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 Teaching Tips |
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EFFECTIVE COACHING
An Overview
In Bee Ball, coaches should be committed to helping boys and girls learn how to play. They should also encourage them to play with enthusiasm and intensity, while helping them to develop the ability to temper these two characteristics with intelligent decision-making. These performance characteristics can be summed-up in the phrase Play Hard, Play Smart.
To achieve these ends, coaches should provide feedback to the boys and girls, make demands of them, and make them see Bee Ball as their game.
Providing Feedback
As stated earlier, playing Bee Ball involves playing in a manner consistent with its conceptual framework. If players are to learn how to play, and, indeed, improve their play, they need to know the degree to which their performance is consistent with the framework.
Whenever their performance is not consistent, players should be made aware of the discrepancy. When they have acknowledged what went wrong, they should participate in a problem-solving process to remedy the situation.
For example: "Jim, you were sequenced to cut, but didn't. What happened?" (making the player aware); "Yes, coach, I forgot to key on the player with the ball, so I couldn't read the situation. I'll remember next time." (identifying the problem and seeking a solution).
Knowledge of performance. The most effective feedback for helping players to learn and improve is feedback based on performance. Do players know that a defensive rebound is a cue to occupy a position in the outlet set? Did the players anticipate a teammate getting a defensive rebound? Did they begin occupying positions in the outlet set at the moment they anticipated the rebound? Did they occupy positions according to the framework? To what degree are they able to improvise while running the framework?
Coaches should not provide feedback based on the outcome of a particular action or decision. In this form of feedback (knowledge of results), when a player shoots a perimeter shot, for example, all that matters is whether or not the ball goes into the basket; a 'good' shot is one that scores; a 'bad' shot is one that misses.
Although feedback based on knowledge of results may be effective in making players feel good or bad, depending on the outcome, it does little to help them improve their performance, that is, the quality of their play. A player, for example, who receives an outlet pass may dribble before looking to pass, cross the centre line, dribble into the corner of the court with head down, leap into the air, shoot before teammates are in position to rebound, and score. Players, fans and the coach leap to their feet and exclaim, "Great shot!" How does that feedback help that boy or girl become a better player? What happens when he/she next executes the same manoeuvre and misses?
Negative Reinforcement. Failure to provide knowledge-of-performance feedback on a consistent basis will likely encourage or reinforce poor performance. It is critical, for example, that players learn to occupy positions in the appropriate set. Because tasks which tell players what to do are assigned to positions, a player who does not occupy a position will not know what to do. The result is disorganization.
Consequently, each time a player fails to occupy a position in the appropriate set, the coach or a teammate should immediately make that player aware of the situation. Otherwise it is likely that the player will do the same thing over and over again.
Positive reinforcement. Coaches should constantly encourage players to do the right things, that is, perform in a manner consistent with the Bee Ball framework. The coach and teammates should celebrate quality performance, particularly when a player who has struggled with a particular part of the framework executes it properly for the first time.
Coaches and players, however, should avoid showering teammates with gratuitous praise. Over-using praise devalues its worth, diminishing its effectiveness to motivate and reward.
Consequences. If, after appropriate feedback, a player's performance does not improve, there should be consequences. For example, a player continually fails to occupy a position. There must be consequences. Not providing consequences is another form of negative reinforcement.
Coaches should develop an effective strategy for handling players who persist in not doing the right things, whether related to the framework or to behaviour which interferes with learning, such as being inattentive or disruptive.
Feedback Levels. Providing too much feedback to players can overload their capacity to cope. To avoid this situation, coaches should provide feedback progressively. On this basis, there are three feedback levels, theoretical, practical, and improvisational. Improvisational feedback occurs only after players are functioning comfortably at both the theoretical and practical levels.
theoretical level - At this level, players are expected to know the conceptual framework. For example, do players know that a teammate getting an offensive rebound is a cue for players to occupy positions in the outlet set? Do they know how to occupy the positions in that set?
practical level - At this level players should be able to run the framework; this means they are organized in their play on offence and defence, and perform in a manner consistent with the framework. For example, teammates actually anticipate a defensive rebound and move to occupy positions in the outlet set according to the framework.
improvisational level - Once teammates can run the framework, they are ready to use it to improvise, that is, to interact creatively, imaginatively, and spontaneously with their opponents. For example, can the team on offence recognize and then exploit an opponent who is very weak on defence? When a teammate is suddenly guarded by a much shorter player, can teammates recognize and exploit this situation?
