Creating learning opportunities and a welcoming atmosphere is important when creating a skateboard environment. Learning by asking questions during talks and increasing interactions is very important for the learners so that they can feel comfortable during the session to get the best benefit from the session.

During a coaching session, you need to be careful when providing information to the participants as providing too much information to them could give them too much pressure to retain the information and therefore crumble and not take as much out of the session as they should do.

Is the session isn’t going well whether it’s the coach, participants or the session itself, reflection is a key part of learning, so this is an important attribute to have when your session has finished to look back on it. 

The expectations and input from spectators and people involved with the participants like parents create anxiety based on the views of what coaching should like as they think they know best. This can have a bad effect on the session as the children could be listening too much to their parents and not the coach, which means that they aren’t learning as much from the session as they should be

Peer help is very important in for the participants to help understand the session and developing their skills.

1vs2 

Doing this helps players understand that they need support from one another, and they aren’t always able to do things on their own. this is a good session idea as it allows for player in possession of a ball to have someone to pass the ball to if they needed help. This helps the players understand the fact they need support from their teammates a lot of the time

Skills 

Young people may not be biologically ready to do certain movements so as a coach we need to realise this and not push the participant too much. The coach needs to create an environment where the skill can be learnt slowly and eventually will be able to do the skill. This will benefit the participant a lot more than forcing it on them.10,000 hours does not make you an expert. 

 

Movement skill acquisition conference- 

 

·      Creating learning opportunities and a welcoming atmosphere

·      Learning by asking questions during talks and increasing interactions. 

-       Promoting interactions between people 

·      Creating a flexible training environment 

·      Disusing training ideas and opinions 

·      Different levels of coaching abilities (new/old)

·      Different types of pedagogy

-        Laissez fair, allowing players to explore concepts instead of a guided session

·      Open ideas for coaching 

·      Reflexion

-       Admit when you are going wrong and try different area to improve upon 

·      Can you push it too hard? 

-       During a session, if the players are able to complete the session easily then the session isn’t being push hard enough. However, this is normally a good indication that the session is successful. If the session is completed easily and not pushed, then we’ll never know if the session could have been progressed further. 

·      Coaching environments 

-       A coaching environment comes with certain expectations form ourselves and others. Due to this it can cause anxiety for the coach, but this can become a positive thing as we can use this within our sessions by changing the sessions. 

·      Skate part theory -peer help 

-       Peers helping another peer to do something

-       Learning from one another

·      1vs2 

-       Doing this helps players understand that they need support from one another. 

-       this is a good session idea as it allows for player in possession of a ball to have someone to pass the ball to if they needed help. This reinforces the fact they need support from their teammates. 

-       Was easy for one player to become successful should their teammate develop space or be in a good position for the defender to become confused. 

·      PHD 

-       Creating a learning environment for as long as possible, for as many as possible and for a good as possible. This is designed for young people 

-       Limiting factors for this include strategies 

-       Good ideas but culture around it not compatible for these strategies. 

·      Skills vs drills 

-       Young people use learn techniques before the game. 

-       Young people may not be biologically ready to do certain movements. 

-       Create an environment where the skill can be learnt slowly and eventually will be able to do the skill. 

·      10,000 hours does not make you an expert. 

 

Facilitating learning in sport by "creating a skateboard environment" - A conversation with Mark O'Sullivan 

More open and viable for children to play football in Canada 

Promoted real interactions with people 

People often set extremes in coaching approach. Either do explicit instruction or pure discovery or exploration. 

Understanding of this two different approaches framework, helps us to have more flexible environments. Allows the coaches to be quite flexible. And reflect and admit when you are wrong. 

There is an anxiety in coaching, mainly provided by outside, because coaches want to appear to be coaches and sometimes they intervene because they think they haven’t intervened for a while and coaches should intervene, however the session can be working well and this anxiety makes the coach make a decision that maybe isn’t the right one. 

The “skateboard environment” relates to an environment where the participants just enjoy themselves and share information and how they develop a certain skill, where everyone tries to help each other and want to complete a certain task, and help others to find a way to complete it. 

It is a brilliant peer to peer environment 

Help each other formulate opinions. 

1 v 2 is a good example 

Implicit interactions between the players in possession, they think about their actions and how the opponents reacted, co adaption 

There were also consequences, in order for the attacker to act without a “safety net” 

Denying the space 

Challenging each other’s ideas 

Constant search for certainty 

Can we really say we learnt a skill? We can learn a movement 

Coaching is about reduction of error, about repeatability of action, and about rehearsal, this is the idea of coaching, if you repeat the movement over and over again, and if you do it enough times you will be perfect, but it doesn’t work like that. 

You can use variation and repeat, being flexible in your coaching 

Too much variation is bad, it is harder to remember  

Higher level of performance does not mean higher capacity of teaching. 

