I have copied this before and believe it to be very informative as to teaching and coaching and after 21 years feel it is a plan by which to teach.
I have worked with some of the best female hitters and consider their input "price less" as they let me ask questions most would probably never get an answer to in most situations.
They understood I would not ues the information against them or compromise their privacy by them teaching me.
It really boils down to how you communicate with each hitter and the progression in teaching is the journey to them understanding it.
Look at the NFL and the amount of time they prepare for a game and the amount of time it takes them to do it! And they play once a week!
Many have said hitting a baseball is the most difficult thing to do in all of sports and how much quality time do we spend doing it?
Look at your daughters and be honest and tell me how much time do they put into getting better at their sport by them self.
There is a lot of good information in this board and sharing knowledge helps however for me it comes down to how you teach it and the progression in which it is done.
Do all of your kids actually learn in the same manner? No!
From the net....The visual learner tends to learn best by seeing. These people think in pictures and have vivid imaginations. Being able to actually see what it is they're trying to absorb helps this type of learner attain skills most effectively. The visual learner tends to learn best through demonstration, pictures, videos etc. Experts estimate that 60 to 65% of the populations are visual learners.
The auditory learner talks about what to do when they learn. These types of learners enjoy listening, but also talk as they learn. The auditory learner learns best through lecture or through descriptions of "what to do". Experts estimate that 30% of the populations are auditory learners.
Finally, the kinesthetic or tactual learner prefers to touch and manipulate things. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing and tend to express feelings physically. Interestingly, most students doing poorly in school are kinesthetic learners. Instruction in schools is generally geared toward the other modalities and consequently the kinesthetic learner falls behind, loses confidence and may eventually come to resent school. It is estimated that 10% of the population are kinesthetic learners.
Finally I think this article really puts the attention that maybe it is HOW we teach what we all think works best and then look at the data or results to see if how WE taught it worked or if it is us the instructor. When we practice it is always understanding the little things pitchers and others coaches are doing and looking for that give them an idea as to what are weakness may be and how they try and exploit it at game time!
Especially with my pitchers and catchers, I always say if we are hitting what or how would you pitch yourself based on your stance and attitude during a game? If you are playing first and just struck out in a game with bases loaded you are my prime target to bunt to , to see if you are still thinking about the strike out!
From the net......It’s Not What They Do, It’s How They Do It:
Athlete Experiences of Great Coaching
Andrea J. Becker
Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton,
P.O. Box 6870, Fullerton, CA 92834-6870, USA
E-mail: anbecker@fullerton.edu
Teach
One of the most basic actions that these great coaches engaged in was teaching. Athletes discussed how their coaches taught sport skills that were cognitive (strategies, tactics, and systems of play), physical (fitness, performance techniques, and fundamental game skills), and mental (focus, imagery, anticipation, and mindset). However, these athletes also expressed how “great coaches actually teach you about life” (p16) [44]. The category of life skills included values, attitudes, and beliefs. Some of the skills that these athletes learned were how to deal with pressure, handle adversity, and work with others. They also learned respect, patience, and self-reliance. Their coaches didn’t just teach these skills, they modeled them: “We learned to have a good attitude because coach had a good attitude” (p2). In addition to modeling behaviors, these great coaches adopted a multi-dimensional approach to teaching their athletes. Athletes discussed how their coaches used a combination of verbal, visual, and physical methods: “Some people get it from reading it, some people get it from the visual, and some people get it from actually doing it, but those are the three ways [that these coaches] presented it” (p1). Verbal methods included basic instruction, feed back, and questioning. The coach encouraged athletes to be active rather than passive learners. “He would question you and make you think about what you were doing and why it was wrong and what you needed to do next time” (p11); “Then he would tell you what he saw” (p1). Some of the visual methods that these coaches implemented to teach skills were physical demonstrations, chalk talks, scouting reports, and video clips: “I’m a visual learner so she didn’t just talk to me. She kind of got in there and showed me, held my hand, and we video- International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Volume 4 • Number 1 • 2009 107 taped” (p13); “A lot of coaches teach you how to study film, how to study a different player, how to study your opponent” (p16). As a result, these athletes also developed the ability to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Some athletes got to the point where they could coach themselves.
Physical teaching methods included manual manipulation and repetition. Manual manipulation represented instances in which the “coach physically moved [players] to certain places” (p17). However, most of these athletes focused on how their coaches emphasized repetition: “It was just making you do it over and over and over again until you got it right” (p5). Repetition did not mean going through the motions. It meant performing with precision: “I think we ran 80 something perfect plays one day after practice. If you do it perfect in practice, it carries over to the game” (p1). It appears that great coaching involves utilizing a combination of teaching methods, which maximize athlete learning.
The athletes also spoke about the quality of their coaches’ teaching methods. Specifically, they emphasized how their coaches paid “great attention to the little details” (p13). These coaches had the ability to “pull out the finer things when teaching a player” (p14), and instructions were specific. They did not tell their players to “just get it done” (p1). Instead, they explained exactly how to get it done [2, 3, 8]. The athletes also mentioned how their coaches simplified the process. One athlete explained how his coach “always found a way to break things down to the most simplistic sense” (p15).
Another athlete said that his coach sometimes had players practice their skills in slow motion. In general, training sessions were designed so that there was a progression from simple to complex: “You would start out small and go big and he would build on his teachings. When we moved from simple to complex, the purpose of the drill was not lost. The same theme ran through each progression” (p12).These athletes’ comments suggest that great coaches pace their instruction according to each athlete’s learning curve.
Note: This is just a part of the study and not the complete article!
This has some of why we do not hit in a game the way we did in practice written all over it in my opinion and how we prepare our players.
