There are so many things in the fitness field and sports that follow the philosophy of “more isn’t better,” but when it comes to skill development more is better.
Recently, I wrote an article on how I feel travel teams and AAU have done a lot of harm because of their lack of attention to detail and focus on improvement. One of the main reasons I believe this is the lack of pure skill instruction.
I do know of some AAU and travel programs that make it a point to work on skills and develop their players, but as a whole, most program are only concerned with getting more playing and less practice.
The problem most people have with practice is they think it has to be boring. It should be just the opposite. If constructed properly, a practice session should have competition, even if it is against the only person practicing. But even if the skill work and the repetitions become monotonous, it is still too important to overlook.
Great players in any sport can make big plays, because they have so much confidence in their skill they don’t even think about the pressure. They react or anticipate making it happen.
As I have said before, I am all for getting out there and playing the game. You have to. At some point you just have to use your skills in a live competitive game- plus it is fun! But if all you do is play games, you never get the opportunity to work on your skills or your weaknesses. Great players find the time to do just that.
So sometimes more is better!
Yours in Speed,
Lee
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You’re 100% right Lee. The main focus of the majority of travel teams seems to be winning–there is little focus on athletic skill development. Some of these organizations are going to extremes now, selecting the teams in spring for the fall season, the rational being they can have sport specific off-season training in lieu of summer sports–and they keep 3 kids “on the bubble”–which means they’re on the team unless someone better moves into the neighbourhood. These “elite” teams seem to place a big premium on “plays” or “tactics” and their practices reflect that; there is little encouragement for creativity and very little focus on developing the players. And when players do not perform adequately, these organizations are quick to place the blame on the players, rather than looking at their philosophies and approaches.
Lee,
This was great. I am currently taking a grad level Motor Learning course and what you have said here only replicates what I learned in undergrad as well as what I have seen in my own athletes.
Repetition is good. You and Brian pointed it out in the Youth Speed & Agility Specialist dvd’s, repeat the skills – go easy on the drills.
Motor learning is only done through repetition. But repetition for repetition’s sake only reinforces bad habits! You mentioned in the DVD that it takes 300-500 repetitions to develop a habit. But it takes 2000-3000 to unlearn a bad habit.
So practice the skills, not the drills!
Thanks for the blog!
I couldn’t agree more Lee!
In my area, baseball & softball, the typical travel team practices 1-2 times a week and plays 4-6 games on the weekend or every other w/e. Consequently, they end up trying to teach during the games. Or, what I term over coaching and they never stop talking/yelling at their players.
In professional baseball, players will hit 2-300 balls a day in practice and only a few that night in the game.
So I agree more practice is better if done correctly!
Greg
Thanks for understanding everyone. So many people think i am against playing games when kids are young-couldn’t be further from the truth. But i believe if a solid pattern of execution isn’t develop through practice the game only rehearse the lack of skill.
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