Hi everyone, welcome to another Playa Development Project monthly wrap. We've designed this feature to summarize some of the content that we've published from the past month and to give you a sneak peek into some of the clips and soundbites from our contributors, as well as a review of written content on the site. As usual, I'm joined by PDP, Ticla Visor Dan Wright for the second instalment of the PDP wrap. Dan, how are you?
I'm very well, Kimmy. How are you going? I'm good. I'm good.
I'm looking forward to this. We've had some great content come out in February and got some really nice little clips here to share with the viewers. So essentially last month we published two Masterclass discussions. We published a member's webinar and a number of other pieces of written content.
So we'll cover off some of the video content first. Do you want to lead off with that? Sure. So our first conversation was between lead researcher Jimmy Vaughn and Professor Stephen Ronnick.
Stephen Ronnick is a clinical psychologist and a pioneer in motivational interviewing. He's just starting to work into sport. This was a really interesting conversation. I quite enjoyed this one.
It comes from this idea that I'm the expert and wearing these goggles, which are like deficit-detective goggles. So my job is to check out where things are going wrong. So I see a coach and I think it would have helped him to have strength goggles on on top of the deficit ones. I don't mean not look for problems, but work with people's strengths and flip strengths, and they're going to have to have a lot of problems over on top of these little more bad and stupid.
And I don't mean to be unkind about him, but what he saw was a guy in kind of midfield in an attacking position. I don't know the football stuff, but you'll know what this is about. So the guy on the wing passes the ball to him and he wants to tell that fellow to run outside of him on to the wing himself. Once he's received the ball and he's released it, go back outside.
So he noticed a problem and he kept charting at this player in practice. And four or five occasions he was yelling at this player. And now he turns around to me and says, the bloody fool doesn't listen to me. Now, that seems very common, giving people feedback that you're hoping will improve their performance.
And I saw it in the New York Giants, right? I saw these coaches in the middle of a game like briefing the defense team what they're taking to where the assumption is that there's a problem. So you've got to lift it on the person's head, stuff that's good sense into it, put the lid back on, right? And then shake them and say, have you got it, right?
And that's, I can see ways of improving that. And I didn't say anything to this coach, but really if he'd waited for a break, there is a very simple way of giving feedback to people that has them taking ownership, which is to ask some very simple questions like, when you're receivable from the wing, I wonder what you think about the possibility of swinging outside. And you thought about that or I wonder how that would be for you. Then giving that information and then afterwards saying, how did that feel for you?
How did you think that might be next time? And I would have thought that a conversation like that, quiet one, just in a space in a practice game. And would have a greater impact on his creativity and his behavior because he'll take ownership of something that he wants rather than be a passive recipient of the wisdom of a coach. So Dan, a really interesting clip there from Professor Rolnick.
I guess what are your first thoughts around that, I guess, from the overall discussion, but also from the clip that we saw? Yeah, I think this is somebody that's talking about learning, isn't he, learning rather than telling an idea of, you know, opening someone's head and checking in all the information, as far as the difference between sort of transformational coaching and transactional coaching. And it's just sort of coming from that positive psychology using a sort of focusing on what the kids can do and try and lead them in that direction. What can take a waste for you, Matt?
Yeah, look, I think the idea around coach communication and that sort of implicit or explicit instruction that can often be defined as command-style coaching. And I think you and I have had this discussion on Q&As before where we're just command-filling on the spectrum. It may fit in around an idea like set-piece where you go out with a certain plan and you're saying, I need you to be here at this moment. But when it comes to a player trying and failing or going through that kind of experimentation, it's important that we give them a chance to fail and reflect.
So really good insight, I think, into how we can communicate effectively with players to make sure they're taking ownership of that learning. So that was for me pretty important. And do highly recommend both of the masterclass discussions that Steven's done with us as well as this blog, which is called Praise versus Affirmation. So that can be searched on the site.
