The Teesra

Category: constraint-led approach

coaching by manipulation of the training environment

  • Holiday camps — turning long days into learning opportunities

    Over the Easter holidays I coached on a couple of holiday camps. Good fun, but quite hard work.

    For coaches and players.

    Six hour days are long, not only for the younger groups. How often does a 16 year old get to play cricket all day? With the proliferation of short-form (not a bad thing, of itself) even a 40-over game is the exception. Yet the coaches are charged with engaging the players for a similar length of time, or longer.

    I wonder if we could develop a narrative to run through the day? Perhaps by linking to a day’s match play. And putting the skills we coach into context.

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  • Do coaches need to demo?

    Should coaches be expected to deliver competent, accurate demonstrations of the skills they expect their players to develop?

    I had an immediate answer to this. Then I changed my mind. Twice. And now I’m not sure.

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  • More clarity on how to use the CLA — what don’t we know?

    Recently, Rob Gray posted a podcast in response to an article requesting “more research-informed guidelines” to support the constraints-led approach (CLA) in coaching.

    Well worth a listen for anyone interested in what the CLA really is.

    I do share Rob’s suspicions about the authors’ (mis)understanding of the CLA.

    But I also think the paper does raise some valid questions about how to apply the CLA, especially for new and volunteer coaches.

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