Post by Aarron Macias on Feb 1, 2010 11:46:50 GMT -5
"Tips, Themes & Things" Coaching Essays
We all know that there is more to coaching than just running great practices. So, to help you develop your own strategies for successful soccer, SoccerROM posts an in-depth essay on a new topic each month. These articles are provided by the SoccerROM staff and a number of other prominent coaches from around the US and the world, and will discuss everything from technical teaching points to team tactics.
We invite you to read this month's featured article, and then subscribe to get access to the rest of SoccerROM's "Tips, Themes & Things" archives!
Decision Making, Problem Solving, and Creativity
by Dr. Ronald W. Quinn
The game of soccer has been described as a simple game, one that blends physical, technical, and mental attributes to form "the beautiful game". Much effort has been spent on developing players' technique, strength, and speed. However, creativity and problem solving seem to receive the least amount of attention.
Creativity in soccer is the ability to solve technical and tactical problems in the most efficient manner. A creative player is able to do the unexpected at the most opportune time. In soccer jargon, it might be called "magic". When coaches instruct players when and where to pass, dribble, shoot, or position themselves on the field, they deprive their players the chance to solve problems. Just as we improve ball handling ability through dynamic practice repetition, we can improve problem-solving ability through a training setting in which players have multiple opportunities to scheme, create, and figure out activity solutions.
As an example, if young players play 4v4 without goalkeepers, the player who recognizes an opportunity to shoot from 20 yards out has just extended his field of vision and learns to exploit a penetrating channel on the field. If the players play with goalkeepers, the opportunity (and therefore ability) to recognize this particular shot or field of vision is not created.
The development of a young soccer player takes time. All aspects of the game are at work all the time, and nothing happens in isolation. The physical, psychological, and emotional domains continuously interact in every activity. Many youth soccer practices are too scripted, comprised of static, mindless "drills" like slalom dribbling through a line of cones. When you remove all decision making from a practice, how can a player learn to solve game problems? In this type of playing environment, psychological and motivational aspects of the game suffer.
We need to provide a game structure that is appropriate for the age in terms of matching the players' ability to process relevant information. Compared with players aged 10 and older, younger players (aged 5-9) have a limited field of vision, motor control, and spatial awareness. In short, small-sided games and varied game-like activities are critical for the beginning player. Additionally, we need to realize that it is difficult for a child--or any player, for that matter--to be creative when being yelled at!
Each movement in soccer is singular, yet never completely new. Every movement produced is, to some degree, a variation of previous movements. In soccer, there are an unlimited number of movements, responses, and decisions. Thus, when practice exercises require players to repeat a movement at the same distance and speed, through several repetitions, the effectiveness of the learning is questionable.
If we want to improve a player's passing ability to a target, then each passing trial should be different from the previous one. The method of "variable practice" allows each trial to be conducted within a range of predetermined distance. Instead of two players passing back and forth from a distance of 15 yards, they should pass and move within this distance--make one pass at a 5 yard distance, then another at 10 yards, then 3 yards, followed by 12 yards, and so on. Although this activity may not look as structured and effective as the common one- or two-touch passing at a fixed distance, the ability of a player to reconstruct the needed motor program during match play would be stronger. Essentially, rote memory (rehearsal) does not provide the player a better opportunity to understand and execute match demands. Variable practice does!
A random practice format (in which the player performs different movements in a random fashion) is more effective in the actual retention, learning, and transfer of that movement task. Each time an individual is presented the opportunity to reconstruct a particular motor program, it is strengthened. The player must be challenged to perform a technical movement from a range of alternatives. This process is effective because it more actively engages the player. Repeating a movement without variation does not provide the depth of learning attained through variable practice.
Drills may look organized and give the coach a sense of control, but they are truly not an effective practice activity. Drills in this sense are a practice structure in which players are repeating the same movement over and over without variation, usually in some form of line, and involves a degree of "waiting for your turn". Game activities, on the other hand, engage all players, allow for a wide range of ability levels, allow for the opportunity to practice a variety of movement tasks, and engage the body and mind more completely.
Coaches must realize that the mind does not disengage when the body engages. If we want players to become better decision makers, thereby improving playing performance, then decision making and production of motor programs must not be exclusive.
