Shawn Myszka | Reconceptualizing the Role of Performance Coaches in Athlete Development

In this episode, we return to the world of ecological dynamics with guest Shawn Myszka, a sport movement specialist who focuses on improving performance through training that emphasizes problem-solving and skill transfer to competition.

We tackle the concept of sport as a dynamic, problem-solving activity and the essential role of a movement skill acquisition specialist as part of the athlete development team. Shawn explains how creating environments that represent in-game situations can empower athletes, allowing them to own their problem-solving process and adapt to the unpredictable nature of competitive sports.

Shawn also describes the skill acquisition specialist's role in crafting individualized training scenarios and acting as the transdisciplinary conductor of collaboration among different departments, from sports science to sports medicine, to enhance player development and rehabilitation. He also emphasizes the athlete's central role in their skill acquisition journey, and the role of the coach in promoting a culture of learning through learning and exploration. 

Time Stamps:

[9:25] Sport as a problem-solving activity defined

[18:59] The role of coaches in creating environments for athlete growth

[33:42] Creating practice environments that facilitate skill transfer to competitive scenarios

[49:35] The role of a skill acquisition specialist in tailoring athlete training and serving as the link between departments

[57:46] Using problem-solving activities to empower athletes

Shawn Myszka has served as a Personal Performance Advisor & Movement Skill Acquisition Coach for NFL players since 2008. He is also the co-founder and co-director of education for Emergence, an education company created to bring greater clarity and applicability to the ideas that form an ecological dynamics framework. He has authored and co-authored several academic papers, including one on reconceptualizing sport as a problem-solving activity, and operates a football-specific blog where he breaks down the movement skills of the top performers in the sport.

You can follow Shawn on Twitter and follow Emergence on Twitter and Instagram. You can also learn from Emergence via their online courses and podcast.

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