So I am now coaching coaches. This is actually nothing new as most of my coaching competitors I have taught one time or another, and some I am still coaching! Talking with a new coach some time ago regarding a new athlete they are taking on. Since this athlete is close to playing in a tournament in a few weeks, the coach shared with me their general plan. The convo went something like this:
Coach: “I do not want to mess with their stroke mechanics so close to a tournament.”
Me: “Wait, What? You especially want to coach them up on mechanics. Research shows it takes 6 hours of rehearsal to learn a new motor skill. Six hours! I changed my mechanics on one week when I was 33 years old and had been playing 11 years! Add that to the fact your new player does not practice mechanics, but just plays!
Coach: But what if I confuse them?
Me: Of course you may confuse them but look at it this way. Without mechanics they don’t have as good of a chance to win. So all you have done if you fail, is gain ground on their improvement curve!
Coach: Jeeez, that seems risky!
Me: It is, if you do not believe it. What is the first thing I taught you?
Coach: Mechanics, but I had a hard time.
Me: That is how you remember it but not how I remember it. Immediately you were better with a high bar above you to reach. If I had just done the old 1980s positioning and shot selection what good would it have done? You (and your current student) would not have been able to execute the shots consistently!
Coach: Okay, Okay, I get it.
Me: But wait, there’s more! Expect your athletes to execute shots and improve! When you expect the opposite (ie, they can’t do this or they can’t do that) you send a subtle message to the athlete!
Bottom line? Expect the best, (and if you have to) adjust to the rest!