Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
You haven't taught until they have learned...
When I was getting my Master's Degree in Education, I did a project focusing on the different ways that people learn. Essentially there are 3 groups:
1) Visual learners
2) Auditory learners
3) Kinesthetic learners
Visual learners learn by seeing; auditory by hearing; kinesthetic by doing.
Coach- you have 15 players on your team. I can guarantee that you have at least one of each type of learner on your team. Are you maximizing your teaching effect?
Here are some ways to incorporate techniques to suit each student-athlete's hard wired learning system:
For VISUAL learners:
1. Bring a dry erase board to practice and keep it on the court. When you are going to put in a new play, take 5 minutes to first draw it out.
2. You can give players a DVD showing the offense you run, drills they need to execute, etc.
3. You can give them a playbook packet outlining your offenses, BLOB's, drills, etc.
(also, have you heard the saying "it's not what you teach that matters, but what you emphasize"? I'm an advocate for having a board/signs on the court with reminders for the players of the habits you expect from them. For example, I would write box out/rebounding triangle, keep offense out of the paint, help and recover, etc. The point is that student-athletes, you and your staff will see your points of emphasis constantly, forming a mental tattoo of what's most important to you.)
For AUDITORY learners:
1. As you draw the play, you should be talking it through. Dictate to the team the movement, screens, etc. Also let them know what you want to cover that day (ie, on this ball screen we are really looking for our posts to hedge hard, guards slide under then recover up and out as out post sprint back to their man).
2. Some kids may honestly benefit from listening to a recording of the coach talking through a play or drill they don't understand; most everyone has an iPhone, iPod or other portable recording device that they listen to on the way to class.
For KINESTHETIC learners:
1. The method coaches use 99% of the time; show the whole-part-whole method on the court. First, run through the whole play. Second, break down the play into different sections to practice. Finally, bring it back together again to demonstrate the whole. These types of learners "learn by doing".
As you are on the court, be aware of the different types of learners. You can even Google this subject and find short 10min tests that your athletes can take that will identify how they learn best.
Quote of the Day:
"Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see farther. " -JP Morgan
Thursday, September 15, 2011
2 types of errors players make....
I think we've all heard the expression before- "don't assume, because it makes an ass out of u and me". But how does that relate to the work we do with student-athletes?
When I was coaching in '09-'10, I found myself saying to the team "I can't blame you for not executing something I haven't taught you". In other words, I never assumed they knew a particular skill.
There are two classifications of errors that players can make:
1) Learning error
2) Performance error
A learning error occurs when an athlete does not know how to perform a skill; in other words, they have not yet developed the correct motor program in the brain to perform the particular skill (American Sport Education Program).
A performance error is made not because the athlete doesn't know how to perform the skill, but because they made a mistake in executing what they do know.
Coaches are teachers. A teacher doesn't just "wing" their semester with their students and test them on knowledge they "think" their students should know. Instead, teachers make a teaching plan from Day 1. They incrementally build lesson plans to teach their students step-by-step the knowledge required in the class. On the court, it's no different.
Part of the art of coaching is being able to sort out which type of error each mistake is.
When I was coaching in '09-'10, I found myself saying to the team "I can't blame you for not executing something I haven't taught you". In other words, I never assumed they knew a particular skill.
There are two classifications of errors that players can make:
1) Learning error
2) Performance error
A learning error occurs when an athlete does not know how to perform a skill; in other words, they have not yet developed the correct motor program in the brain to perform the particular skill (American Sport Education Program).
A performance error is made not because the athlete doesn't know how to perform the skill, but because they made a mistake in executing what they do know.
Coaches are teachers. A teacher doesn't just "wing" their semester with their students and test them on knowledge they "think" their students should know. Instead, teachers make a teaching plan from Day 1. They incrementally build lesson plans to teach their students step-by-step the knowledge required in the class. On the court, it's no different.
Part of the art of coaching is being able to sort out which type of error each mistake is.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
How brain science can change coaching...
- Because the brain operates in a quantum environment, our perceptions and self-talk alter the connections and pathways in our brains. Whatever we focus our "attention" on changes or creates new brain connections; you think, you feel, you act.
- The connections in our brains form "mental maps" of reality. Whatever we expect to experience, is what we actually experience; goals, goals, goals! Positive outlook. Optimist.
- Focusing our attention on solutions or new thinking is a better strategy than focusing on analyzing problems from the past, because the latter will only reinforce the problems; "next shot" or "next play" mentality.
- If leaders want to become more effective coaches themselves they need to learn to stop giving unsolicited advice to people, or if it is given, to be unattached to their ideas and present them as options to people; we do not own ideas; we share ideas, are open to other's ideas, and are constantly seeking new and better methods for improvement.
