The Talent Equation Podcast

Joe Baker makes a welcome return to the podcast to talk about his latest book 'The Tyranny of Talent'. We had a great conversation and covered a LOT of ground including...1. Talent in sports is a far more complex concept than most people assume, and the traditional understanding of talent as a fixed, simple, and unidimensional capacity is flawed.2. Coaches often lack training in talent evaluation and prediction, making it difficult for them to accurately identify and develop potential in young athletes.3. Long-term athlete development (LTAD) models can be useful but have limitations, and should be considered as a starting point rather than an end goal.4. A more nuanced approach to athlete development is needed, taking into account various domains such as child development, behavioral, neurological, and physical needs.5. Predicting talent in professional sports drafts is challenging, and early selections can have a significant impact on an athlete's long-term development.6. Survivorship bias can lead to an overemphasis on the success stories of athletes who made it through a particular development system, while neglecting the many others who did not.7. Diversity and variability in youth sports are crucial for creating inclusive, accessible opportunities for all young people, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.8. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child can provide a framework for ethical decision-making in sports coaching, policy-making, and athlete development, ensuring that children's needs and interests are prioritised.9. Addressing athlete maltreatment and promoting transparency and accountability in sports environments can help create a safer, more empowering space for young athletes.10. Challenging traditional ideas and approaches in coaching and athlete development can lead to more effective, inclusive systems that better support the long-term success and well-being of all young athletes.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

-Talent Equation Conclave is a group of ecological explorers that get together once a month to discuss coaching challenges and co create solutions. This month we had a book club featuring guest Rob Grey, author of "How We Learn to Move." and his new book 'Learning to optimise movement'Here are the key takeaways... - Affordances are invitations from the environment, conveyed by information, and are relative to an individual's action capabilities.- A common misconception is treating skills as action capacities, which can lead to issues in skill development and application.- Agility is a skill that relies on information and functional goals, while change of direction is an action capacity.- Equipment can impact an athlete's perception and adaptation, with changes in size, weight, or length forcing adjustments in movements and problem-solving skills.- Direct perception argues that all necessary information is available within the environment, and there is no need for additional internal processing.- Engaging athletes in the training process and using constraints can help shape their performance and skill development.- Scaling equipment and fields for young athletes is important, but often not accounted for in a gender context.- Focusing on specific cues and stabilizing gaze, such as the "quiet eye" technique, can improve tracking and success in making contact with a ball in sports.- Understanding the relationship between affordances, action capacities, and skills can help coaches and athletes better navigate the complexities of skill development and performance.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

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.

Hey there!I just finished recording an incredibly insightful conversation with Nick Smallridge, whose journey from playing soccer in his small hometown to experiencing the professional setup in Finland has given him unique perspectives on coaching and player development. We discussed the transformative experiences that led Nick to adopt the ecological approach, and the challenges faced when implementing this approach. Throughout our conversation, we touched on the complexities in gameplay, the role of vulnerability, and the importance of fostering exploration and learning in soccer coaching while remaining mindful of the constraints and influences that can affect players' development. Here are some key highlights from the episode: 1. How Nick's experiences in Finland and Uzbekistan shaped his coaching journey and sparked his interest in ecological dynamics. 2. The importance of experimentation and embracing failure in coaching soccer. 3. The impact of coaching demeanor and the environment on players' exploration and growth. 4. The role of positioning in coaching and its influence on the learning process. 5. The complexities in team sports and how an ecological dynamics mindset can help teams face new and unknown problems.0:09:15 - Exploring Alternative Approaches to Soccer 0:18:48 - The Powerlessness of Coaching 0:21:11 - Exploring an Alternative Coaching Process 0:30:29 - Managing Resistance to Change 0:36:13 - Testing and Probing Solutions 0:40:34 - Recognizing Success and Attempts in Games 0:42:50 - Exploring the Value of Failure 0:53:36 - The Benefits of Neutral Coaching 1:12:54 - The Journey of Adaptability and ResiliencyHope you enjoyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

