The Art of Play: Rethinking Player Development with Rafe Kelley episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 25, 2026 · 1H

The Art of Play: Rethinking Player Development with Rafe Kelley

from Finding the Edge · host Garrett Boyum, Robert Frey, Garrett Baker, and formerly Brock Hammit

We had Rafe Kelley (Evolve Move Play) on to draw from his wealth of experience from martial arts, gymnastics, and early U.S. parkour coach to adopting ecological dynamics into his practices, where he learned to use environments and constraints to drive skill without over-coaching. We discuss play as a natural self-education process, how flow relates to challenge and competence, and how coaches can design simple, safe games and warm-ups that build adaptable athletes while managing injury risk.Intro music by: Muellzy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / muellzymusic  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Us & learn more about Ecological Dynamics (links below)⁠Donate to Finding the Edge:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ buymeacoffee.com/ftepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecological Dynamics ResourcesResources from Emergence a movement skill education company dedicated to helping coaches learn how to apply an ecological approach to understanding and developing movement skill.Get 7% off most courses by using code: Edge7Educational Products: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://emergentmvmt.com/shop-2/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Social MediaTwitter: ⁠⁠@Emergentmvmt⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠@Emergentmvmt⁠⁠Patreon:⁠⁠   / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠emergentmvmt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow Us!Join our Discord: ⁠⁠bit.ly/3a07z1B⁠⁠Find us on Twitter: @FTEpod@gboyum01@kyledupic@Coachgbaker

We had Rafe Kelley (Evolve Move Play) on to draw from his wealth of experience from martial arts, gymnastics, and early U.S. parkour coach to adopting ecological dynamics into his practices, where he learned to use environments and constraints to drive skill without over-coaching. We discuss play as a natural self-education process, how flow relates to challenge and competence, and how coaches can design simple, safe games and warm-ups that build adaptable athletes while managing injury risk.Intro music by: Muellzy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / muellzymusic  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Us & learn more about Ecological Dynamics (links below)⁠Donate to Finding the Edge:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ buymeacoffee.com/ftepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecological Dynamics ResourcesResources from Emergence a movement skill education company dedicated to helping coaches learn how to apply an ecological approach to understanding and developing movement skill.Get 7% off most courses by using code: Edge7Educational Products: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://emergentmvmt.com/shop-2/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Social MediaTwitter: ⁠⁠@Emergentmvmt⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠@Emergentmvmt⁠⁠Patreon:⁠⁠   / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠emergentmvmt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow Us!Join our Discord: ⁠⁠bit.ly/3a07z1B⁠⁠Find us on Twitter: @FTEpod@gboyum01@kyledupic@Coachgbaker

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The Art of Play: Rethinking Player Development with Rafe Kelley

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This episode was published on June 25, 2026.

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We had Rafe Kelley (Evolve Move Play) on to draw from his wealth of experience from martial arts, gymnastics, and early U.S. parkour coach to adopting ecological dynamics into his practices, where he learned to use environments and constraints to...

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