Posts Tagged ‘Practice Management’
Thinking About Feedback
Coaches tend to rely solely on verbal feedback, but one could argue that verbal communication is not the most reliable form of feedback. Words can be easily misconstrued. Experimenting with new feedback methods merely requires the coach to possess an adventurous spirit and a willingness to try new things.
Read MoreHow Journaling Made Me a Better Coach
Much to my detriment, I never kept a journal while coaching collegiately. I mistakenly thought journaling was for nerds or teenagers with loads of angst. Besides, who has the time? The thought of scribbling in a notebook positively impacting my coaching skills was nowhere on my radar. I began to keep a daily journal during my work with the USA U-18 team.
Read MorePractice Like Skateboarders
On a recent sunny, warm day in Fort Collins, I sat for an hour watching a crew of skateboarders doing their thing at a local park. They were all stretching their limits, trying new skills, helping one another with tips, and were focused on performing cool stuff. I wondered, “why can’t volleyball players practice like this.”
Read MoreDeveloping Impactful Practice Sessions
Regardless of your coaching philosophy or methods, common factors will facilitate learning. First, all your activities must be organized to provide the quality repetition required to facilitate skill development. Second, feedback is essential for the player to celebrate the small steps that are the building blocks for skill development. Finally, the coach’s enthusiasm is contagious and is essential to a positive learning environment. Of course, there are other components to running a good practice. However, these are the foundation: repetition, feedback, and enthusiasm.
Read MoreHow Might Coaches Benefit From Reflexivity?
The word for the day is reflexivity, defined as “someone being able to examine their own feelings, reactions, and motives and how these influence what they do or think in a situation.”
Read MoreThe Value of a Serious, Thoughtful Coaching Philosophy
Looking back, I did not realize how unprepared I was for what lay ahead. Despite this relative unpreparedness, I found myself at the University of Wyoming, coaching players who were only a few years younger than me. I’m thankful I was not asked to articulate my coaching philosophy during the job interview. As I began my career, possessing a well-constructed coaching philosophy wasn’t on my radar.
Read MoreControlling the Uncontrollable
Usually, when discussing the factors that might impact winning, the focus becomes a selected metric of importance, such as the number of kills per set or errors per set. These statistical items are undoubtedly significant and do impact winning. However, neither coaches nor players are in total control of on-court success. Here are a few…
Read MoreDon’t Assume Playing = Learning
Coaches are, by default, teachers. Their players are, by default, learners. How to best transmit the information the coach may possess and impact learning by the student is a constant subject of debate, as it should be. Teachers and coaches should constantly test and experiment with new and better methods of instruction.
Read MoreCore Values and Leadership Are Equally Essential
A true test of one’s philosophy and leadership skills comes when the fire is hot. It’s easy to be a leader during smooth sailing times. However, in times of stress, one needs to implement actions reflective of sound core values. Coaches, by default, are placed in a position where their core values and leadership are tested daily.
Read More“Not Everything That Can Be Counted, Counts”
Observing your team in action can be a powerful way to evaluate progress. It is important to incorporate statistics into the process. Critical thinking is needed to use all the observational and statistical information appropriately.
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