Thanks Howard
I have worked with some of the best female hitters and consider their input "price less" as they let me ask questions most would probably never get an answer to in most situations.
They understood I would not ues the information against them or compromise their privacy by them teaching me.
It really boils down to how you communicate with each hitter and the progression in teaching is the journey to them understanding it.
Look at the NFL and the amount of time they prepare for a game and the amount of time it takes them to do it! And they play once a week!
Many have said hitting a baseball is the most difficult thing to do in all of sports and how much quality time do we spend doing it?
Look at your daughters and be honest and tell me how much time do they put into getting better at their sport by them self.
There is a lot of good information in this board and sharing knowledge helps however for me it comes down to how you teach it and the progression in which it is done.
Do all of your kids actually learn in the same manner? No!
From the net....The visual learner tends to learn best by seeing. These people think in pictures and have vivid imaginations. Being able to actually see what it is they're trying to absorb helps this type of learner attain skills most effectively. The visual learner tends to learn best through demonstration, pictures, videos etc. Experts estimate that 60 to 65% of the populations are visual learners.
The auditory learner talks about what to do when they learn. These types of learners enjoy listening, but also talk as they learn. The auditory learner learns best through lecture or through descriptions of "what to do". Experts estimate that 30% of the populations are auditory learners.
Finally, the kinesthetic or tactual learner prefers to touch and manipulate things. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing and tend to express feelings physically. Interestingly, most students doing poorly in school are kinesthetic learners. Instruction in schools is generally geared toward the other modalities and consequently the kinesthetic learner falls behind, loses confidence and may eventually come to resent school. It is estimated that 10% of the population are kinesthetic learners.
Finally I think this article really puts the attention that maybe it is HOW we teach what we all think works best and then look at the data or results to see if how WE taught it worked or if it is us the instructor. When we practice it is always understanding the little things pitchers and others coaches are doing and looking for that give them an idea as to what are weakness may be and how they try and exploit it at game time!
Especially with my pitchers and catchers, I always say if we are hitting what or how would you pitch yourself based on your stance and attitude during a game? If you are playing first and just struck out in a game with bases loaded you are my prime target to bunt to , to see if you are still thinking about the strike out!
From the net......It’s Not What They Do, It’s How They Do It:
Athlete Experiences of Great Coaching
Andrea J. Becker
Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton,
P.O. Box 6870, Fullerton, CA 92834-6870, USA
E-mail: anbecker@fullerton.edu
Teach
One of the most basic actions that these great coaches engaged in was teaching. Athletes discussed how their coaches taught sport skills that were cognitive (strategies, tactics, and systems of play), physical (fitness, performance techniques, and fundamental game skills), and mental (focus, imagery, anticipation, and mindset). However, these athletes also expressed how “great coaches actually teach you about life” (p16) [44]. The category of life skills included values, attitudes, and beliefs. Some of the skills that these athletes learned were how to deal with pressure, handle adversity, and work with others. They also learned respect, patience, and self-reliance. Their coaches didn’t just teach these skills, they modeled them: “We learned to have a good attitude because coach had a good attitude” (p2). In addition to modeling behaviors, these great coaches adopted a multi-dimensional approach to teaching their athletes. Athletes discussed how their coaches used a combination of verbal, visual, and physical methods: “Some people get it from reading it, some people get it from the visual, and some people get it from actually doing it, but those are the three ways [that these coaches] presented it” (p1). Verbal methods included basic instruction, feed back, and questioning. The coach encouraged athletes to be active rather than passive learners. “He would question you and make you think about what you were doing and why it was wrong and what you needed to do next time” (p11); “Then he would tell you what he saw” (p1). Some of the visual methods that these coaches implemented to teach skills were physical demonstrations, chalk talks, scouting reports, and video clips: “I’m a visual learner so she didn’t just talk to me. She kind of got in there and showed me, held my hand, and we video- International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Volume 4 • Number 1 • 2009 107 taped” (p13); “A lot of coaches teach you how to study film, how to study a different player, how to study your opponent” (p16). As a result, these athletes also developed the ability to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Some athletes got to the point where they could coach themselves.
Physical teaching methods included manual manipulation and repetition. Manual manipulation represented instances in which the “coach physically moved [players] to certain places” (p17). However, most of these athletes focused on how their coaches emphasized repetition: “It was just making you do it over and over and over again until you got it right” (p5). Repetition did not mean going through the motions. It meant performing with precision: “I think we ran 80 something perfect plays one day after practice. If you do it perfect in practice, it carries over to the game” (p1). It appears that great coaching involves utilizing a combination of teaching methods, which maximize athlete learning.
The athletes also spoke about the quality of their coaches’ teaching methods. Specifically, they emphasized how their coaches paid “great attention to the little details” (p13). These coaches had the ability to “pull out the finer things when teaching a player” (p14), and instructions were specific. They did not tell their players to “just get it done” (p1). Instead, they explained exactly how to get it done [2, 3, 8]. The athletes also mentioned how their coaches simplified the process. One athlete explained how his coach “always found a way to break things down to the most simplistic sense” (p15).
Another athlete said that his coach sometimes had players practice their skills in slow motion. In general, training sessions were designed so that there was a progression from simple to complex: “You would start out small and go big and he would build on his teachings. When we moved from simple to complex, the purpose of the drill was not lost. The same theme ran through each progression” (p12).These athletes’ comments suggest that great coaches pace their instruction according to each athlete’s learning curve.
Note: This is just a part of the study and not the complete article!
This has some of why we do not hit in a game the way we did in practice written all over it in my opinion and how we prepare our players.
Thanks Howard
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