EP25: How to Develop Skilled Basketball Players with Rob Gray
Dec 19, 2023
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Renowned expert Rob Gray joins the podcast to discuss the ecological approach and the need for coaches to be adaptable. They touch on skill and action capacities, perception in skill acquisition, and video analysis. Other topics include performance analysis, differential learning, and the practical application of concepts. They also explore the relevance of nonlinear pedagogy in basketball and the future of skill acquisition research.
Coaches should focus on giving players movement problems to solve, promoting self-organization and problem-solving skills in athletes.
Developing both skill and action capacities is crucial for enhancing basketball performance.
Deep dives
Ecological Dynamics Framework and its Application in Basketball
The podcast episode explores the application of an ecological dynamics framework in the context of basketball performance. This framework emphasizes the importance of understanding how contemporary skill acquisition ideas can be applied within the basketball world. It highlights the use of small-sided games and constraints to promote self-organization and problem-solving skills in athletes. The episode explains the differences between a game-based approach and the ecological approach, highlighting the focus on representative movement problems in the ecological approach. Overall, the podcast emphasizes the need for coaches to set up activities that encourage exploration and variability, and to be flexible and adaptive in their practice plans.
Skill as the Relationship between the Environment and the Individual
The podcast delves into the concept of skill in basketball and its relationship with the environment and the individual. It explains that skill is a functional goal that emerges from the interaction between an individual and their environment. The episode differentiates between skill and action capacities, highlighting that action capacities provide individuals with a wider range of movement solutions. It emphasizes the importance of developing both skill and action capacities to enhance performance. The podcast also discusses the idea of skilled intentionality, which involves keeping multiple affordances open and waiting for the emergence of the most inviting action.
Practical Approaches for Coaches and Performance Analysis
The podcast provides practical advice for coaches looking to implement the ecological approach in their coaching. It suggests starting with small modifications to existing drills by adding variability and representative elements. The episode also explores the use of performance analysis in the ecological framework, emphasizing the need to guide attention and direct players' focus towards affordances and opportunities rather than focusing on corrective feedback. Additionally, the podcast highlights the importance of individualizing coaching approaches and adapting them to the unique needs of each player, while also encouraging sharing of experiences and continuous learning.
In this episode, Alex Sarama is joined by Rob Gray, an expert in skill acquisition and motor learning. Rob shares his insight on what an ecological approach is and isn't. He emphasizes the need for coaches to be flexible and adaptable in their practice plans and to focus on giving players movement problems to solve. They also touch on the concepts of skill and action capacities, the role of perception in skill acquisition, and the use of video analysis in a more ecological approach.