The Psychology of Coaching Today's Athletes - Assignment Example

?Basketball THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BECOMING A BASKETBALL COACH English IV Honors Mr. Dunn Introduction What does coaching mean? Coaching is teaching. It is an educational process which is teaching communication about teamwork and the learning of skills of a particular sport and in this case Basketball. Coaching is where “a person can observe and have direct control over an athlete only during training hours.” “They have the responsibility to positively influence an athlete’s unseen training or the time an athlete is on his or her own.” (Bompa, 5) A coach should observe an athlete and collect information from close associates to make all possible attempts to correct such negative attitudes and behaviors.(Bompa,.303) These associates are family, peers and coach along with school and work people. These associates can affect training because the athlete is not getting the right diet, rest or having personal problems. This affects the person’s attitude during practices and the competitions. A coach should be the one to decrease the stress that the athlete feels at least at practices and games. A coach has to has to have knowledge, attitude, and know about behavior techniques to lead a team and they must be able to disguise personal emotions and frustration that could affect the performance of the athlete and the team. If there is a lack of confidence in their coach’s ability and knowledge the athlete should “further seek other personal training knowledge.” (Bompa, 303) They should improve self-control or if the athlete wants they can look for another coach that they feel will be more comfortable with and has more knowledge. This is so the athlete can have confidence in their practices and competitions. (Bompa, 303) In learning to be a Basketball coach you must learn the basis of training so all your participants can excel in their sport and individual performances. A coach educates his athletes in a physiological, psychological, and sociological manner with all these variables. There is a system to this training which is progressive and individually graded. “A coach leads, organizes, plans and educates the athlete.” (Bompa 4) This is also how a coach is like a teacher. Coaching is a time that an athlete achieves their individual abilities and psychological traits in a social environment that is conducive to learning and bringing on peak performances. Coaching is a profession that requires a Bachelor’s degree either in Education specializing in Health, Physical Education and Recreation for a coach in any sport is a teacher, but while they are in college they may have to have a second major, for example Elementary Education or even Secondary Education, so that they can teach children at various levels and get a position coaching a team. Coaching at the Early Childhood and/or Elementary level is mainly teaching the very basics of the sport and in this case Basketball. You as the coach would teach the skills like dribbling the ball, passing the ball, making free throws, etc. You would want to stress safety and teamwork at the very start at all the different levels of sports education. In learning about Basketball coaches need to learn how to teach the necessary skills, but before this step the first step would have to be a way to create an interest in the sport of Basketball. It is up to the coach to make the sport interesting, so the child will continue playing scholastically and as a extracurricular activity. The coach will have to instill the ideas of physical fitness, movement, learn to work with others, and to learn the necessary safety skills and also the attitudes to which wholesome recreation Is needed. “Even on a young child sports and physical education should instill personal values and to be creative.” “Physical activity is a very important for a growing child for they have to be taught to move correctly in order to stay healthy.” (Dauer, 13) Even when coaching young children coaches should check their physical development charts for body physique, skeletal and muscular development and for strength. The coaches must be able to know how mature the children are so that they can show that they are truly interested in learning about Basketball and that they are given many opportunities to participate.” (Dauer, 13) Sports and in this case Basketball can impose intellectual and psychological development of the children. When a child is coached by a knowledgeable person the child will gain the knowledge they need and feel good about themselves psychologically; for they will learn about Moderation. Coaches learn that by teaching about motivation to his team and gradually increasing the workload they will be able to grow steadily healthier. Coaches must be aware of the actual climate that the child is living. Climates that are too hot or cold can affect the outcomes the children participating in the sport can achieve. Basketball is a sport that builds competence. Psychology of Basketball and Sports in General There are two terms that affect this sport and others and they are Periodization and Supercompensation. Psychological supercompensation has a critical impact on the