Creating a shared mental model requires deliberate conversations between coaches, defining and clarifying terms, and regularly discussing game understanding.
Coaches who actively participate in coaching can better relate to and support the challenges faced by coaches on the front lines, fostering credibility and strengthening the coach-developer relationship.
Deep dives
The Importance of Shared Mental Models in Player Development
Shared mental models are crucial in player development and game understanding. Coaches must have a shared understanding of game understanding, which involves learning how to outwit opponents. Inconsistent interpretations of game understanding among coaches can lead to mixed messages and confusion for players. Creating a shared mental model requires deliberate conversations between coaches, defining and clarifying terms, and regularly discussing game understanding. This process helps coaches understand players' thought processes and supports their development. Coaches can use open-ended questions and active listening to gain insight into players' perspectives and enhance their coaching strategies.
The Impact of Coaching Experience on Coach Development
Coaches can enhance their coach development by staying connected to the coaching process. Amy's experience as a coach developer at the FA led her to realize the importance of maintaining coaching experience alongside coach development. By coaching alongside their coach development roles, coaches gain valuable insights and examples to empathize with other coaches and players. Coaches who actively participate in coaching can better relate to and support the challenges faced by coaches on the front lines. This shared experience fosters credibility and strengthens the coach-developer relationship, benefiting coaches at all levels.
Enhancing a Coaching Team's Shared Mental Model
The research paper explored how to improve coaches' shared mental models of game understanding. Four technical coaches in a TAC1 academy ranked players' game understanding based on interview transcripts. The initial rankings were inconsistent, highlighting the importance of clarifying the criteria and developing a shared understanding. Through a workshop and critical conversations, coaches established a more coherent and shared perspective on game understanding. This intervention provided a framework for enhancing coaches' shared mental models. The study emphasised the need for coaches to regularly discuss and refine their understanding of game understanding to provide consistent and effective guidance to players.
Coaching Collaboration and the Role of Sports Psychologists
Collaboration among coaches is essential for developing a shared understanding of game understanding. Coaches can facilitate meaningful conversations to establish a common language and interpretation of game understanding. Sports psychologists can play a valuable role in facilitating these discussions and providing expertise in questioning techniques and listening skills. They can help coaches delve into players' thought processes and emotions, leading to improved coaching strategies. While having a sports psychologist can be beneficial, coaches themselves can also enhance their coaching skills by practicing open-mindedness, active listening, and effective questioning. Improving communication and collaboration among coaching staff ultimately benefits player development through a shared mental model.
I’m delighted to welcome back Amy Price in this episode. Amy works as a coach developer for the FA working with coaches in the senior women’s professional game – women’s super league, women’s championship, first team and under 21’s. Prior to this, Amy was a lecturer at St Mary’s University, London in Physical and Sport Education and then Programme Director. Amy holds a Masters and DProf and is nearing completion of her PhD in game understanding within team sport.
We discuss a fascinating paper Amy has written alongside Prof Dave Collins entitled “Contributing to a Coaching Team’s Shared Mental Model of Player Game Understanding: An Intervention within High-Level Youth Soccer” which examines coaches’ views on levels of player understanding, checks the coherence of these views between the coaching team and provides coaching teams with tools to measure and build Shared Mental Models.
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