TASK SIMPLIFICATION

                                         

Traditional skill acquisition practices goes something like this, using kicking as an example:

1 - Stationary kicking to a stationary target

2 - Cone-to-cone kicking drills

3 - Games

There might be some game-based practice somewhere between stages 2 and 3, but it's still not as prevalent as it should be so let's get to work on that.

There is a time and space for all 3 (or 4) of those stages above but coaches often lack the understanding of when and how to move from 1 stage to the next.

During stages 1 and 2 specifically, coaches tend to deconstruct the skill where they break down teeny tiny components of the skill and then try and have the learner put those alterations back into their action, to cement a single technique when kicking.

2 major problems with this approach is that the skill deconstruction is usually carried out via internal cues (arm here, foot here etc) which only takes focus away from the full action/technique required for the skill, plus you'll never perform the same kick twice in a game of football so only being able to kick 1 way isn't going to serve your players too well on game day where adaptability is king.

When designing practice coaches often seem more concerned with task design, ensuring that the drill/activity addresses a problem from the game, in an isolated fashion that lacks game representation.

Game representation refers to designing training activities that maintain game information to some, or usually high, degree.

The most important game information as it pertains to footy are things like opposition, time, space, ball location and consequence.

Any skill acquisition activity that doesn't include at least 1 of these is not training skill at it's core - which is player adaptability.

OK, so far we have made the following points...

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