One Part Info, 99 Parts Work

As you get older, you should know more, not just in terms of information, but things like how to relate to people or maximize your efficiency (or your students’/teams’).  I know that I am way different in that regard than when I started as a teacher back in ’91 or when I became a head coach for the first time in ’96.

Add to this, I’ve learned that part of my job as an educator is to pass this stuff on to the ‘next generation’ of coaches/teachers.  Part of that is going on through the Dietz Foundation.  Part of it goes on through things with coaching like USA Volleyball’s “Grow the Game” philosophy.  (Please consider donating/supporting the Foundation–everything goes directly towards endowing scholarships/helping teacher get better at their craft).

When I was young, I would explain things then explain them again.  And again.  I think there were times that I spent more than 10% of a practice explaining, then maybe another 10% walking through things, and then if there were errors–by God, we had to stop for me to explain what the errors were…as if players don’t know most of the time when they mess up.  Yikes.  Typing this is awkward because the 50+year-old me is screaming inside “LOOK AT ALL THE TIME YOU ARE WASTING!!!”

This is where we bring the Marines in….been a while since I gave the Marines a shout-out.  One of the things that we were told during my week out in Quantico was that soldiers learn by doing, learn by starting at the beginning, and learn by correction as they go–not to mention that you learn by using skills in practical/applied situations.  When they start teaching the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), they start with basics and the explanation of a combat maneuver goes no more than a minute before you’re doing it for yourself.  As you do this, the instructor corrects mistakes, aids with techniques.  When it is time, the same system is used with the next technique or combination of them–short explanation and then a ton of practice…pretty much the Blog title, right…1% info, 99% work.

That’s where I’ve wound up as a coach–though the Marines got there a few decades before me.  Now, instead of a long-winded, boring explanation–wherever possible, the drill gets set up, the goal is set, and then the coaches get out of the way.  In some cases (since this is sport and not the military/life-or-death-training), we give limited feedback even as players are making mistakes.

Yup.  Limited coach feedback.  That’s for a couple reasons.  The first is that it forces additional communication between players.  If the coaches aren’t talking, it gets quiet–players hate that.  They’ll fill the space, and if they have been taught properly, they’ll fill it with appropriate communication.  Second, it forces players to fix their own mistakes–and that’s a big thing.  If you learn how to fix your own problems, you grow dramatically in self-confidence and that, in turn, leads to a willingness to work harder and try new things, to take charge/be a leader.  Those are the virtues sports are supposed to instill…

It applies in the classroom as well, though some depends on what you teach or how you teach it.  Think about your science classes–you learn about anatomy through dissection, you pound rocks, mix chemicals during a chemistry lab experiment, and it was through demonstrations, etc rather than lecture that I was able to remember most of my physics knowledge.

As a history teacher, I’d use simulations, small group work.  You explain the rules, then get out of the way.  If they have questions, they’ll ask.

So think–how can you apply this?  Where you can reduce your talking?  If talking is a must, is it possible for them to be doing AS you talk?

I could run a practice with just this if I really wanted to:

Do your pre-hab Thirty-thirty-thirty, net back to zero on the first two Game serve-receive Game hitting, twice thru Corners, two laps Drink Tip Drill left front/right front/right back Tip Drill move right back to middle back Tip Drill 6 on 6 Speed Ball – 3 minute game Speed Ball – No short tips Speed Ball – Back row only Basketball – 2 minute periods Alabama – 90 second periods Down and Bouncy

There ya go–about 75 words and a 2 hour practice….maybe I’ll try it this next week…weird out some players!