A coaching environment should be warm and welcoming where you can be comfortable and it meets both the needs of the coaches and the players. The players should be made aware of health and safety. It should also be in a convenient place for both people to be able to meet.

When coaching, you shouldn’t give too much information as it may give the participant too much too think about and they could crumble under the pressure.

When a session doesn’t work, you shouldnt worry about it as it can be reflected on. You can reflect to see where it went wrong. It could be the players fault for not taking it seriously or it could be the coaches fault for making the session too hard.

Spectators who are watching can often make people nervous and this can be for coaches as well as players. Coaches could feel anxious when people are watching because they would be judging whether or not it is good enough for their kids.

By kids coaching themselves it can create a skateboarding environment because they will realise how to do it and the session will run smoothly.  

High level and lower level participants work together to help each other out and improve them. The high level participant’s talent will rub off on the worse players because they will want to be as good as the better players.

Filming sessions is a good way of reflecting on sessions. The coach can see where they have gone wrong during the sessions so when they go into it next time they can change some of their techniques.

It opens up Ideas for doing something different opens up the discussion for talking about new ideas of learning and this is important for coaches to step out of their comfort zone because if they don’t their athletes never will either.

In Finland, the main focus of teaching is focusing on interactions and opportunities with athletes. Creating a welcoming and open atmosphere, allowing people to go around and talk to everyone, it gave the opportunity for discussion of training and ideas from different countries. Holding a conference in a training hall to encourage participants, giving it a relaxed and informal environment. A place where questions are able to be asked and answered as well as getting to know other people and their ideologies. 

Within my coaching I would use such a scenario to get to know riders and athletes. Forming  a discussion of what they would like to learn to give me, as a coach ideas of what they are wanting to learn or improve. Creating progressive exercises to use through a period of sessions. With an open discussion it will allow riders and coaches to learn from each other and develop themselves as athletes. 

Pedagogical approaches; ends of a spectrum; one end;  not about just allowing athletes to play, learn through trial and error. On the other end; more guided, intent associated, not instructional coaching, pure discovery and exploration. Leads closer to exploration but isn’t quite at the end of the spectrum. 

All aspects of learning is through trial and error but with pedagogical approaches, it is suggesting that learning should be more than just that. Coaching is more a guided way of learning, you are coaching rather than instructing. Giving pointers for improvement rather than bringing the athlete down, being critical rather than constructively critical. As a coach I have learnt that all athletes will take criticism differently but it all depends on how it is worded to them. “Negative sandwich” is an approach to take when giving feedback. When relaying feedback to athletes either during or to end the session, allow for 2 positives around a constructive or an improvement linking it to another session on how it will be achieved. 

Non-linear pedagogy; opens up to be flexible as a coach, understanding the ideas around the topic of non-linear pedagogy, understanding the framework to create better and more flexible training ground works for athletes. 

This refers to the term of learner-centred approach to learning. Developing technical competency as well as social and physical development. As a coach I would use this learning technique to create a better training environment for my athletes to allow for better technicality to then develop skills in their chosen discipline. It also means, that as a coach I can give some of the responsibility on the learner, they can start to develop their own coaching skills as well as being able to peer review and help younger or less experienced athletes. 

Discussion of ideas to push into different areas to form other opinions of athletes. 

Allows for flexibility, pushing athletes to get the best performance from themselves. Workmanship at risk as a coach in terms of pushing athletes; too much instruction, changing things to quickly, too much guidance.  

How to work with the approach you have taken as a coach and having the ability to reflect, think about what went wrong, admit when mistakes have been made. 

Struggle to know when you as a coach have pushed it too far. 

Having the ability to push horse and rider combinations to the best of their ability but also knowing when they have been pushed enough and being able to work with where they are, also having the ability to drop back if problems have occurred.  As a coach knowing if there is too much instruction being given at one time which is therefore confusing the rider, keeping everything clear and concise in terms of the instructions given. Instead of bombarding riders with all the information at once, start them off on the task then talk them through the task as they go, so there is continuous instruction but in stages rather than all at one time. 

The use of film can be a good way to reflect on sessions. You as a coach are able to look at yourself as well as showing the athletes their performance in competition or in training, showing positive areas and areas which require improvement. Filming produces a visual aid so it is not just you as a coach being negative or constructive there is a visual to your comments which will help with continuous improvement as athletes will be able to see where they went wrong and how it can be improved. 

As a rider, I know that filming is very beneficial to my training in the sense that I am able to look back at my performance and critically analyse what I did well and what needs improving for next time. I film everything from training to competition, I will watch it a number of times, taking into account everything that has happened. If it was training I listen to the audio behind the video of what my trainer is saying so I can put it into practice of my riding as well as if the exercise and sayings can be used within my coaching. 

