Developing a young athlete is not based solely on a given conditioning coach’s understanding of scientifically valid measures of motor stimulus, strength training or flexibility exercises. In fact, it could be argued that given all of the critical information contained in a textbook on exercise selection, methodology and sensitive period development, that successful coaches will be the ones who can teach and relay information to young athletes well, more so than the coach who merely reads and digests the scientific information offered via clinical research. The science of developing an athlete is centered in the particular technical information associated with pediatric exercise science whereas the art of developing a young athlete is based on a coach’s’ ability to teach.
There are several styles of coaching that do not adequately serve to aid in a young athlete developing skill, yet are none-the-less common amongst North American coaches and trainers. An example of this would be the ‘Command Coach’. Command coaches presume that the young athlete is a submissive receiver of instruction. The instructions given and information offered moves in one direction only; from the coach to the athlete. Coaches who display this habit believe that coaching success is based on how well the athlete can reproduce the skills as taught or demonstrated by the coach.
Recently, researchers have underscored the significance of both perception and decision-making as it relates to information processing and skill development. The focus has been on “how individuals learn to interpret information in the environment and use this to make effective decisions about movement execution”. There appears to be three chronological phases in performance or execution – (a) Perceiving (b) Deciding (c) Acting.
The Perceiving Phase: During this phase, an athlete is attempting to establish what is happening and distinguish what information is applicable or valid. For example, a basketball player just received the ball and must now decipher a series of factors including the position of both team mates and opponents on the court, the players own position as it relates to the rest of the players as well as the basket and the stage of the game in relation to the score. Proficient players are able to sort through the key information quickly and separate it from other stimulus.
The Acting Phase: Neural signals are sent which enlist muscles to carry out the desired task with suitable timing and adroitness. Although this execution phase is clearly important to sporting success, it must be understood that it alone is not responsible for on field accomplishment. The two preceding phases serve essentially to set up this final stage; a fact that is often ignored by coaches and trainers who maintain misappropriated beliefs regarding how athletes learn.
The Deciding Phase:This phase involves the athlete deducing the most appropriate path of action to take. In the case of our basketball player, this would include the decision to pass, dribble or shoot and which pass, dribble or shooting action would be the most suitable given the situation. Clearly, proficient athletes are more effective and decisive decision-makers.
Coaches could create and employ modified alternatives to their respective sports with the main characteristics associated with the technical and tactical aspects of the game kept in mind. This is a much different methodology than merely progressing athletes through various drills during practice time, but has been shown to be more effective at developing the cognitive and physical relationship that exists in developing sporting proficiency.