Alex Lascu

Phillip O'Callaghan (@mrtenniscoach on Twitter) hosted another one of his Twitter Spaces discussions recently and I was asked to join with Marrianne Davies, Alex Lascu and Cal Jones to talk all about isolated practice. Here are the key takeaways...1. Skill and technique are distinct concepts; technique refers to a movement pattern, while skill is the application of technique in response to a problem presented by a sport, activity, or game.2. Isolated practice tasks can be effective in skill acquisition if they allow athletes to couple perception with action, but they must maintain relevant information for proper skill development.3. Representative design is crucial in creating effective training sessions that closely resemble real-game scenarios, helping athletes develop problem-solving skills in context.4. Scaling in sports training involves altering equipment size and game parameters to impact an athlete's actions and problem-solving abilities, ensuring the learning environment is tailored to their skill level and capabilities.5. Decomposing specific skills and techniques within a sport can create more focused practice tasks for athletes, allowing them to improve their skills in a more targeted and forgiving manner.6. The concept of "repetition without repetition" emphasizes the importance of quality practice and exploration over mere quantity, allowing athletes to develop their skills more effectively.7. Over-challenging athletes in training can prepare them for competition, but it's essential to consider the individual learner's needs when designing tasks.8. Allowing athletes to discover solutions for themselves, rather than simply being told what to do, can lead to a deeper understanding and ownership of their skills.9. Guided discovery approaches in coaching can be beneficial, but isolated tasks may have limitations; representative and context-specific training environments are crucial for effective skill development.10. Understanding the context and specific problems to be solved in team sports is essential for coaching practices, with a focus on communication and effective interactions between players.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.Ready to explore these ideas further? Join The Guild of Ecological Explorers – a community of practitioners committed to deepening their understanding of ecological dynamics and constraints-led approaches. Head to www.thetalentequation.co.uk and click the 'Join a Learning Group' button to become part of this transformative conversation

Alex Lascu, a cricket coach with an extensive background in coaching and skill development, shares her insights on transforming coach education. She discusses the system shifts needed to support coaches effectively, emphasizing practical solutions to ease their burdens. The conversation dives into the need for personalized learning experiences, fostering inclusivity, and addressing real-world coaching challenges. Lascu advocates for innovative approaches in community sports coaching, stressing the importance of engagement and recognition for volunteer coaches.

The guests on this episode are Damian Farrow, Alex Lascu, Derek Panchuk, and Carl Woods. They discuss the shift from coach as instructor to coach designer, the challenges of 'hands-off' coaching, the importance of understanding skill acquisition theory, and the need for a consistent purpose across different coaching disciplines.

Themes covered in this episode include:What is a coaching philosophy and do we need one?Understanding experiences from others perspectives.Learning through corresponding/ interacting together.Best intentions, staying curious and humble.My fabulous guests bios and links to other content and resources are in part 2 due to word constraints.BibliographyThe meaning of some 'long words' used in the podcast. Despite the complexity of the words, these are important and useful concepts to think about regarding philosophy and guiding principles in coaching.Critical phenomenology examines how our experiences are shaped by power, social structures, and historical contexts. It emphasises the importance of understanding individual and group experiences, while also acknowledging larger societal forces. It critiques traditional phenomenology's focus on individual subjectivity and advocates for social and political critique to empower marginalised groups and create more equitable societies.Eco-feminism highlights the connection between women's oppression and environmental degradation, both caused by the patriarchal system. It advocates for more egalitarian and sustainable societies, emphasising the interdependence of all living beings.Positivistic objective philosophy emphasises empirical evidence and scientific methods to understand the world, seeking universal laws and objective truths while excluding subjective experiences and values. It prioritises quantitative data and a neutral observer to eliminate bias from scientific investigation.Ethnography is a qualitative research method used to understand human cultures and social phenomena by systematically observing and analysing people in their natural environment. Ethnographers aim to produce detailed accounts of social and cultural contexts through extended fieldwork, interviews, surveys, and document analysis, often using an emic (insider) or etic (outsider) perspective.Participant observation is a research method where the researcher becomes a participant in a social setting while observing and recording the behaviour of others. It provides a deep understanding of the cultural practices and beliefs of the group studied by experiencing them firsthand, and often involves note-taking, interviewing, and engagement with group members.Anthropocentric philosophy prioritises humans and their needs above all other living beings and the environment. It assumes nature exists solely for human benefit, promoting an unsustainable relationship with the natural world. This perspective neglects the interconnectedness of all life and has been criticised for being destructive.Pedagogy is the practice and theory of teaching and education, encompassing methods and strategies to facilitate learning, selecting appropriate materials, designing lesson plans, and creating an engaging environment. Effective pedagogy considers individual needs, promotes active participation, and varies by subject matter, age group, and cultural context.Ontology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence, including the concepts of being, becoming, and reality. It is concerned with questions about what exists, what entities can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences.Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge. It explores questions related to how knowledge is acquired, the criteria for evaluating knowledge claims, and the limits of what can be known. Epistemology also examines the various sources of knowledge, such as perception, reason, and testimony, and investigates the methods used to validate knowledge claims, such as the scie