We all know that there is more to coaching than just running great practices. So, to help you develop your own strategies for successful soccer, SoccerROM posts an in-depth essay on a new topic each month. These articles are provided by the SoccerROM staff and a number of other prominent coaches from around the US and the world, and will discuss everything from technical teaching points to team tactics.
We invite you to read this month's featured article, and then subscribe to get access to the rest of SoccerROM's "Tips, Themes & Things" archives!
Decision Making, Problem Solving, and Creativity
by Dr. Ronald W. Quinn
The game of soccer has been described as a simple game, one that blends physical, technical, and mental attributes to form "the beautiful game". Much effort has been spent on developing players' technique, strength, and speed. However, creativity and problem solving seem to receive the least amount of attention.
Creativity in soccer is the ability to solve technical and tactical problems in the most efficient manner. A creative player is able to do the unexpected at the most opportune time. In soccer jargon, it might be called "magic". When coaches instruct players when and where to pass, dribble, shoot, or position themselves on the field, they deprive their players the chance to solve problems. Just as we improve ball handling ability through dynamic practice repetition, we can improve problem-solving ability through a training setting in which players have multiple opportunities to scheme, create, and figure out activity solutions.
As an example, if young players play 4v4 without goalkeepers, the player who recognizes an opportunity to shoot from 20 yards out has just extended his field of vision and learns to exploit a penetrating channel on the field. If the players play with goalkeepers, the opportunity (and therefore ability) to recognize this particular shot or field of vision is not created.
The development of a young soccer player takes time. All aspects of the game are at work all the time, and nothing happens in isolation. The physical, psychological, and emotional domains continuously interact in every activity. Many youth soccer practices are too scripted, comprised of static, mindless "drills" like slalom dribbling through a line of cones. When you remove all decision making from a practice, how can a player learn to solve game problems? In this type of playing environment, psychological and motivational aspects of the game suffer.
We need to provide a game structure that is appropriate for the age in terms of matching the players' ability to process relevant information. Compared with players aged 10 and older, younger players (aged 5-9) have a limited field of vision, motor control, and spatial awareness. In short, small-sided games and varied game-like activities are critical for the beginning player. Additionally, we need to realize that it is difficult for a child--or any player, for that matter--to be creative when being yelled at!
Each movement in soccer is singular, yet never completely new. Every movement produced is, to some degree, a variation of previous movements. In soccer, there are an unlimited number of movements, responses, and decisions. Thus, when practice exercises require players to repeat a movement at the same distance and speed, through several repetitions, the effectiveness of the learning is questionable.
If we want to improve a player's passing ability to a target, then each passing trial should be different from the previous one. The method of "variable practice" allows each trial to be conducted within a range of predetermined distance. Instead of two players passing back and forth from a distance of 15 yards, they should pass and move within this distance--make one pass at a 5 yard distance, then another at 10 yards, then 3 yards, followed by 12 yards, and so on. Although this activity may not look as structured and effective as the common one- or two-touch passing at a fixed distance, the ability of a player to reconstruct the needed motor program during match play would be stronger. Essentially, rote memory (rehearsal) does not provide the player a better opportunity to understand and execute match demands. Variable practice does!
A random practice format (in which the player performs different movements in a random fashion) is more effective in the actual retention, learning, and transfer of that movement task. Each time an individual is presented the opportunity to reconstruct a particular motor program, it is strengthened. The player must be challenged to perform a technical movement from a range of alternatives. This process is effective because it more actively engages the player. Repeating a movement without variation does not provide the depth of learning attained through variable practice.
Drills may look organized and give the coach a sense of control, but they are truly not an effective practice activity. Drills in this sense are a practice structure in which players are repeating the same movement over and over without variation, usually in some form of line, and involves a degree of "waiting for your turn". Game activities, on the other hand, engage all players, allow for a wide range of ability levels, allow for the opportunity to practice a variety of movement tasks, and engage the body and mind more completely.
Coaches must realize that the mind does not disengage when the body engages. If we want players to become better decision makers, thereby improving playing performance, then decision making and production of motor programs must not be exclusive.