Classifying Sport Skills by the Distinctness of their Beginning and End Points
Discrete Skills
Serial Skills
Continuous Skills
Distinct and easily determined
beginning and end points
A series of discrete actions
linked together
Actions are repetitive. No
distinct and easily determined
beginning and end points.
Examples
 Serving
 Throwing a punch
 Swinging a golf club
 Throwing a ball
Examples
 Pass and attack sequence
 Volleyball rally
Examples
 Cycling
 Running
 Swimming
*The continual transition seen in volleyball means that many of our skills have features
of discrete AND serial skills. The skills do not neatly fit into either category, except
perhaps serving.