In this episode I am joined by Shawn Myszka and Tyler Yearby from Emergence to disuss their recent paper co-authored with Keith Davids entitled 'Being Water: how key ideas from the practice of Bruce Lee align with contemporary theorizing in movement skill acquisition'. We discuss his famous quote 'fear someone who has practiced one kick ten thousand times' and explore how he may have meant for us to adapt and be 'like water', rather than trying to perfect technique. We also touch on the philosophical boundaries of an ecological worldview, the concept of 'one-touch play' in soccer, Finally, we explore Bruce Lee's work and words, and how they are a testament to his ideas.Chapters:(0:05:59) - Exploring Bruce Lee's Movement(0:10:51) - 'Jeet Kune do' Origins and Meaning(0:24:56) - Adaptability and Ecology in Martial Arts(0:32:02) - Exploring the Principles of Ecological Dynamics(0:37:32) - Exploring Ecological Dynamics(0:51:20) - The Challenges of Evolving Ideas(1:00:36) - Bruce Lee's Influence on Movement(1:11:32) - Exploring Philosophical Boundaries Through Dialoguehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/367319646_Being_Water_how_key_ideas_from_the_practice_of_Bruce_Lee_align_with_contemporary_theorizing_in_movement_skill_acquisitionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Flo the dog helps me to make sense of recent controversy I created by calling a practice a ‘form of cruelty’ during one of our morning walks. I explain my rationale for saying this and share whether I think that the provocation was justified.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Tom Shields boasts an impressive resume. His bio on the STA Soccer website reads... "A native of Hull, England, Technical Director Tom Shields joined STA with an exhaustive list of previous coaching and educational experience, making him one of the most progressive young coaches in the country. Holding both a Masters in Sport Psychology and an Undergraduate Degree in Sport Coaching, alongside experience as a University Professor in Sports Coaching and Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds Metropolitan University, and countless published articles, Tom helps STA blend together the worlds of education and coaching. The former Head Coach of Hull City Ladies (FA Women’s Premier League) and the University of Hull, an Assistant and NCAA Division I Title Winning Coach at Central Connecticut State University, The Director of Player Performance and Pedagogy at Rutgers University, US Club Soccer Boys ID2 National Staff Coach, ODP and Region I Staff Coach, United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) Associate National Staff Coach and former Development and Community Coach at Hull City, Leeds United and Bradford City, the experiences that Tom can draw upon to share with our membership are significant. In addition, he holds a USSF A Youth License, USSF National Youth License, NSCAA Premier Diploma and NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma along with a number of FA and LMA certifications." Tom joins me after our recent attendance as speaking at the United Soccer Coaches Convention to discuss how he works as a leader of a local sports organisation and develops his coaching workforce to be the best that they can be using the ecological dynamics as the theory of learning and human development as the basis of their approach - with considerable success. I really enjoyed this conversation...I hope you do too. https://www.stasoccer.org/staf...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Jennifer Dunaway runs www.soccermomsanddads.com, a website dedicated to supporting parents to navigate the compelx and challenging world of youth soccer in the US. I met Jennifer and her husband, Nick at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia and we got to talking...her story was just jaw dropping!! She told me about how she was a completely 'bat shit crazy' soccer mom that was completely out of control until a number of moments made her rethink things and completely turn round her worldview and approach. This is an emotional and heartwarming story of rehabilitation and redemption that places the human aspect of children's sport at the centre stage. I hope you enjoy. You can read Jennifer's honest and vulnerable reflection blog hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Dr Zöe Wimshurst is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology within the School of Psychology, Sport and Physical Activity at AECC Univirsity College in Bournemouth, England. She is a Chartered Psychologist specialising in visual performance in elite athletes. She also runs the consultancy 'Performance Vision' and has worked with Sir Clive Woodward among others..Zöe has worked with many Olympic and professional athletes to help them improve their performance by improving their perceptual capabilities. The athletes she works with have gone on to win Olympic medals, World and European championships, as well as set many personal best achievements.In this conversation we cover the following: The challenges of working with U8sWhy her own talent journey was curtailed by poor coachingHow visual perception and agility are intertwinedWhy the phrase 'you can't teach that' is nonesenseThe biological reason why players 'revert to type'Why video games are great for developing visual abilitiesand so much more!!It's a great conversation - I hope you enjoyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Alex Sarama is the Director and Head Coach at the 'College Prep' Basketball Academy in Borgomanero in norther Italy. The College Prep website states:"College Prep exists to help young men between 16 to 20 years old fulfil their complete potential in basketball and life. College Prep is a complete academy program for players wishing to pursue collegiate and professional basketball opportunities. The program at College consists of basketball, mindfulness, athletic performance, education and life skills. At College Prep, players work with coaches who are extremely passionate and curious about their learning, with the program embracing all the latest research and evidence before our experiments are shared with the basketball world!". Alex is a committed Eco-Dynamicist and has taken the philosophy and ideas to new levels by embedding them throughout the whole programme at the academy. It is a case study in how powerful ecological dynamics can be in shaping a talent development and learning environment. It is an absolutely staggering project and the story that Alex tells is fascinating. I hope you love this as much as I did.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.