If a session is “working” potentially means that the athletes are not being pushed far enough, it is too safe hence why the session is “working” and going so “well”. Pushing yourself to a level of discomfort. Show learning within training, pressure and expectations from parents on the coaches. Anxiety from coaches sporns from the outside environment, impinges on the working, training environment which creates the anxieties and expectations found in coaches. 

Keeping everything cool, not panicking about what people are thinking, it is my session, parents are just spectating questions can be asked after the session. As a coach you have to be open to new ideas, I will always go into a session with a rough plan as a baseline for my riders. If it is “working” then I will up the difficulty, if having upped the difficulty it is then not working I will attempt to drop it back a small step until the riders have adapted to the new exercise. 

1v2- find a solution. Working with 8-9 year olds and figuring out a solution to playing the game. Pairing children up with ones who didn’t understand the solution and helping them figure it out, talking them through it. Skateboard environment; learning through others, as an ongoing thing. Introducing ideas and concepts that children are able to develop themselves and share their findings. Co-adaptation; important in designing training.  Problem solving game; once the game has been successfully played and solved, how can it be changed; made more difficult? 

Skateboard environment; novices--- experts. Different ages. Helping each other, all watching one another to learn new skills and tricks, how to do things. Levels of ability are irrelevant, sharing of advice and knowledge to others. Progression within the environment. 

Peer learning environment; older children helping out the younger children with hints and tricks on how to complete an action. 

The technique of ‘skateboard environment’ can be added to my coaching if the abilities of my groups are mixed. The saying in equine coaching is that you have to teach to the lowest ability therefore, the more experienced riders have to be slightly more patient with those of a lower ability. This technique would be able to be used where more advanced riders can show as well as give their knowledge on how to execute the task correctly. 

Strategy; “no matter how good the strategy, the culture around it, or emerging is not compatible” 

“Learn the technique, before playing the game”

Resilience around repetition; children only doing what their bodies will allow them to do not forcing their bodies to do anything they can’t. Largest number of child injuries is through repetition of not being able to do something over and over again. Stereotypes giving the impression of individualistic approach to succeeding affects sport training and environment.

Repetition is a great way of learning but there is a limit to how many times tasks should be executed. Horses learn after completing a task 3 times, therefore this would be a good number to stop at when repeating an exercise for riders. As a coach I like to be able to emphasise to riders, that is ok for them to get things wrong, nothing ever goes perfect first time, it takes time to get riding correct. This idea would then tie in with having a mixed ability group, as the more advanced riders are able to give reassurance to the less able riders that is ok for it to go wrong and explain how long it took them to get this exercise right, adding a sense of empathy. 

Difference between making a decision and carrying out an action. In short, the action is the decision, interactions to unify the decision with the action. Difference is the athletes perception and awareness of the information sources. Physical, visual or mental awareness. The athletes level of awareness which plays a role in their actions based on the strategy and intent. 

Coaching and riding is all about being able to make a decision. Decision making is a large part of riding as well as coaching. You as a coach have to be able to decide who you want as lead file of a group ride, what you want to teach on that day, how you want to go about teaching, how many strides in your jump distances. “The action is the decision” what you ask the riders to do is the decision you have made. Decision making in riding is important as many coaches, myself falling into this category can sometimes take a backseat by asking riders how they would execute the exercise and why they would do it, self-coaching. This gives some individuality to riders to allow them to see how they can perform and progress the exercise when the coach isn’t there. 

 

Skate park theory:

All working together to allow progress and to help when others are stuck no matter the ability 

With mixture of abilities athletes with better skill levels assist athletes who were struggle, feedback and advice to improve.

Peer to peer review encourages working together.

Allows problem solving.

 

1 vs 2:

Brings a world of development opportunities.

Allows them to support each other and teaches them they need to support one another instead of always using the coach to help one another can help each other in a problem.

This idea allows athletes to learn that in teams sports they can help each other become better and brings out the idea of team work use each other to become better and successful. 

 

10,000 hours does not make you an expert, referring to violin players they will not become an expert just because they’ve done 10,000 hours doesn’t mean they are an expert.

This can show that different athletes/players develop at different rates and pick up or learn skills at their own pace not from just completing a certain amount of practice at one thing.

 

Young people in sport learn techniques to do different things, working towards different technique models can be harmful.

Young people in sport develop their own ways of performing different skills

It can be harmful for young people to try perform some skills at their age as their bodies are not ready to perform these advanced skills.

Creating a safe area/environment where each young player can pick up the skill at their own pace and perform it in their own way adapt it to each individual.

Let them learn the movements and the skill will follow through adaptation. 

 

1 v 2

·      Solution is to create 1v1

·      Using interaction to solve the problem, children that resolved it sooner aided other children to understand. 

·      Introducing ideas doesn’t always mean that they will remember and can implement the idea in later life. 