psychological well-being of athletes. Coaches need to make long-term observations of the athlete’s behavior during all segments of the supercompensation cycle that also occurs along with the physiological supercompensation. Coaches must learn to evaluate mental skills, adapt and practice mental skills in sport specific related situations, learn to develop and practice focus plans and use these plans in simulations and then evaluate them and prepare for specific opponents and competitions and this is to re-generate the body and lower stress and to maintain fitness and prevent staleness through using recreational activities. This can be done through “Periodization” which is training in small phases making it easier to plan and manage a training program and ensure peak performance for the main competition of the year at all levels. It deals with bi-motor skills and to improve and teach speed, strength and endurance mixing with it nutrition, strength and bodybuilding. It is divided into microcycles and macrocycles. Periodization is needed so that adaptations can be made and to take into consideration the psychology of the team members. “Basketball coaches should look at all of the children that they may be coaching whatever level they plan to coach. These are the areas that they need to watch for: 1. Tall with long arms 2. High and enable power 3. High aerobic capacity 4. Coordination 5. resistance to fatigue and stress 6. tactical intelligence and cooperative spirit These are guidelines to identify talent to in the sport of Basketball. (Bompa, 282) Teaching Basketball to all Age Groups In teaching basketball to young children, coaches can tell them that when each of them make a basket there is positive reinforcement offered and that makes basketball attractive to players of all ages. You can as coaches can tell them that this sport makes an impact on their cardio-respiratory systems. In the elementary school Basketball instruction should focus on developing skills and competence so that players can choose to play in the future. At this level of Basketball training there should be emphasis on the instruction and skill development and there is not a real time for any regulation basketball games. This is when intramurals are used so that the children can learn and practice their skills in and out of school. The skills that are taught are basic ball-handling skills such as catching, bouncing, passing and dribbling using many types of objects. At the next level in basketball development the players will learn and practice shooting, offensive and defensive play and also learn the comprehension of rules for the game. Concentration is the main area that needs the attention and through various lead-up games, for example Birdie in the Gage, Circle Guard and Pass and Basketball Tag. These games allow the child athletes to participate to learn new skills in a setting that offers enjoyment and success. This will also help the children psychologically if they keep practicing on their own and with their friends when presented with time to play. As children continue to grow the goal is to develop a range of skills, including passing, catching, dribbling, and shooting. It is also a time to show how to do lay-up shots and the one-handed push shot and these two skills can be taught with the game Captain Ball that adds elements of simple defense, jump balls and accurate passing. The next level covers the art of meaningful competition. This is when the children learn how to cooperate with each other physically and psychologically to play the game in the correct manner. This is also the level when officiating is taught so that the children will learn to play fairly. Skilled players are to be encouraged to keep refining their skills. The children should be able to self-officiate their own games. This could help them psychologically for it gives them a chance work through various problems during the game and maybe even in their outside lives. In teaching this sport the coaches should teach the drills that should emulate actual game situations. They should understand that practice is ineffective unless it is purposeful and correct. (Dauer 558) Communicating and coaching go together to make an effective learning environment and places great demands on both the coach and the athletes. The athletes must begin by listening for the essential information to learn the basics, then they learn to pay attention and to make sure they follow the rules of the game, and then they use their communication skills to make sure that everything is clear and that directions are followed and that they stay within the limitations of where they are playing the sport. Coaches must always show that they are interested in what the athletes are doing and that they should show concern so that they know that they are understood and they want to understand what is going on in the game. Psychologically playing Basketball on a team helps them feel that they belong and that is part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Here are points that help with the communication between coach and players at all levels. 1. Speak about behavior rather than the person. 2. Try to understand the child’s point of view. 3. Understand your feelings about the players. 