Creating training environments to promote athlete/player decision making John Considine Coaching the Coaches Forum: Decision Making in Sport Wednesday.

Creating training environments to promote athlete/player decision

making

John Considine

Coaching the Coaches Forum: Decision Making in Sport

Wednesday June 30th - Rochestown Park Hotel

I [Bradford DeLong] was lucky enough to work for Lloyd Bensen when he was

Treasury Secretary. He told me a story that President Kennedy had told him. He spoke of an aged and retired French commander, Marshall Lyautey, giving instructions to the

head gardener of his country estate: “ … and I want to plant two-rows of oak trees,” the

Marshall said, “one on each side of that drive. Start planting them tomorrow.”

“But my Marshall,” the gardener replied looking at the 80 year old, “those trees will

take fifty years to grow!”“Oh,” said the Marshall. “In that case, there is no time to lose. Start planting them this

afternoon.”

Creating training

environments

to promote

athlete/player decision making

“surrounding conditions”

“contribute to the progress or growth”

Creating training

environments to promote

athlete/player

decision making

What decisions?

What decisions?

• What sport / game are you coaching?• What is the essence of that sport / game?

(Look at the rules)– What is the objective?– Is it individual or team?– What is the interaction with opponents?

• What do players do during a game?• What decisions do they make?

Hurling GAA Football

Soccer Rugby

Scoring rules

Maintaining Possession

- Rules

- Degree of difficulty

Transferring Possession

- Rules

- Degree of difficulty

Soccer1998 World Youth

Soccer C’ship

Hurling2007 Munster Senior

Hurling C’ship

Game Time 90 mins 70 mins

Ball In-Play 60 mins 28 mins

Ball in-flight between players 15 mins 10 mins

Total Number of Players 22 30

Average time performing skill per player

2 mins 1 min

Average time thinking and moving per player

58 mins 29 mins

Ratio of Skill Performance to thinking & moving

1:29 1:29

Is your sport / game one where the ratio of skill performance (with a ball) to thinking & moving is higher?

The important lesson is that you should know your sport.

How can the coach use their expert knowledge to aid the feedback process?

Some Ways a Coach can Aid Feedback

1. Providing a Growth Mindset (or Philosophy)

2. Structuring the Reflection Process

3. Modifying the Game / Sport to create multiple and specific decision making situations

Do the players (& coach) have a philosophy about how the game should be played?

Is there a guiding set of principles or rules of thumb?

Players (& coach) need to think about their game.

Players (& coach) need to use reason to train emotion: (i) to free up limited immediate thinking space and (ii) to correct biases in rules of thumb.

1. Visual recordings of others making decisions in “common” situations – it is important that different choices are shown to be available and correct.

Removes emotion of the moment. Allows reflection.

Removes defensive attitude towards self.

2. Visual recordings of player making decisions evaluated by player alone using template provided by coach.

Coach use expert knowledge to provide generic guidelines

Ask probing questions rather than tell players

Desmond Douglas learned to react quickly because he stood so close to the table. Why? The room where he learned was so small the wall forced him to do so.

SUMMARY

1. Increase your knowledge of your sport

2. Facilitate Feedbacka. Provide a Growth Mindset or Philosophy

b. Structure the Reflection Process

c. Modify the Game Environment