Send us a textDr Alex Lascu is a skill acquisition amateur (lover of) and research assistant at the University of Canberra. She exists in the gap between research and practice in sport coaching, in the hopes of one day bringing these worlds together. Alex also has a background as a cricket coach, which we get into during the episode.I had heard of Alex before but really first came across her work after after reading her article “What Needs to Be Real?” Which dives into representative learning design and how it can serve as framework for coaches to design their practice.If you like today's episode, leave a review here....If you want to reach me directly, contact me on social media or shoot me @javier@emergentmvmt.com.Looking to learn more about skill acquisition and sport movement?..Visit the Emergence website and take the next step in your coaching career. Episode Resources:Alex's article Alex's twitter Alex's latest articles and pod appearances Credits: Song- "Starstruck" by Freebeats.io Let's Chat!Twitter: @thecoachjavIG: @thecoachjav

Dr. Alex Lascu, a skill acquisition researcher at the University of Canberra and Victoria University, dives into the non-linear approach to coaching and player development. He emphasizes the need for flexible coaching strategies that prioritize enjoyment and intrinsic motivation. By discussing the challenges of traditional methods, he highlights the significance of meaningful interactions and learning through failure. The conversation also explores accessible cricket formats for young players, fostering a lifelong love for the sport.

In this engaging discussion, Alex Lascu, a learning designer and researcher focusing on sports coaching, shares insights from his diverse experiences. He highlights the importance of creating supportive, enjoyable environments for athletes, particularly addressing gender disparities in coaching. The conversation covers the balance between fun and seriousness in youth sports and the challenges of parental expectations. Lascu also discusses the significance of nonlinear pedagogy in skill acquisition and the role of technology versus intuition in training.

Dr. Alex Lascu, a researcher in skill acquisition and talent identification, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of research in coaching. They highlight the challenges coaches face in adopting an ecological approach and reconceptualizing talent. The discussion emphasizes the continuous nature of skill acquisition and the need to challenge assumptions. The podcast also explores attractor coaching behavior and the flaws in traditional talent identification processes.

Dr. Alex Lascu discusses the CLA framework for coach development in basketball. Topics include creating a supportive learning environment, peer-to-peer learning, a unique coaching curriculum, and the importance of ongoing support and collaboration among coaches.

Dr. Alex Lascu, a skill acquisition specialist and lecturer at the University of Canberra with a PhD in women's cricket, shares her passion for bridging research and coaching. She defines skill acquisition as unlocking potential and emphasizes that coaches don’t need to know everything to support learning. Alex highlights the importance of guiding attention, using curiosity-driven questions, and embracing messy learning. She encourages coaches to scaffold training effectively and to think beyond their sport by collaborating with researchers for deeper insights.