The Langiage of Coaching

[VGB]

Thank you to Paul for asking the questions (apart from the one about 6N tickets ) and particularly to Nick for answering them. For me, there's a wealth of information in his answers that I'm going to take some time to digest and I'll happily buy Nick a pint over in Dublin for taking the time to give us his considered responses. I'll have to admit that I've read his entire recommended reading list, but not Nick's book and I'll put that right before the years end.


https://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/ ... f-coaching

[Stoatstail50]

Very interesting Paul thanks…there’s a lot to unpick there.

[Paul Arden]

Thanks Vince.

I found it very interesting indeed. I particularly like the structure that Nick very obviously brings to coaching. Really of course his book is partly about trying to use the same language and even the exact words as your student. That’s something I think we need to be aware of.

I’m very interested in his use of sticky tape. And I liked his idea of striking the forearm against as wall for blocking. I suppose we should put an imaginary watch on the caster’s rod arm.

I’m very pleased we asked the questions. It makes a big difference I think and great that he generously gave us his time in answering them.

I’ve read Rob Gray’s book but not the others. I shall order them up!

Cheers, Paul

[VGB]

Hi Paul

I like the structure as well, it appeals to my inner engineer, I can’t be doing with all that arty guff His 3Ps set the boundaries to work within. If the student can’t perform a particular solution and can’t observe your measurable external objective then you are wasting your time. Then to be able to move into a choice of succinct tailorable sets of teaching objectives is your lesson plan nailed:

Long loop:

DESCRIBE the movement (internal or external language here)

DEMONSTRATE the movement (visual representation that can be used for pantomime)

CUE the movement (provide one - that’s ONE - external cue or analogy to guide oneness of mind)

DO the movement (student performs with the CUE guiding the movement)

DEBRIEF the movement (coach and student discus outcome and decide to REPEAT, REFINE, or RETIRE the cue)

Short Loop:

CUE the movement (provide one - that’s ONE - external cue or analogy to guide oneness of mind)

DO the movement (student performs with the CUE guiding the movement)

DEBRIEF the movement (coach and student discus outcome and decide to REPEAT, REFINE, or RETIRE the cue)

His answer to me, I believe lays out what should be the Key Objectives of any continuous improvement programme for instructors:

1. Understand the general movement model (allowing for individual differences) of the skill you’re teaching

2. Understand how to evaluate where the student is at and they key technical areas that, if changed, would lead to a systematic improvement in performance.

3. Evaluate the best tool or tools to guide the change — a demonstration + pantomime, a physical constraint, and/or a cue — these can be used in combination

4. Understand or know the student well enough to (a) identify coaching language that is familiar to them and will resonate and (b) have good enough conversation skills to dialogue on how they are feeling and responding to the coaching - leading to a feedback loop for you as the coach to understand how the student is responding.

There’s some absolute gold dust on that FP.

Regards

Vince

[VGB]

I’m very interested in his use of sticky tape. And I liked his idea of striking the forearm against as wall for blocking. I suppose we should put an imaginary watch on the caster’s rod arm.

I haven’t used sticky tape on any parts of the body but have threatened to tape across the middle knuckles of the middle 3 fingers of the casting hand, with the occasional individual who gripped too tightly. It creates a useful image if you show them how it would look if the fingers were straight out and and that it’s possible to cast perfectly well. What I have done is to put dayglo tape on to a reel, so that I could see if I was twisting the rod as I cast. It picks up pretty well on video.

The blocking analogy is very good, I really struggled with the conversations that you had with John. It probably makes sense in the context of a competition caster discussion between the 2 of you but it didn’t resonate with me, perhaps because of a lack of a shared experience. Language is a bugger sometimes.

Regards

Vince

[Paul Arden]

Those are two very good posts there Vince. With Intermediate students I encourage two things from the outset. One is to make an accuracy game and to score themselves and the other is to measure both distance and carry (carry so think is a more useful measurement). The reason for this is because over time they will be able to measure improvement. I think that’s very important. It’s one thing to think you are improving and quite another to be able to measure it. And since some of these improvements can happen over time it can be difficult to see on your own.

I also think just about every presentation cast should be made to a target. Arguably quite a lot of single handed Spey casting as well. When targets are involved not only does the exercise cross over better to fishing but it can be turned into a game and measured.

I will have to try the sticky tape thing. The mind is quite strange

Cheers, Paul

[Will]

Paul

I've tried the athletic tape thing (admittedly only once) and it was brilliant!

I now have a roll of the stuff in my teaching kit. :-)

W.

[Paul Arden]

Thanks Will. What did you use it for?

Cheers, Paul

[Will]

I had a student who was struggling with hauling. His haul was v.short and stabby, and he’s was getting tails all over the shop. I started off just asking him to make sure his haul was smooth and that his arm straightened (internal cue) and his hauling hand went past his hip (internal cue). He struggled with this.

So, I took a deep breath and reached for the pink athletic tape...

I put a square of it on the back of his hauling hand, and another on his hip. I then just said “on the next cast make sure that hauling tape goes past the pocket tape”.

It was one of those “wow” moments. He instantly fixed himself. Lovely smooth hauls and loops! Massive silent thanks to Nick W!

Haven’t had the opportunity to use it again, so I’m not saying case-proved. But definitely worth keeping in mind.

W.

[VGB]

With Intermediate students I encourage two things from the outset. One is to make an accuracy game and to score themselves and the other is to measure both distance and carry (carry so think is a more useful measurement). The reason for this is because over time they will be able to measure improvement. I think that’s very important. It’s one thing to think you are improving and quite another to be able to measure it. And since some of these improvements can happen over time it can be difficult to see on your own.

Hi Paul

I do similar things for my own personal training but I don't take the tape out very often. I know if the cast or carry I've thrown is good under the constraints of the day by the loop shape and turnover. For accuracy, I'll go for random targets such as a field of dandelions and try for fly first presentation. I'll ensure that the targets cover quite a wide arc and I'll often go at them without moving my feet, so I could be casting off shoulder, or with my point of aim at 90 or 180 degrees to normal to make it more reflective of fishing problems. Occasionally, I'll recreate a fishing situation that I f'ed up, to find out if I could have solved the problem another way. My practice sessions are short and varied, or I would lose the will to practice.

Regards

Vince