Jack Martin and David Cox The Big Idea It is rare in conventional social psychological research on sport to consider public testimony as a source of truths. And yet, this is exactly what this study does. These authors pursue what they call a “portrait of possibility.” The subject—the only subject—is the early life of one heck of a basketball player: the Canadian Steve Nash (b. 1974) who played 18 years in the NBA (National Basketball Association), nearly half of those years an NBA All-Star and…
Psychology
The science of behaviour and mind. A collection of content focused on better understanding our players.
Cameron Knowles has been part of the Portland Timbers organisation for well over a decade. Following a 7 year professional playing career at Real Salt Lake, the Timbers and Montreal Impact, Cameron made the move into coaching where he worked as an Assistant Coach with the first team for five years. The holder of a Masters in Psychology & now into his second season as Head Coach of Portland Timbers T2, Cameron joins PDP Editor, Dave Wright for a conversation on his journey through the…
J. Bartholomew, N. Ntoumanis, and C. Ntoumanis The Big Idea Let’s begin this research review with an illustration. In sports, there is a difference between players who are merely involved and players who are fully committed. (You will have to play along here.) There is an old American illustration pointing out this difference, the difference between being involved and being committed. Think of a ham and eggs breakfast. You will notice a real difference between the contributions of the two barn animals. The chicken is…
The question this week comes from Dave, via Twitter: “Is hunger or desire coachable? I have some Under 13 players who are lacking in desire but they have a good technical base.” Your Turn: Ask PDP Anything Do you have a coaching question that we might be able to help with? We would love to hear from you! Here’s what you can do: 1. Tweet your questions to us @playerdp, or contact us on our Facebook page.2. PDP Members can chat directly with the PDP team to ask…
As a coach, it’s easy to overlook the sacrifices players and their parents make to pursue their love of sport. With support from Murray United Technical Director, Adam Carty, PDP Contributor, Lara Mossman shares an article on commitment and motivation for young players, providing advice for coaches on how to create autonomy supportive environments. When young players sign up for talented and elite player programs, the commitment is usually considerable. Compared to their counterparts in community sports programs, some players travel several hours each week…
What value does belonging have in youth development? PDP Contributor & Founder of Raising Excellence, Reed Maltbie shares a personal story that outlines the critical importance of the environments we create and the tribes we belong to. I sat in the parking lot, a quiet observer, hoping not to be noticed by my son. People change when they are being watched. When they know someone is observing, they change behaviors, words, interactions. When they are “in their element” and not aware of watchful eyes, they…
Social dynamics are a crucial part of any team environment. Integrating new players and ensuring they have a positive experience is a key component of coaching. In this article, new PDP Contributor & PhD Candidate at La Trobe University, Dianna Lepore discusses Fernando Torres as a case study in team integration, providing practical advice for coaches on how they can ensure a smooth transition for new players at their club. New player signings can be an exciting time for clubs as they have the opportunity…
Professor Stephen Rollnick is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years experience. In this Masterclass Discussion, Stephen joins PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright for an in depth discussion on coach communication, the skill of motivational interviewing and much more. Stephen is a truly world-class thinker and practitioner who is applying his extensive knowledge to sport. This conversation covers a range of topics around connection, communication, tradition and relationships which will help coaches improve their ability to build effective relationships in their coaching. Image Source: Kelly Lacy from Pexels
Christina Salmivalli The Big Idea This review paper was published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior. Its subject is bullying. While its context is the classroom, what is reported in the research entails the fields of play as well. If there is an umbrella quote covering the inherent nastiness of bullying, it would be this, Maya Angelou’s reflection: “I’ve learned that people forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” What amplifies…
Masculinity plays a huge role in how male coaches communicate and behave and how young men and boys express themselves in sporting environments. Sports teacher & rugby coach, David Sharkey shares a blog about his own ambitions to redefine masculinity in rugby and some of the personal motivations behind his reason for wanting to shift the paradigm. “You have my whole heart. You always did.” – Cormac McCarthy, The Road. I had just turned 12 when my father passed away from a sudden heart…
Amidst the clamour and glamour of a fantastic World Cup in Russia, the ugly spectre of play-acting and simulation was always lurking. PDP Assistant Editor, Jon Hoggard, considers the impact of cheating on such a big stage, and uses observational learning theory to highlight the importance of removing it from the game. It’s the 17th minute of the World Cup Final. You’re dribbling at an angle towards the opposition box, with their well-drilled defensive line alert and ready, and your strikers are marked. You…
Failure is crucial in human development. Whether as a coach, player, parent or another vocation, embracing failure as part of a journey towards improvement is crucial in the learning process. Reed Maltbie shares his views on the importance of understanding the role of failure in development. What is the other side of failure? Have you ever pondered what is on the other side? Most of us will fail. A lot. We will stumble through our entire lives like a baby learning to walk. Hopefully using…
Moments in sport can have a huge impact on a young athlete’s life. Founder of Changing the Game Project, John O’Sullivan shares his thoughts on a fantastic new book called The Power of Moments and the impact of sport in the lives of children. The Magic Castle Hotel is one of the top three rated hotels in Los Angeles. Of its nearly 3000 reviews, 93% rate it very good or excellent, putting it above properties such as The Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton. Yet,…
The question this week comes from Nick via Facebook: “As an NPL (National Premier League, Australia) coach and now a parent, my son has been identified as a good player with great ability and a great football brain, but he has been told he needs to improve his awareness. What can I do as a parent now to help him improve his awareness so he can progress to the next level?“ Your Turn: Ask PDP Anything Do you have a coaching question that we might be…
The question this week comes from Stuart via Facebook: “If I have a few players who I think have the right qualities to be the team’s captain, what coaching can I give them to help them be a good captain?“ Your Turn: Ask PDP Anything Do you have a coaching question that we might be able to help with? We would love to hear from you! Here’s what you can do: 1. Tweet your questions to us @playerdp, or contact us on our Facebook page.2. PDP Members can…
What role might emotional intelligence play in coaching? In this conclusion to his two-part blog, we follow the personal journey of A-Licensed coach Sam Grace, Youth Development Phase Coach at Reading FC, as he seeks to understand the importance of emotional intelligence and how applying the principles outlined by leading psychologist Daniel Goleman can help coaches. For the past four months, I have been on a mini-journey trying to establish the role emotional intelligence plays in my own coaching. I have done this through…
What role might emotional intelligence play in coaching? In this two-part blog, we follow the personal journey of Sam Grace, Youth Development Phase Coach at Reading FC, as he seeks to understand the importance of emotional intelligence and how applying the principles outlined by leading psychologist Daniel Goleman can help coaches. According to Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann, currently the youngest top-flight manager in Europe’s leading leagues at age 29, “Thirty percent of coaching is tactics, 70% social competence” (Honigstein, 2016). It’s coaches like Nagelsmann who…
Are you conscious of the language you use with your players? Do you understand the difference between praise and affirmation? Professor Stephen Rollnick is a world renowned motivational interviewer and psychologist. In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Lead Researcher, James Vaughan hosts Professor Rollnick to discuss his pioneering research in motivational interviewing, the importance of two-way, empathetic communication between players and coach & more. Don’t miss this excellent discussion with one of the most progressive thinkers in coach and player development. Image Source: depositphotos.com