Jordan Shwora

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫…𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞…𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝟔 𝐯 𝟔…𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬… “I’d like you all to pick a couple of action-based words. I’ll give you some examples: alert, alive, relentless, dominant, focused, positive, energetic, upbeat… …I’d like you to pick two action words. And I’d like to see you play in the style of these words. Non-stop! No matter what!” The coaches know what they’re doing. They’re trying to help their players experience what scientists call ‘approach behaviour’. And they’re trying to help players recognise when they’re experiencing something scientists call ‘behavioural inhibition’ Approach behaviour Behavioural inhibition Approach behaviour can be described as energy forward. In sports terms it could be considered the positive execution of actions. Picture players playing proactively…with purpose. Behavioural inhibition can be described as energy back. In sports terms it could be considered the execution of actions in a hesitant and uncertain way. And so… …our coaches want their players to use a small-sided game to experience approach behaviour. The choosing of action-based words for players to enact and embody can help them experience the sensation of approach behaviour… “Ok, so you’re gonna be UPBEAT & RELENTLESS. Show this to me…every action, every motion, every movement. If you feel yourself dropping away from UPBEAT & RELENTLESS I’d like you to return to them” And now the coaches can use their session design to test the players’ ability to stick to their words. They can increase the difficulty of the activity (this is called ‘task difficulty’). They can add a consequence for some sort of failure (this is called ‘contextual interference’). Perhaps most importantly, the coaches can use their voice to encourage players to stick to their action words. By doing so they help players become accustomed to the sensory experience related to the embodiment of the words. And…and… …they can ask the players in the team themselves to help each other stick to their words. This builds leadership and teamwork. Players training mentally…as they train technically, tactically, and physically. If you’re interested in this kind of idea then the compendium of Soccer Tough and Soccer Tough II may be of interest to you: lnkd.in/dhAbfn6v