Teaching Skill in Young Athletes

Hi ,

In past editions of this newsletter, I have discussed the merits
and variations of teaching skill to young athletes.

Over the next couple of weeks, I want to expose you to some ideas
for breaking down skills and teaching them to young athletes in
a way that promotes adherence and long-term gain.

Today, I'll focus on 'Progressive Teaching' (Rink, 2002).

This is a 4-step, progressive strategy that teaches the essence
of a given sport and specific tactical proficiencies.

Step 1 - Object Control:

Athletes are taught the specific skills that comprise a given
sport. The foundations of success in any sport are found in the
efficient development and eventual mastery of the basic
elements associated with fundamental ability.

In baseball for instance, young athletes would be taught how to
throw, catch and swing a bat.

The Coach would use discretion in designing progressively more
complex drills over time that would serve to entrench the skills
into each athlete in a 'building-block' manner.

Variables such as speed of throwing, distance between partners
and movement during skill execution could be introduced so as to
make these fundamental skills completely ingrained in the
athlete(s).

Step 2 - Complexity Added:

In this stage, young athletes are exposed to tactical-based
strategies that are intended to seamlessly combine their new-
found skills with controlled and scripted situations they will
likely experience within the context of game conditions.

This stage involves both teammates as well as opponents.

Continuing with the baseball example, young athletes would learn
how to turn a double play, throw to a cut-off man from the
outfield, or throw out a runner from third base.

As with Stage 1, variables can be added over time to increase
the complexity of difficulty of the scripted scenarios.

For example, Coaches could opt to increase the speed of the play;
include actual base runners or increase the distance of the
throws (starting with bases closer together and progressively
moving them farther apart).

Stage 3 - Strategies and Rules:

When working only on skill and skill development, young athletes
are often handicapped by not being able to 'see' the whole game
and how their skills will apply to basic offensive or defensive
strategies.

In Stage 3, Coaches will introduce both the rules of a given
sport and begin the process of teaching fundamental aspects of
strategy.

It is at this point that young athletes are offered their first
look at how to combine the skills they possess with a definitive
strategy for outcome or results.

Stage 4 - Game Play:

Within this stage, young athletes are actually exposed to real
games or modified games in which they can apply both their
skills and tactical senses of strategy.

It is important to note that the young athletes should not be
pressured to win nor scolded for errors.

Stage 4 cannot be confused with the pretense for competition.

Rather, it is a very valuable part of the learning process and
one in which the Coach must continue to teach and instruct.

How do you feel about the 'Progressions in Teaching' method?

Do you believe it to be a sound and effective way to develop
skill and ability in young athletes?

The 'Progression in Teaching' method actually has quite a few
critics who believe it to be terribly ineffective...

... I'll be discussing that over the next week or two!

Next week, I'll introduce you to another method of developing
skill in young athletes, called 'Teaching Games for
Understanding'.

'Till next time,

Brian