ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT with Dr. Joe Baker

1:39 - Outlining the benefits and drawbacks of specialization and generalization in sports.

4:28 - To prevent the physical and mental “burn out” of a dedicated athlete, is it beneficial to try spending time playing a similar sport to their main one? (e.g. volleyball and tennis, basketball and soccer).

6:05 - Even at the college level is there a benefit to practicing a “donor” sport in the offseason?

8:43 - While certain physical skills and movements would not be transferable to the main sport from the donor sport, are qualities like mentality and other non-cognitive skills easily transferable?

11:06 - Even with the variety of gameplay within sports, would solely playing one sport still be considered specialization?

12:52 - How would Joe implement specialization/generalization in a youth club organization?

14:43 - Introducing the German system of “Ballschool” and why Joe thinks highly of it.

15:37 - How effective is the ballschool system?

16:45 - Why Joe thinks that enjoyment, autonomy and intrinsic motivation are the key components of skill acquisition?

17:25 - How can coaches inspire qualities like intrinsic motivation?

21:10 - Should autonomy be more emphasized in youth athletes or in elite athletes?

22:28 - How should autonomy be implemented in an ideal practice setting?

23:29 - What should enjoyment look like in elite athletes?

25:27 - What should coaches do to raise “enjoyment” in youth sports.

27:14 - Key motor learning principles that coaches should implement in their own styles and practices.

28:35 - Are there drawbacks to taking an ecological approach to sports?

30:36 - Where to reach out to Joe.

Twitter : @bakerjyorku

Joe’s book: The Tyranny of Talent.