So we'll head to what's next clip and we're going to be joined by Rob Sherman and like Steven Rob's done a couple of masterclass discussions with us. Also recently wrote an article for PDP Magazine. Rob's got a wealth of experience in coach education delivering courses around the world right up to UA for pro license level. He was formerly technical director at both NZF over in New Zealand and the Welsh FA.
And he was also working at Football Australia as a national coach education manager. So really, really experienced guys, somebody I've got a lot of time for. And in this clip Rob's going to share some ideas around the fundamentals that coaches can apply in their environments based on his experience from performance environments, particularly in international football. You referred earlier, I guess, to start a conversation around your experience coaching on the grass as opposed to coaching coaches in various performance environments.
So no, for instance, you're working with the New Zealand women's team alongside Tony Readings before he recently stepped down. I know you've worked alongside John Herdman at the Olympics. You've had some fantastic experiences. What are some of the key learnings from your perspective as a coach from high performance environments that you could perhaps share and pass down to coaches who are working in club land at grass roots level, but could apply within a development environment?
I think for me, the fundamental first one is why you're there. I mean, why you as in everyone who's stepping onto that grass, there has to be a common purpose. And obviously, that might be just self development or it might be performance. So I mean, there's a whole spectrum in it, but why are you there?
And the coaching needs to understand why the players there and match their style and delivery accordingly. You know, it's a fundamental element in young athletes. I'm sure we talk about that later, but if you then don't provide that environment, then you switch people off. So in the form of fundamental is the purpose.
So, you know, I believe it's just winning a big goal. I think it generally has to be a little bit more deeper than that, you know, about something that galvanizes that would galvanize everyone. It's something that resonates for someone on a real personal level in terms of continued growth. Then the culture is a fundamental you have to establish the culture.
And when I say you again, that's the group. I think there's a danger to leadership driven or management driven. If you like, then you'll be posing a culture. What you want to do is engage people into establishing their own culture that will make them much more engaged in living that culture.
And then, you know, from the coaching perspective, you have to have the philosophy. You have to know what it is you're trying to bring to life, what you're trying to build, and how that looks. And in its sort of skeletal form on the pitch, because it will evolve as opposed to become more adept at it. They'll bring elements to life, perhaps, beyond what you envisaged.
And they should be allowed to do that. So those would be the three things I would say is a key purpose, establishing culture. And you'll be clear on what your vision in terms of your playing model is. So, a really good conversation that one with Rob.
For me, you know, somebody that's been there and done it, you know, he's worked at a really high level for a really long time. So, there's so many takeaways. Dave, what was your main sort of focus on this one? Yeah, look, I think, as I said earlier, Rob, somebody as you're alluding to, he's been there and done it.
He's done a lot of time for it. And I think the key point for me was around purpose. And I've been recently reading a book called The One Thing, which is about, you know, prioritizing and I guess, productivity and how you can be most effective and whatever you do. And it's a really interesting read because it talks about the original meaning of priority.
And the fact that it is a singular word, but through the modern age, it's kind of being changed to prioritize and priorities. And so I think that idea of having a single purpose within your environment and understanding why you're there, which Rob alluded to in a clip, is really key in terms of understanding why we coach. And for me, it's about, you know, helping players maximize their potential, helping people have a positive sporting experience. So, whether it's at the highest level, players still want to have fun, which he touched on.
But that purpose was the real standout for me. And again, I recommend the content that Rob's put together with us previously around maximizing player potential and of course, this one which was around the players into the approach. So, it was a really good, really good list of hopefully some of you would get over to that one. Yeah, ex and stuff.
Okay, so we want to click three. Click three is about our members webinar. So in this one, we're looking at loads of different things that Jimmy are lead researcher altogether, but it was around coaching methodology and football philosophy. Really challenging one.
This one's a Jimmy was breaking down some of the research and what are those words that we use every day? What do they mean? What is the difference between methodology and meta theory? But I want to shoot to, well, this model first and then an example.
