Effective Teaching
Use the right language
Tell athletes what is right rather than what is wrong. Tell them what to do rather than not what to do.
Remember the brain thinks in images and can not differentiate between positive and negative. For instance instead of saying 'don’t keep so upright' sending this image to the brain, it would be better to say bend at the knees. You could also think of a pink elephant or in fact don't think of a purple elephant!
Assume the athlete doesn’t know
Better to repeat something known than omit something unknown. Teach them, tell them what you have taught them then tell them again!
Limit the information given in a coaching session
Keep the session to the main teaching point along with anything the student realises or attains himself. This is the best time to teach students when they have just discovered a particular task or skill themselves.
Be objective and purposeful
When working in a group or squad environment use examples that have just happened but be careful not to single out negative examples that individual members of the team may have made.
Ensure any assistant coaches use the same language
This speaks for itself conflicting language is inconsistent and may cause confusion. Ensure you both speak the same coaching lingo!
Gain Rapport
When teaching the group ensure you make eye contact with all the group not just single people.
Watch for reactions to what you say negative and positive this can give you valuable information on what players think.
When coaching with individuals connect by touch. A hand on the shoulder or pat on the back will suffice this ensures the message gets through.
Connect with the whole team not just the best, they all need your time and energy.
Encourage feedback with the group
Ask open ended questions about the tasks and skills you have been working on. At the end of the lesson ask the students what the biggest impact for them personally was.
Set goals within tasks
This maintains purpose and helps with everyone individually. Whereas the group maybe working on a set task via the teaching point, each student may have an individual aspect to focus on.
Use mistakes as a vehicle for teaching
A player who doesn’t make a mistake is one who isn’t achieving.
With mistake management have players understand what was I trying to do? What should I have done? How can I do better next time?
Reinforce effective learning and great behaviour
A great way to reinforce is on the approach of the task not the outcome. This will spill over into match play when we want players to continually perform better over the outcome of winning being the be all and end all.
Introduce the mental game of tennis at all times
For this you need my 12 week course. Shameful plug but there you have it!
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