Dispelling Misconceptions and Emphasizing Continuous Development in Athletics

In this episode, Alex Sarama is joined by Gray Thomas and they talked about the principles of ecological psychology and its application in the context of basketball. Gray explains how ecological psychology challenges traditional cognitive theories and offers a fresh perspective on perception, action, and memory. They discuss the concept of affordances and how it influences player performance and decision-making on the court. Their conversation in this episode highlights the importance of understanding individual differences and designing flexible, adaptable environments to foster growth and optimize player development. 

Want to take a deep dive into the Transforming approach? Our FREE skill acquisition workshop is a comprehensive resource for you to learn about evidence-based coaching strategies. Get instant access here: https://transformingbball.com/online-skill-acquisition-workshop

Level up your coaching with our Amazon Best Selling Book: https://amzn.to/3vO1Tc7

Access tons more of evidence-based coaching resources: https://transformingbball.com/products/ 

Key Takeaways:

02:45 - Gray's arrival to and historical background on Ecological Psychology

16:15 - Application of Affordances & Ecological Dynamics in Basketball

27:30 - The pitfalls of seeing skills as something you acquire then apply them

33:00 - Affordance-Based Control vs Information-Based Control

40:00 - How a unified theory can knock down organizational silos

Connect with Gray:  

Twitter/X

Links:

Website: http://transformingbball.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/transformbball

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformingbasketball/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@transformingbasketball

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformingbasketball/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transforming.basketball