#394 Ted Kroeten, Founder of Joy of the People, on the Massive Importance of Free Play in Athletic Development
Way of Champions Podcast
The Power of Play in Athletic Development
This chapter emphasizes the vital role of free play in fostering athletic skills and intuition in young athletes. By drawing on personal anecdotes and contrasting structured environments with creative play, it argues that unstructured play nurtures essential problem-solving abilities and resilience. The discussion also critiques traditional coaching methods, advocating for a balanced approach that prioritizes enjoyment and natural learning experiences.
- What happened when free play was introduced into practice?
- How does the now defunct idea of “10,000 hours” play into free play and increasing performance?
- An amazing story of a soccer club famed for youth player development, with numerous expensive player transfers, yet they sign their players after the age of 16
- The younger teams get beat in competition, but how does it work out when they get older?
- There is a time for structure, when is that time?
- What is going on with the athlete that did not grow up in the academy setting but blows away those who grew up in the deliberate practice environment?
- How can you add free play into your performance development practice plan?
- What are “kid micro-clubs”?
Connect with Ted Kroeten
- Website: www.joyofthepeople.org
- Email: Ted@joyofthepeople.org
- Twitter: @JOYofthePEOPLE
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-kroeten-3114a27/
Resources Mentioned Article on Dynamo Zagreb Academy Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David Epstein [book] The debate between Epstein and Gladwell [video] Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use, by Stephen Krashen [book] How to Become a Transformational Coach with Jean Cote, World-Renowned Expert in Youth Sports and Coach Development [podcast]
OUR NEW BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER!
Jerry and John are so excited about their new book together The Champion Sports Parent: Practical Wisdom for Raising Confident, Competitive, Mentally Tough Athletes. Release date is October 1, but we are taking preorders now and hopefully getting you the book before it is available for the public. This book is a great compliment to The Champion Teammate, as your parents are a huge part of your culture. Click here to order now or email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com to inquire about bulk book pricing!
NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
As you may have heard, we decided to cancel our 2024 Way of Champions Conference, which opens up the opportunity for us to begin a year long mastermind and coach certification program in the Way of Champions and CTGP materials. If you want to simply take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in learning more, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list.
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