- Coaches need to be adept at reading peoples' body language, particularly when they have "insights" about their behavior. These insights are visually accompanied by changes in facial expressions which can be an indication of employees' mental state. Non-verbal communication; "a picture says a 1,000 words".
Coaching has evolved into a much more sophisticated profession based on knowledge from many other disciplines. Now brain science research has potential for having the greatest impact on coaching individuals and leaders in organizations.
Thought...
Successful people often do things that are common sense, but not commonly practiced.
For example, all basketball players know they should get extra shots up, or they should work-out with a purpose.
Coaches know that they should read more coaching books or watch more instructional DVD's, or they should continue to advance their knowledge in their field everyday.
However, it's a difficult thing to put into practice because other things seem to take priority (but remember- 20% of your efforts will lead to 80% of your success!).
For example, all basketball players know they should get extra shots up, or they should work-out with a purpose.
Coaches know that they should read more coaching books or watch more instructional DVD's, or they should continue to advance their knowledge in their field everyday.
However, it's a difficult thing to put into practice because other things seem to take priority (but remember- 20% of your efforts will lead to 80% of your success!).
What do you do after you win the championship?
Check out Dirk Nowitzki's summer workout routine, philosophy on self-improvement and outlook on the game of basketball: click here to watch the 3min video.
Quote of the Day:
“A winner is someone who recognizes his God- given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” -Larry Bird
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Why "to-do" lists will fail you.
How do you organize your day's schedule?
One motto that I live by is "schedule your priorities; don't prioritize your schedule".
A "to-do" list often sets you up for failure. When you make a to-do list, it is generally a list of odds and ends clumped together in an organizational fashion to give you an outline of what needs to be done. There are three problems with this type of system:
1) Your "important" and "urgent" priorities may get mixed up with the "not important" but "urgent" duties (see my post on the 80/20 rule here to understand the difference).
2) There will be things that become added to your list...regardless of priority, these usually get placed at the bottom.
3) If you don't finish your list, it feels terrible knowing you didn't accomplish everything you set out to.
By scheduling your priorities, you have to know what tasks need to be completed today, tomorrow, this week, next week, next month, or those tasks which can be delegated. We must feel comfortable pushing off important and non-urgent tasks for another day while focusing on the immediate urgent and important.
I have a daily/weekly/bi-weekly planning tool that I utilize daily and I'm happy to share that with anyone interested! Please email me at coachchrispassmore@gmail.com
One motto that I live by is "schedule your priorities; don't prioritize your schedule".
A "to-do" list often sets you up for failure. When you make a to-do list, it is generally a list of odds and ends clumped together in an organizational fashion to give you an outline of what needs to be done. There are three problems with this type of system:
1) Your "important" and "urgent" priorities may get mixed up with the "not important" but "urgent" duties (see my post on the 80/20 rule here to understand the difference).
2) There will be things that become added to your list...regardless of priority, these usually get placed at the bottom.
3) If you don't finish your list, it feels terrible knowing you didn't accomplish everything you set out to.
By scheduling your priorities, you have to know what tasks need to be completed today, tomorrow, this week, next week, next month, or those tasks which can be delegated. We must feel comfortable pushing off important and non-urgent tasks for another day while focusing on the immediate urgent and important.
I have a daily/weekly/bi-weekly planning tool that I utilize daily and I'm happy to share that with anyone interested! Please email me at coachchrispassmore@gmail.com
How to put your career on the fast track...
www.BrianTracy.com, assist to Bob Starkey.
1) Ask For Greater Responsibility
You can accept 100% responsibility for everything you are and everything you become. You can refuse to make excuses or to blame others. You can tell your boss that you want greater responsibilities and then when you get them, put your whole heart into doing an excellent job.
2) Improve A Little At A Time
If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to one half of one percent more productive each week. One half of one percent more productive each week amounts to two percent more productive each month and 26% more productive each year.
The cumulative effect if becoming a tiny bit better at your field and more productive amounts to a tremendous increase in your value and your output over time.
3) Dedicate Yourself to Continuous Improvement
The key to long term success is for you to dedicate yourself to continuous improvement. If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to 1/1000th improvement per working day. Is that possible? Of course it is!
You can accept 100% responsibility for everything you are and everything you become. You can refuse to make excuses or to blame others. You can tell your boss that you want greater responsibilities and then when you get them, put your whole heart into doing an excellent job.
2) Improve A Little At A Time
If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to one half of one percent more productive each week. One half of one percent more productive each week amounts to two percent more productive each month and 26% more productive each year.
The cumulative effect if becoming a tiny bit better at your field and more productive amounts to a tremendous increase in your value and your output over time.
3) Dedicate Yourself to Continuous Improvement
The key to long term success is for you to dedicate yourself to continuous improvement. If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to 1/1000th improvement per working day. Is that possible? Of course it is!
Monday, September 12, 2011
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