·      Sharing knowledge is key.

·      Skateboard environment analogy, level of ability doesn’t matter they all help each other. 

·      Share of advice and knowledge. 

·      Progresses environment.

·      Peer to peer.

·      Constraining to afford, making the possession, work out the best way to be successful. 

·      Co-adaption. 

·      Environment design. 

·      Consequences are important in training. 

·      Constantly thinking about challenging further. 

PHD

 

In relation to my coaching:

Using a “Skateboard environment” will allow students or riders to help each other and use peer assessment. As the coach you do not want to be comparing pupils but again asking them to feedback between themselves. Instead of using repetition between students you can ask different questions or reduce amounts of repetition to a certain level. For example, repeat a course of jumps twice, enabling them to improve but without increasing risk factors. Allow myself as a coach to feel anxiety, although I should reduce this effect on any environment, therefore, keep my lesson in a calm manner and allow exploration of topics and encourage question asking and small talk about specific topics within the groups. Also, encourage older/more experienced athletes to aid others less experienced than them. Set examples, use demonstration but allow critical discussion. Flexibility within tasks should allow athletes to feel calmer and less stressed, also, by using peer reassurance they should feel at ease with decision making and happier with their achievement. 

Podcast with Mark O’Sullivan

Coaching is a risk sometimes you give to much instruction and detail and the session doesn’t work.

Even if the session doesn’t work you can always go back and reflect.

The expectations from spectators e.g. parents creates anxiety based on the views of what coaching should like.

Kids coaching them selves and solving the problem creates a skateboarding environment.

Its where the novices and the experts work together to be better they share information to help each other learn and progress the environment and learning.

Per to per learning.

The environment that you create to coach in can have a massive effect on the session, there’s co adaption.

The 2 on 1 scenario, the defensive player works how to take the 2v1 and make it a 1v1 with there knowledge and recognition of space. 

The culture around the sport will decide whether the strategy will work or the sport if there is a lot of resistance then they will not work. 

The more commonly known teaching and coaching views are becoming outdated. With players competing with each other in there own teams rather than working together to collaborate and improve. 

Need to look at the people you are coaching and teach them appropriately. Do skills or activities with pointers and tips that they are able to do with there ability level.

The feedback that is given can be very destructive for example telling a child that they are behind there pers.

Comparing pupils to the perfect form of a movement and to there peers can  damaged there learning. 

Constant search for certainty e.g. the 1000 hours, not applicable in a dynamic sport such as rugby. 

People process Information differently so the idea that we are all computers is wrong the sequential model is good. Decisions and action are from perceptions from the environment. 

We are continually learning how to adapt our skills, the best players never stop learning and they keep adapting. 

Do we ever learn a skill?

The best youth coaches create an environment that the participants will learn and keep on learning.

 

Traditional believe that variation is not good for learning but new thoughts are that it can be good and can be flexible with how its used. 

There’s and old pre set mind set that education is just creating people who can think for them selves and just want to be told, teaching needs to chance the way it works to create more independent thinkers and problem solvers. 

The games and practices need to be interesting and dynamic to keep people interest an focus to make user they stay on task. 

How do we add value? 

Podcast with Mark O’Sullivan  

A skateboard environment, is mostly implicating that the best type of learning comes from shared interests/ passions. Understanding what they as individual like or are interested in, can come from learning with one and other; introducing each other to new things can ultimately teach each other skills. Its very common to lose interest in a teacher when learning, however this podcast is trying to discuss how much better some people can learn from their peers; maybe because they see there peers as an enrichment, consequently seeing them with less pressure. The podcast also goes on to discussing how some peers pick up learnings quicker than others, they can then help their peers understand from their perspective. This is often relevant, when the peers are at a similar age; then allowing them to explain in their own terms. This then can encourage team work, which is a valuable thing to learn especially in sports.

The podcast goes onto explaining a 1 vs 2 approach when teaching children. This is talking about encouraging children to understand the importance of building peers; at what ever ability. Alternatively the podcast then discusses 1 vs 1, this is highlighting the importance of making sure every child or student can be heard and/ or included in activities. Understanding everyone has different personalities; some being involved more so than others, for example because of maybe more confidence in class. This also involves learning valuable team work skills, as this allows students to feel comfortable in their learning environment and then equalling them to get involved with their peers. 

The podcast discusses time scales of learning, talking about how there more effective ways of teaching than to just teach something for hours in total; ie working for 10,000 hours. This is meaning, there is much more to learning than learning repetitively in a basic way for hours on end. Going on to the importance of a positive environment, being crucial and more effective to learn in. creating a fun way to learn, can often allow children to learn gradually and more skilfully. Tying into that, the podcast mentions, how important it is to not rush learning skills from an injury perspective, as they are much more susceptible to an accident equalling injury; therefore, understanding the importance of precision.