4. Accentuate the positive. 5. Speak precisely. 6. Focus on correct performance. 7. Optimize speech patterns. 8. Conduct discussions in an orderly manner. 9. Respect the players’ opinions. (Dauer, 84) Coaches should also learn to improve their listening skills for when they do that the players will learn to respect them. Listening skills are hard to practice, since coaches are like teachers for they are taught to speak and teach the athletes about Basketball or whatever sport is being coached. Coaches are the ones that practice these skills and when they learn them it makes it easier for the athletes to learn them. Here is a list of steps to improve listening skills. 1. Be an active listener. 2. Listen to the hidden message of the speaker. 3. Practice paraphrasing what the student said. 4. Let the players know you value listening. 5. Avoid situations that destroy effective communication. To go along with this rule there are six subtopics that show that the coach does not want to listen and thus making the player uncomfortable and not want to play the game. These examples are as follows: a.) Preaching or moralizing b.) Threatening c.) Ordering and commanding d.) Interrogating e.) Refusing to listen f.) Labeling (Dauer, 85) Communication and Psychological Development in Basketball The sport of Basketball is one where the athlete must look for cues that must be precise and understandable between the coaches and the athletes. There are ways to do this and they make the sport more enjoyable for all. They are as follows: 1. Be exciting and dynamic. 2. Set the stage for what is about to happen and to bring about understanding of whatever is being taught. 3. Build on previous knowledge. 4. Be sure to present skills in a logical sequence. 5. Model correct and incorrect examples. 6. Conduct checks on understanding. 7. Separate management and instructional episodes.(Dauer, 87) Coaches must also provide meaningful feedback that must be positive, corrective and at times even negative. Feedback can be given on a individual basis or as a team. When giving feedback it makes performance improve for it makes good players want to help the other players and it makes poorer players continue to improve in their skills. Coaches must give feedback in a timely manner. Coaches basic responsibility is to direct learning toward a target goal and that goal is to teach the sport of Basketball and to improve the athletes ability to play the game and follow the rules and be cooperative and caring players. Good management skills are required so the players understand the behaviors that are expected of them. (Evertson, 17) Coaches must be organized and yet relaxed to ensure that the experience is worth having whether it is learning a new skill in the beginning, becoming a team captain in high school or being picked for the Pro’s after college. Basketball is a game of teamwork at all levels. Coaching can be considered teaching. “Teaching is a challenging, complex, and rewarding profession.”(Kourilsky, i) This quote fits coaching as well for the coach has to maintain their gymnasium for rules and appropriate activities to ensure that the players learn the game. Conclusion Basketball is a sport that requires respect, communication and discipline. It is a sport that is one of individuals working singly and as a team. Listening is a big part of this sport. This sport is also where coaches must show interest in what the athletes are showing on the court and off. Coaches learn that while training their players they need to understand about training methods dealing with supercompensation and periodization. Training is done through stages in order to improve the physical and psychological standpoints of the athlete. Basketball is mainly to learn skills as a team. References Bompa, Tudor O. (PhD). PERIODIZATION Theory and Methodology of Training. Chapter One The Basis for Training; Fourth Edition, Human Kinetics (1999) 3-24. Bompa, Tudor O. Theory and Methodology of Training: The Key to Athletic Performance. Chapter One The Basis for Training; Third Edition Kendall/Hunt Publishing (1994) 3-24. Bompa, Tudor O. (PhD). PERIODIZATION Theory and Methodology of Training. Chapter Nine Long-Term Planning and Talent Identification; Fourth Edition, Human Kinetics (1999) 253-291. Bompa, Tudor O. (PhD). PERIODIZATION Theory and Methodology of Training. Chapter Ten Peaking for Competition; Fourth Edition, Human Kinetics (1999) 293-311. Dauer, Victor P. & Pangrazi, Robert P. Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children . Chapter 6 Establishing and Maintaining an Environment for Learning. Ninth Edition, MacMillan Publishers (1989) 83-100. Dauer, Victor P. & Pangrazi, Robert P. Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children. Chapter 25 Basketball; Ninth Edition, MacMillan Publishers (1989) 557-562. Everton, Carolyn M., Emmer, Edmund T., Clements, Barbara S., Sanford, Julie P. & Worsham, Murray E. Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers. Chapter Two Choosing Rules and Procedures, Second edition. Prentice Hall (1989).17. Kourilsky, Marilyn & Quaranta, Lory. Effective Teaching Principles and Practice. Preface. Scott Foresman and Company (1987) i. Read More