Final answer:
Zone defense is a strategy used in sports like basketball, soccer, and hockey where players guard specific areas instead of individual opponents. It provides advantages like good help defense but has disadvantages like allowing opponents to exploit gaps in the defense.
Step-by-step explanation:
In sports, a zone defense is a strategy used to defend against the opposing team by assigning players to guard specific areas on the playing field or court, rather than guarding a specific player. This is commonly used in team sports such as basketball, soccer, and hockey. In zone defense, players focus on protecting their assigned area and may adjust their position based on the movements of the opponents and the ball.
For example, in basketball, a zone defense involves players positioning themselves in specific zones on the court, rather than following their opponents man-to-man. This strategy can help limit the opponent's scoring opportunities, make it difficult for them to pass the ball, and create turnovers.
Advantages and disadvantages of zone defense:
Advantages: Provides good help defense, makes it challenging for opponents to penetrate the defense, and can be effective against teams with strong individual players.
Disadvantages: Allows opponents to exploit gaps in the defense, can lead to open shots on the perimeter, and requires good communication and coordination among players.