Patrick Leahy
University of Lethbridge
Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Frisbee Skill Test: Catching
Basic Skill Being Assessed: Ability to successfully catch a frisbee
Grade Level Appropriateness: 7-12
Individual or Group Based Assessment: Individual
Equipment Required: Frisbee’s- 1 per 5 or 6 students.
Assessment Set-Up: This assessment would function best as a two part assessment- a
pre-assessment and a post assessment that assesses student progress. With that in mind, this
assessment is structured to easily fit into an introductory level lesson as a teaching activity. One
of the key benefits of this assessment is the fact that other students are continuously involved in
the assessment, limiting the amount of time that students stand around for.
To begin the assessment, break students up into groups of 5 or 6. It is possible to have larger or
smaller groups if required, but 5 or 6 is about the right number to get the most accurate
representation of student skill levels. Each group needs 1 frisbee. 1 student will be the “point
person” to start the activity. That individual will stand facing the rest of their group members.
The other group members will be spaced out in a line 15 yards away from the point person, and
spread out laterally along the same line. When assembled correctly, the students will be standing
in what is essentially a large triangle. The point person will start with the frisbee. To begin the
activity, the point person will throw the frisbee to the group member on their far left. That
individual will catch the frisbee, and immediately throw it back to the point person. The point
person will then throw the frisbee to the next person in line, who will then throw it back to the
point person. This pattern will continue until the point person has thrown the frisbee to and
received a return pass from every individual in line. At that point in time, everyone rotates
clockwise, with the point person joining the line and the individual who started on the far right
becoming the point person (diagram on next page).
The best place to stand to assess catching ability would be about 10 feet to the right or left of the
point person. That position offers an excellent angle to view catch mechanics from, while also
being far enough back to avoid influencing the student’s ability to throw the frisbee. This
positioning does require a level of alertness, as the potential exists to be struck by an errant
frisbee throw.
Patrick Leahy
University of Lethbridge
Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Patrick Leahy
University of Lethbridge
Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Assessment Focus Points:
1. Students should maintain athletic body positioning prior to throwing or attempting to
catch a frisbee- Knees slightly bent, back straight, feet shoulder width apart, head up, and
weight on the balls of the feet
2. Students need to track the frisbee with their eyes, they cannot turn their head away or
close their eyes prior to the arrival of the frisbee
3. Students should be catching the frisbee away from their body, with arms and hands
extended. The elbow and wrist should cushion the force of the frisbee into body
Rubric
4 3 2 1 0
Athletic Students knees are Student’s knees Student’s knees Student’s knees Student’s knees
Positioning always bent, head are usually bent, are bent half the are rarely bent, are never bent,
is up, and weight head is usually time, head is up head is rarely head is never
is on balls of feet. up, and weight half the time, up, and weight up, and weight
is usually on the and weight is on is rarely on the is never on the
balls of the feet. the balls of the balls of the feet. balls of the feet.
feet half of the
time
Eye Tracking Eyes track the Eyes track the Eyes track the Eyes rarely Eyes never track
frisbee from frisbee from frisbee from track the frisbee the frisbee from
“hand to hand” “hand to hand” “hand to hand” from “hand to “hand to hand”-
every throw most throws half the time hand”- eyes eyes close or
sometimes close head turns away.
or head turns
away.
Arm/Hand Arms and hands Arms and hands Arms and hands Arms and hands Arms and hands
Positioning are always are usually are extended are rarely are never
extended away extended away away from the extended away extended away
from the body from the body body prior to from the body from the body
prior to the catch prior to the catch roughly prior to the prior to the
catch half the time catch catch.
Catch Result Student catches Student catches Student catches Student rarely Student does not
the frisbee every the frisbee most the frisbee catches the catch the
time of the time roughly half the frisbee frisbee.
time
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