Thread by @Mr_Tennis_Coach

Here’s how to select the right practice activities to help you become a better coach.

A thread
👇🧵👇

This thread covers
•How to decide where an athlete should be on the continuum
•What's the difference between tasks on either end of the continuum
•Why coaches should spend most time in the 'Coaching Zone'

@SundayShare10

@SundayShare10 The higher the rating the more representative a task is. Tasks with a rating of 1-2 not be representative.

When designing tasks the coach needs to make sure that the task simulates the information of the performance environment as much as possible.

For more info 👇

https://twitter.com/Mr_Tennis_Coach/status/1522662816955736070

@SundayShare10 It’s important to note that it doesn’t need to be the exact same and good coaching is scaling the constraints to suit needs of athletes.

The main focus is making sure that the athlete will be interacting with the key information to inform their actions.

@SundayShare10 Some of the important things that needs to be present for a task to be higher on the scale are

•Presence of Opponents
•Includes Decision Making
•Similar Constraints
•Scoring
•Consequences for actions

@SundayShare10 Where the best place to be on the continuum depends on the needs of the player. You can go higher or lower depending on their needs.

During a session a good coach will often surf along the continuum to challenge the player appropriately.

@SundayShare10 Lastly I want to introduce the concept of the ‘Coaching Zone’. This is the area of the continuum where the real coaching happens.

At the extremes of the continuum it’s difficult to coach effectively. Higher end is often too complex and lower end lacks the necessary complexity.

@SundayShare10 In the coaching zone the coach is usually in the ‘sweet spot’. The coach designs tasks to meet the needs of the player that are:

•Suitably challenging
•Safe yet 'uncertain'
•Representative 'enough'
•Variable (Repetition w/o repetition)

@SundayShare10 There will be times where coaches are at either end of the continuum-outside the coaching zone.
There is no problem with doing this once they can justify why they are doing it and don't spend the majority of every session at the extreme ends of the continuum.

@SundayShare10 Here's a nice research infographic by @NickGearing1 that looks at the practice activity continuum.

https://twitter.com/NickGearing1/status/1540999438600179712

@SundayShare10 @NickGearing1 If you'd like a more detailed insight check out this brilliant presentation by Keith Davids at the @MSAIreland Conference 2018

https://twitter.com/705060806/status/1541014144278831104

@SundayShare10 @NickGearing1 @MSAIreland To summarise:
•Where the task is on the continuum depends on the needs of the athlete
•Good coaches surf along the continuum during a session.
•The coaching zone is where you want to be for the majority of the session

@SundayShare10 @NickGearing1 @MSAIreland If you enjoyed this thread:

1. Follow me @Mr_Tennis_Coach for more of these
2. Check out the clip by Keith Davids for the @TheCoachesNet podcast
share.snipd.com/snip/3b2a4a88-…