This is a topic I have been meaning to put on paper for quite some time, and I am delighted to finally have explored the in-depth research of attentional focus, which is heavily linked to the art of decision-making – a perceptual-cognitive skill I have written about before on numerous occasions.
Do we question the relative age effect enough?
A conversation I’ve been yearning to have with fellow coaches for quite some time; the presence of the relative age effect (RAE) in sport and whether we, as coaches, overly dictate selection based on it.
Preparing the development of decision-making
In the past, I have heard parents and coaches refer to decision-making as an art, and by mentioning this it is not neccesarily an art I consider it as but more importantly, an integral skill to developing players and athletes. Decision-making is just as important as a psychological skill in sport as finishing is as a technical skill in Football (soccer). Therefore, it is not an art.
Nurturing the coach-athlete relationship
The question of optimising coach effectiveness is nothing new, and nor is it something that will truly be established and have a globally agreed assumption on. If anything, studies from a number of disciplines (i.e., pedagogy, sociology, philosophy and psychology) have only grown and diversified the matter of coach effectiveness, making it even more unlikely for there to be a widely agreed opinion.
What role does the coach have in forming Team Cohesion?
Over the many years of sport that have graced our stadiums and screens, we have been able to witness some spectacular team accolades; from any of the Basketball teams that played under the revered leadership of John Wooden in the mid-20th century, to the more recent success of 5000/1 odd-defying Leicester City with Claudio Ranieri at the helm.
Training individuals to be psychologically self-aware
Those who follow me on social media may be aware that I place a lot of empthasis on the psychology behind sports coaching; its usefulness in a practical application, but more importantly intending to make fellow coaches aware of psychological skills training (PST) to aid their players, so in the long-term are able to be more self-aware of their own development in the psychological corner.
What does reflection look like in contemporary sports coaching?
Quite often on this blog I have discussed different methods and alternatives to developing young people, as well as athletes, however I’ve very rarely spoken about coach education – perhaps just the one piece on it – and it is an intregral branch of sports coaching nowadays.
Is focusing on Early Specialisation detrimental to development?
On the cusp of the 21st century, a concept regarded as ‘Early Specialisation’ (ES) came into fruition – although its message had been placed long before then.
Are you an implicit or explicit learner if you make good decisions?
It’s common knowledge in modern coaching that decision-making is a key attribute for an athlete to have in their locker; and if anyone reading has read my previous blogs, you will know the significance and importance of cognitive skills, such as decision-making.
Ryan White 