Standing shoulder-width apart in our two-point position, the running backs were coached to first take a timing step with their right foot. This step was quite simple in nature: a lift of the right foot with a 30 degree turning out before being placed back down two inches diagonal of the starting position. After that, we were to drive off that right foot to take our next step in the direction the right foot was pointed to received a hand off and run into the “hole” opened up by the offensive line. Seems simple enough, right?

In order to get the timing, speed, and body coordination of the play down, running backs were given increasing feedback and coaching as time went on. Based upon Fitts’ and Posner’s Three-Stage Model of Learning, I was stuck in the cognitive stage for a LONG time. The first stage in this model, the performances of a skill at this point are heavily based on cognitive or verbal processes. Constantly we were told to “chill out” and take a “cool” step. Whatever “cool” meant, I wasn’t entirely sure, but I continued to practice the skill in and out of my practice reps. While other players took their turns in the drills, I watched their feet and tried to copy with my own. I was trying desperately to pick up their good strategies and get rid of my own inappropriate ones. At times my coached commended me, both in practice and in watching in film; almost just as often I would be told I was wrong and instructed how to do better. I still didn’t really know what was right or wrong, but I trusted I would get it eventually.

After a few weeks, I found myself in the Associative Stage. No longer were the first few steps of my path so difficult to perform. I was more consistent, could understand what I did wrong, and no longer needed to speak my way through the skill. In earlier practice sessions, the different actions of the offensive linemen ahead of me would mess up the first few steps of my path. Because I needed to adjust accordingly to the different holes my line would make, I had difficult running into their backsides or missing the hole entirely. Now, I was able to pick up their cues to make the appropriate cuts behind them.

In the subsequent fall season, I transitioned in the Autonomous Stage. The skill in particular became largely automatic for me, and now I was able to focus on more complex aspects than before. Even at times when I messed up the first step of my path or initial timing of the hand off, I was able to correct for the error and turn the play into a positive gain. Finally, I was able to distinguish what motions and actions of the offense and defense were necessary or opposed to my success.

After failing to make this “read” for so long, I finally understood how to get to the point at which I was to cut, as well as react to what the linebacker was doing. I spent every fall practice on the practice squad running plays against the varsity defense, but one late November practice I was finally able to not only make the correct cut but also perform a “fake” with my head to make the defender overpursue me and allow me to cut behind him for a large gain. This demonstrates a concept discussed in Kinesiology 361: experts can notice features and meaningful patterns of information that are not noticed by novices. That is, I had developed my visual search. Although it took me much practice to get to this point (I was by far NOT an expert running back), by being coached on what to look for and attend to and practicing with the key environmental cues, I was able to achieve this level of performance of the skill. Countless hours of film and practice was paying off.