Making Demands of Players
Coaches, like good teachers, should encourage players to be the best that they can be. Exercising this responsibility requires consummate judgment. Expecting too little short-changes the players. Demanding too much is likely to drive them away.
Some hints. While players are learning, mistakes are inevitable. Making mistakes is part of the learning process. The important thing is that players recognize a mistake when it occurs and try not to repeat it.
Coaches should make demands on players progressively. They should not expect players to move on the court and to execute tasks in a manner consistent with the framework (practical level), before they know the framework (theoretical level). They should not expect players to use the framework to improvise before they can run it.
Expecting players to perform well in competition (games) before they can perform well in practice is not a reasonable expectation. If, for example, high arousal levels result in poor performance in practice, it is very likely that, during games which generate much higher levels of arousal than practices, performance will be worse than at practice.
Making Basketball a Players' Game
Initially, coaches should organize and run practices. Again, because Bee Ball is a developmental game, coaches should prepare players to organize and run their own practices. The coach should be there to monitor what the players are doing and, when necessary, to provide assistance or arbitrate.
Also, the ultimate goal of coaches who are committed to player and team development should be to help players develop the ability to monitor not only their own performance, in order to improve it, but also their teammates' performance, to help improve theirs.
This approach will help players learn to co-operate and communicate, to accept responsibility, and to develop leadership qualities. Also, it will allow the coach to work with more than one team at a time.
During practice and games, coaches should encourage their players to determine strategy and to solve problems, intervening only when they have difficulty staying organized. To this end, coaches should referee games, ensuring that players play within the framework.
When players violate parts of the framework, the referee should award the appropriate penalty. Awarding an appropriate penalty when performance does not mirror the conceptual framework is similar to awarding a penalty when players violate the rules of play, which are part of the framework. For example, when a player commits a travelling violation, the ball is awarded to the opposing team. The referee may award a similar penalty when a player performs in a manner which is inconsistent with the conceptual framework.
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Effective learning. The learning process consists of three stages, cognitive, associative, and autonomous.
cognitive stage - involves a purely mental process in which players must develop a clear mental picture of what they are to do and how to do the what. In this stage, coaches must be proficient at explaining and clearly demonstrating aspects of team, one-on-one, and individual play. For example, at the individual level of play, they must be able to paint a clear picture of the technically-sound movement pattern of the jump shot.
associative stage - in which players begin learning to perform. Initially, it is likely that players will not be aware of the degree to which their performance is consistent with a particular aspect of the overall framework, for example, the technically-sound movement pattern of the jump shot. Therefore, at this stage, it is critical that coaches provide appropriate and consistent feedback. The more effective this feedback, the sooner players will develop a kinesthetic sense (internal feedback) which will allow them to develop an error detection mechanism.
autonomous stage - in which players have their own error detection mechanism. The role of the coach
The most effective way to learn is by doing. Consequently, as stated earlier, the boys and girls should begin playing as soon as possible. The only prerequisite is that they be able to run, jump, and throw and catch a ball.
It is very likely, however, that they will not play well. Hence, the value of practice. The more they play, the more they will improve.
However, it is only natural that boys and girls will want to play well immediately. It is very important, therefore, that coaches accept poor play with grace, understanding, patience and humour, offering encouragement and appropriate feedback. Seeing this reaction, the players will persevere.
Initially, most if not all the practice time should be devoted to team play. As the boys and girls become comfortable playing within the front-court framework, they should begin to work on improving their individual and one-on-one skills.
