| The Multi-Skilled Coach: Knowing the Brain |
By Anthony Hudson
I worked with an Under-10 team recently and in our first session, I pulled aside a player who was playing right back. I noticed that the whole time he was in the game he never left his little “self-made” area, which allowed him to move only three or four yards in any direction, regardless of where the ball was and what was happening in the game.
“Andrew, what do we want to do when we get the ball?”
“Um, pass, combine?”
“Yeah, pass, combine, but what else do we want to do?”
“Um…. score a goal!”
“Yes, score a goal. So, when you get the ball, wouldn’t you like to go and score?”
“Yes but, I’m not allowed to go up there!”
I was shocked, and since then I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Somewhere along the line this youngster has learned that first he is a defender, and second, as a defender, he was not allowed to go forward. What a crying shame! How many more young players have these restrictions put on them, and how are they able to enjoy and express themselves under such conditions?
As coaches we wield a huge amount of influence over the players we work with, whether young or old. And to aid us we have so many resources for learning at our disposal!
Is it merely enough to learn and practice the technical and tactical side of the game? There’s no question those aspects are important, but what if we can’t communicate effectively what we want? What if we can’t we read our players? Is what we are seeing and hearing really what’s going on? Do we know how to truly listen to them? What good is all this technical and tactical knowledge if we can’t help our players?
THE MULTI-SKILLED COACH
Just as cross training is invaluable to any particular sport that someone participates in, the same type of “cross-training” is true with coaching. As coaches we must constantly seek to become much more “multi-skilled.” Working and learning in areas such as psychology, physiology, nutrition, human development, learning languages, fitness, self development, mentoring and counseling are subjects that can aid us in becoming a more effective influence on our players. All these factors that influence our coaching environment are so interesting and enjoyable to experience – the many joys of being a coach.
THE BRAIN AND HOW PEOPLE LEARN
We know that people learn in many different ways. Some are more visually oriented, others learn best by hearing, some by feeling and doing. For example, one player may be able to do exactly what you’re asking the first time, but another may need to see it performed a few times first before giving it a go.
The brain is absolutely amazing, and in a learning, coaching environment it is hugely underestimated. We can gain so much insight about the brain and in particular how players learn. Study of the conscious and unconscious mind can go a long way in helping us become more effective coaches. Dr. Emile Donchin (University of Illinois) says “99 percent of all learning is non-conscious. Your students are learning without knowing it.” So that means that what we do, how we speak, what we say, how we dress, our body language, our facial expressions, the environment, the posters we put on the wall, the affirmations, the diagrams – all of these things affect what players learn…without them being aware of it.
When I’m making a coaching point or a team talk to my players, I may think what I’m saying sounds effective and constructive, but some players may not even be listening. There’re focused on my body language or the expression on my face, reacting to the tone of my voice or noticing the other players, their expressions and what they are thinking. Their unconscious mind is feeding off and taking in all that I am doing.
Are we aware of all the factors that can influence our players’ state of learning? Do we know how these factors can help us teach more effectively? Are we doing enough to affect these variables and to try and accommodate the players’ different learning styles?
When I was a child, people told me to keep practicing and practicing, so I did. But a Saturday afternoon visit to a live game, with thousands of screaming fans, the emotion, the passion and the professional players, did something to me that no amount of words about practicing from anybody could do. I would leave the stadium with an unbelievable enthusiasm, and I couldn’t wait to play and practice. So for me, a situation where I’m emotionally involved, when I can hear and feel the crowd and the “smell” of a game day, is a more powerful stimulus than someone telling me “if you want to be a professional and play in front of thousands of fans in big stadiums, then you need to go and practice.”
Not all of us have the opportunity to I affect all these learning senses so strongly, but if we can gain a better understanding of our players and how to truly reach them, we will find creative ways to gain the desired, positive effect.
NEGATIVITY/CONFIDENCE
It’s enlightening to watch players and see how they behave both on and off the field. Confidence can make a player and, just as easily, the lack of it can tear one down. Is what we are saying to our players really helping them?
I remember a time from my youth that can be a lesson for a coach. When I was young, my coach kept telling me that I used to make bad runs. He kept on and on, telling and pointing, pointing and telling. I used to hear him on the side say “he makes some terrible runs.” Well, not only did this affect me negatively (both psychologically and physically), it was inaccurate. I knew exactly where I should be going, I knew how to create space for myself, I knew where I needed to go to put myself in a good position to receive the ball. I knew all this. The problem was that at certain times and in certain areas, I didn’t want the ball. I didn’t want it anywhere near me. Confidence and specific training were the areas that needed attention, not my understanding of the game. The way to find that out is through awareness, a little curiosity and by communicating.
When Portuguese legend Eusebio was asked his views on the qualities of a top coach, he said: “It is someone who is able to talk to the players and get the maximum out of them. The ability to communicate is essential!”
In learning about the brain, there’s a certain stem, the “reptilian brain,” that dominates our behavior under stress.
“Under threats, anxiety, negative stress and induced learner helplessness, the brain operates differently. There is increased blood flow and electrical activity in the brain stem and cerebellum area and decreased activity in the mid-brain and neo-cortex. That means the brain has ‘minimized.’ You get more predictable, rote, knee-jerk reaction behaviors when the brain senses any threat.” (Brain Based Learning, Eric Jenson)
Consider the characteristics in the last sentence…are these not the exact type of characteristics you least want your players to have when playing a game?
For soccer players this type of reaction can lead to restricted breathing, tensed muscles and impaired judgment and decision-making, which always result in a negative outcome (losing the ball or “messing up”). These negative outcomes more often than not are labeled by the coach as “poor technique” or “they’re just not good enough.” So we know now that there’s a little more than meets the eye and we have to dig a bit deeper.
“Young players need freedom of expression to develop as creative players… they should be encouraged to try skills without fear of failure.” (Arsene Wenger)
For better or worse, we know we have a strong influence over the state of our players. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to become more aware of all the factors that play a part in bettering every player we work with.
As coaches we may want to ask ourselves:
• Do we engage enough curiosity in our players?
• Are we engaging them emotionally?
• How effective is our feedback? Do we give enough feedback? If so, when and to whom?
• Are we allowing our players to set goals for themselves?
• What kind of language are we using?
• Are we providing hope every time we are in contact with them?
• Do we reinforce positive beliefs and affirmations?
It is truly amazing how fortunate we are to be able to learn and to help others become better and to reach their dreams!
Author’s note: A special thanks to Malcolm Cook, Director of FreeFlow Coaching, a mentor/coach educator that really lives everything that he preaches and inspires coaches such as me to become better. Thank you.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the March-April 2009 issue of Soccer Journal.
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