A question of skill in sport — learning vs. acquisition & development

Is learning facts the same process as developing a new skill? If it is, then (perhaps) academic pedagogical principles transfer to sports coaching. But if skill development is a different type of “learning”, does the coach need other techniques? Now, I currently have little to base this feeling beyond my own experience of learning. And …

Pedagogy & philosophy — ECB National Programmes getting it right

In a recent post I mentioned how, in my opinion, the ECB’s National Programmes have more to say about learning to play (by playing “games” to learn; repetition without repetition) and player behaviours (the multi-ability model, developed in collaboration with Create Development) than the mainstream coaching programmes. I ran All Stars sessions for three years, …

Whole-Part-Whole — time for another look?

Back in 2014 I posted a simple page describing the “Whole-Part-Whole” session plan — play a game (“Whole”), coach a specific skill component relevant to that game (“Part”), then play the game, or a conditioned version of the game, again (“Whole”, again). Just a description, filed under “coaching resources” alongside some more traditional session plans …