When team play is introduced first, youngsters are better able to place in context the individual and one-on-one skills. In other words, they can more easily understand how these various skills relate to team play, and how improving these skills will improve their team play.
Although the coach is in charge, he/she should 'walk softly, carrying a big stick'. The coach should use his/her authority (the big stick!) only as a final resort. As difficulties and problems arise, and they surely will, coaches should encourage the boys and girls to participate in finding the most appropriate solution.
In that spirit, the information in this manual is not written in stone. Coaches should consider it only as a starting point in their quest to developing their ability to help boys and girls learn how to play a great team game.
Beginning coaches should also bear in mind that many ideas which seem complicated in words will become very clear when put into practice.
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Arousal. As we said earlier, boys and girls who are new to a team sport in which there is direct confrontation between opponents are likely to be overly excited during play. Being overly excited results in poor performance. It is important to make the boys and girls aware that being highly aroused when learning how to play is natural, and that they will soon learn to control their arousal levels.
To lessen arousal levels, the defence must play at arm's length.
Changing One's Focus. To be effective, players require the ability to alternate constantly between a broad and a narrow external focus.
A broad external focus enables players to see the court. This ability enables them to know what teammates and their opponents are doing.
A narrow external focus is a prerequisite to the execution phase of a play option. For example, while shooting, a player should focus on executing the shot, and on nothing else.
The Bee Ball framework can help players learn to switch their focus back and forth between broad and narrow in the following ways.
Restricting dribbling. To help players learn to see the court, dribbling is limited. This forces the player with the ball to see where teammates are, and where defensive players in a position to intercept the pass are, and what they are doing.
Maintaining set symmetry. To maintain set symmetry, the players who are occupying the lead and trail positions in the front-court set must keep the proper spacing between the positions. Knowing which positions teammates are occupying, where those positions are, and what the tasks assigned to them are helps the player with the ball to pay more attention to what the opponents who have the potential to intercept a pass are doing.
No man's land. The spaces between the positions and the spaces separating the positions and the money are called no man's land.
Players should never end their dribble or receive a pass in no man's land. For example, a player who executes a penetrating cut from the off-side lead position to the money is briefly in no man's land. Because the cutter knows that he/she will not receive a pass there, he/she is able to have a broad external focus to see what teammates and opponents are doing.
As a cutter is about to enter the money, he/she needs to switch to a narrow external focus, concentrating solely on receiving the ball.
It can be instructive to observe a basketball game closely. Do the players without the ball constantly watch it? As there is only one ball, why would all players watch it? When they are watching the ball, players are not likely to know what their teammates and their opponents are doing.
Initiating and executing. Another way to help players develop the ability to switch their focus is to make sure that each play option has an initiation and an execution phase. For example, in the initiation phase, the passer uses a broad external focus to read what the defence is doing. Choosing to execute the pass requires the passer to switch to a narrow focus to deliver the ball accurately.
Providing feedback. Simply put, the task of coaches is to help the players:
- first, to learn the theoretical level (the conceptual framework), that is, have the information in their heads;
- second, to perform at the practical level (run the framework), that is, move on the court, perform tasks, and make decisions in a manner consistent with the conceptual framework;
- third, to perform at the improvisational level (use the framework), that is, to interact creatively, imaginatively, and spontaneously with their opponents.
Initially, coaches should provide feedback which relates primarily to these three levels of performance. As players become more and more at ease performing at the theoretical and practical levels of play, coaches should begin helping them improve their body balance, footwork, and ball-handling skills.
Expecting players to perform well in all areas of play at once will likely overwhelm them and frustrate them needlessly. Consequently, coaches should begin providing feedback, based on knowledge of performance, at the theoretical level first. Players need to demonstrate that they know the conceptual framework.
When players demonstrate that they have learned the conceptual framework, coaches should start making demands related to their performance at the practical level, that is, being able to run the framework.
When they can run the framework, coaches should start setting expectations for their performance at the improvisational level, that is, being able to use the framework to improvise.