So when I was doing the reading around coaching methodology and around how these ideas all fit together, what it occurred to me, for my point of view, is when we look at clubs or we look at organizations that have a coaching team, we're looking at the top of the world. And so, in the organizations that have a coaching methodology, what it seems to be an actuality is more of a meta theory, because it's often different theories about football that are kind of put together to then create different methodologies and different methods of coaching, because I think we all use in different methods on a regular basis, whether it's constraints led or guided discovery. People still talk about kind of chaining the session together. So, there's a lot of different, isolated practices, there's all sorts.
And then within different coaching contexts and different clubs, they might be weighted down towards one side or the other side, they might do the whole spectrum, if you like, or they might do, they might just say, no, we're just going to end up in one end. But I mean, what are your experiences with that guys? I know you've talked about, is it the very practice variability spectrum and things like that, that would be probably an example of different like a whole range of different methods. And then it's really interesting to reflect on what methodology that might fit under and how that links to a philosophy as well.
So, this diagram ties in really well with the first diagram you showed the circle that the PVP diagram because the skill of the coaches using, I might not use the correct language here is using the right methodology at the right time. So, we've talked before about isolated practices, we've talked about small set of games and the spectrum in between. But at times, you know, an isolated practice might be the right thing for the right player in that moment. I think anybody who promotes just one way of doing things all the time, it's probably got something to sell because the answer is that all of those things are useful, and the players need different things at different times in their journey, and I look at like a diet, you know, you can't just have one thing over and over.
And so I like this idea that, you know, that you can pick and choose the bits that you think work or pick and choose what you think the players need. That kind of makes sense to me. What do you think, Dave? Yeah, couldn't agree more.
I think the spectrum is key in understanding individual needs. Again, a practical example I had a young player I was working with last year who was an unbelievable striker of the ball and we worked on the premise of strength training. The club's philosophy was heavily game based if you like whatever that means, but it generally meant let's put on opposed realistic sessions and make sure that the kids are getting plenty of repetition within that. So we had to clear our session design, but the young player who needs to work on shooting will me going away and working for 45 minutes with that individual while my colleague then takes the group helps that player at the time work on something that he's good at.
So there's no harm in that. But again, it's about understanding that individual manipulating the spectrum is best you can for the needs of every individual. So, yeah, I think as you say, the idea that if you're just promoting one way, I think that is flawed. I think you've got to keep exploring and on my own coaching journey so far and I've changed a lot.
This thing's I did when I started coaching in 18, 19 that I certainly would not do now. And I'm sure there'll be things I'll look back on a few years and go, what was I thinking, you know, we're all learning all the time. So Dan, a pretty interesting clip there, I guess, and a topic that was challenging for everyone in the room, including us, and we also put outside the comfort zone a bit. What were the key takeaways from the clip for you?
Yeah, I think what I took away was that these are the words that as coaches we use every day, you know, that they're in our handbooks, they're in our curriculums, we're talking about them with parents with other coaches with players, and do we really know what they mean? We don't know what they mean. Should we be using them? That was my main takeaway.
How about you? Yeah, look, I think it was just sort of citing or trying to tie the idea of mid-authorial and philosophy back to practical experience. And for me, that was about how we evolved as coaches, how we changed, being open to that. And I think being open as a key attribute in coaching that the best coaches do have, but also understanding that practice spectrum.
And I guess this is an idea that you and I have talked about a lot in previous Q&As and different webinars we've done about that spectrum and just using whatever tools you have at your disposal, whether that's, you know, physical environment or whether that's an assistant coach or whatever you've got, making sure that you are in tune with that so that individuals get what they need. Yeah, I mean, we discussed it in the webinar, but I like to think of a players diet. You know, you couldn't be the same thing every single day and you need that variety. And we take it back to individual needs as well.
What does that play in that moment in that context? And so it's not about one session or one coaching approach. It's better than the other. It's about finding the right solution at the right time, I think.
