battleship

One of the most popular Transforming constraints used by coaches all over the world! This is particularly useful for developing conceptual offensive and defensive principles. The choice of trigger may be constrained (e.g. gets), with the offense required to score running a get in four different 'strike' locations to win the game.

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Basketball Fortnite

Fortnite scoring encourages players to explore ways to create an advantage out of different triggers. This places an emphasis on coherent coverage solutions. Fortnite scoring involves a team winning by scoring off the assigned coverage solutions. To win an activity the team need to score off 1 reject, 1 slip, 1 ghost screen and 1 advance pass.

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The Joker

One player has a surprise constraint which can be used in different ways, subject to the constraint used. For instance in a 3-on-3 task, the Joker may earn a bonus point for their team off every screen or pass assist. The Joker could be used to play as either offense or defense to create a 3-on-4 or 4-on-3. This creates unpredictability for either team.

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