Because of individual differences, it is unlikely that all players will move from one level of performance to the next at the same time. While some youngsters will be performing at the improvisational level, some will be at the practical level, and some may even still be at the theoretical level. Therefore, to nurture learning, it is important that coaches set expectations which match the level of performance of each player.
As players begin performing at the practical level, their shortcomings related to passing, catching, stopping, pivoting, and so on will be obvious to everyone. It is important that coaches at first downplay shortcomings in these areas. For example, Mary executes a penetrating cut and receives a pass as she enters the money, but drops the ball. The appropriate response is, "Well done, Mary. You made a fine cut when you should have. You cut when Jim was ready to pass, and you cut quickly and directly to the money. Don't worry. We will work on catching shortly. In the meantime, practise catching whenever you can." In short, the emphasis should be on doing the right things, and not on whether a particular result was achieved.
Furthermore, as boys and girls play, their individual skills will automatically improve. The more they play, the better they will perform in this area. Learning through playing has the additional benefit of relating particular skills very clearly to the actual game. Dribbling around chairs or passing to a teammate while both are standing still and facing each other has little to do with playing basketball.
Freezing play can be an effective way to provide feedback. Whenever some part of the framework is not being properly executed, the coach blows the whistle. The players stop immediately and stay where they are. Then, the coach and the players identify the problem and agree on a solution.
Playing with flow. Play on offence should unfold quickly and smoothly. The end of one play option should be the beginning of the next.
Knowing what happens next. This knowledge enables players to play more quickly. For example, the off-side trail, who is walking the opponent, is ready to execute a penetrating cut or a pop the moment the player in the off-side lead positions begins to exit from the money.
Playing On The Move. A pass should be executed so that the ball and the receiver arrive in a position or in the money at the same time. To play on the move, a player should pass the ball to where a teammate will be, and not to where she/he is.
Problem solving. It is essential that coaches involve boys and girls in their own learning, encouraging them to solve problems as they arise. They should not underestimate the creative imagination and intelligence of young people. They can be a great resource for coaches, even for those with experience. The boys and girls, too, will benefit from using their imagination and intelligence to solve problems cooperatively.
The first step is to identify the problem. For example, "Michael, you are having trouble catching the ball." Note that Michael himself or his coach or another player may articulate the problem.
The second step is to find a solution. The coach should encourage Michael to think of ways in which he can improve; he should practise catching whenever he can, and his teammates should be encouraged to help. Playing Bee Ball will also provide opportunities for Michael to receive passes. Drills in which teams practise executing penetrating cuts will provide more opportunities for catching the ball, for example.
Coaches, also, should work to solve problems: they should analyze techniques, thus determining which is the most effective in helping players to catch a basketball, particularly on the move. For example, they can suggest keeping one's eyes on the ball, not pointing the fingers towards the ball, keeping the arms, wrist and elbow joints, and hands relaxed, and so on.
Providing players with the opportunity to apply their imagination and intelligence to solving problems exercises and develops these capacities, and helps prepare them to solve problems in other areas. Involving players in their own learning also enables them to participate actively in their own development as players, making basketball their game.
Helping rather than managing. Coaches should remember that they are dealing with boys and girls who want to learn how to play. To become players, boys and girls need to learn a wide range of team, one-on-one, and individual skills. Bee Ball was designed to help all boys and girls become team players.
Consequently, Bee Ball provides them with the opportunity to play every position and perform all the tasks that are part of basketball. The object is to help them on their journey to becoming complete players, not role players.
At some levels of play, certainly at the professional level, it may be appropriate for coaches to manage players, that is, to use them to perform in specific roles. The primary goal of coaches who are managers is to win. Consequently, they are looking for players who excel at fulfilling a particular role in a single position. Coaches who are managers have little time or interest in developing players. In the NBA , for example, there are point guards, off guards or shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards, and posts. Players are known as point guards, off-guards, posts, and power forwards.
How sad to hear a ten-year-old girl come home announcing that she is a power forward.
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