For sure. For sure. So that's going to take us over to some of the written content, I guess, that summarizes the video stuff. Where are we headed next?
So the next place is to the session plan and the research reviews. Okay. So the session plan for February was essentially around creating and finishing. So I guess the main topic here was looking at designing a practice, which was a small-sided game, directional and encouraging players to attack one V one through the use of constraints.
The key constraint was for the front players not being able to recover at a certain point, therefore creating attacking overloads and then unlocking those areas to the point of free play where players get the chance to choose to dribble and drive or choose the past and looking at quick attack and quick transition. So really nice session. Really think this is for players of all ages, but we'll probably say 12 and up and really in that youth development phase and a nice one to use for a number of different topics. We also, as you know, had the research review come out, which Professor William Harper produces for us over there in the States, a really nice breakdown of complexity theory in the sport.
So Dan, what we will sort of take away is around the review. Yeah. I mean, I really enjoy reading these reviews because sometimes the research papers are very long and very wordy. And I think Professor Wilharper has got a really good skill, I suppose, breaking these down and making them kind of into coach talk a lot of the time.
So for me, he was breaking down at the complex systems, the chaos, the reductionist argument and sort of putting that all together and embracing complexity. What did you take away from this one? Yeah, look, I think the reductionist, that's really interesting. We've obviously spoken previously.
We've been Bartlett a lot on that and in terms of nonlinear pedagogy at Tizen, the idea of coaches having to reduce sport into parts as opposed to embracing the complexity and chaos. So a really nice read and one I definitely recommend. It's also great to have Bill back on board. He was unwell for a while there and he's back on board with the PDP team producing those reviews every month.
So really nice to have him back. And so finally, that takes us over to some of the blog content that came out in February. And first of all, we had a blog from Sportacus who is a P.E.T. chef, Lager and researcher who produces some outstanding content.
His website, DrowningInTheShallow.wordpress.com, would highly recommend that for coaches. And there's plenty of his content on the PDP site if you search it. So this article was around an event which he attended last year. And Jimmy Vaughn, our lead researcher, Marco Sullivan, PDP contributors were there as well as Danny Yukim who I know you've spent spoken to and really respect his work Dan.
And this blog is really just about a constraints approach and his sort of reflections and review after being in an event with so many interesting people there. So worth a read. And then the second one was around 10 books for coaches. Yeah, so this is leading on from our podcast and our video of 20, must read books for coaches which caused quite a lot of debate.
And I think we probably missed some big books after that so we might have to catch up. But this was your top 10 and your blog was in it. It was. It was just a way really of putting that list down on paper and sort of giving a really brief review of each book.
And again, following on from that previous Q&A discussion. And there's some really nice books in there. Obviously it's a personal preference. It's very subjective.
But definitely recommend that coaches have a look at those. So any final thoughts for you on the wrap this month, Dan? Yeah, if I was going to push you, which one book would you recommend if you have your 10? I know you want my to do this.
But if you're 10, a coach that perhaps doesn't do a lot of reading is just, you know, got an Amazon gift card. Which one book would you say this is the one you need to go and get? Very hard to decide. I know you're trying to get me to say legacy.
But I also think anything by Dr. Stephen Covey in the form of seven habits of highly affected people and the eight habit. I'd say those two would probably be a pretty close tie. The eight habit from a leadership perspective, I think really translates in coaching, talking about how you can help people find their voice and obviously find your own along the way.
So it's a really interesting insight into psychology and leadership. So that would probably just tip the number one ranking, but very hard to decide, mate. I'm very surprised to think I feel like we should have to do any content that you mentioned legacy. I'm trying to avoid the all blacks, but of course, I'll be here for those boys.
And on that note, Dan, I want to thank you for your time. No worries, Matt. Really enjoyable conversation. Hopefully all of our viewers and listeners have enjoyed it.
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