Comments on: A Piece of String is Twice as Long as it is from one end to the middle. http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/ Expert advice, tips and insights for sports coaches Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:13:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Brian Garland http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-5019 Brian Garland Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:46:30 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-5019 Whoops! Lots of spelling mistakes in the above comment (typed in a hurry and carelessly checked while foolishly not wearing the specs!) People are most certainly more important than paper, but spelling matters as well! Whoops! Lots of spelling mistakes in the above comment (typed in a hurry and carelessly checked while foolishly not wearing the specs!) People are most certainly more important than paper, but spelling matters as well!

]]> By: Brian Garland http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-5018 Brian Garland Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:10:41 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-5018 I enjoyed your presentation at Bond University this morning Wayne and even though this article of yours wasn't the topic, I find myself in complete agreement with you. As a teacher for over 30 years I often (and with increasing frequency) clash with administration "paper-warfare". For many years I have said 'You can carve it on my gravestone - peole are more important than paper!'Teaching (and the incresing demands of bahaviour management) is all based on relationships. Coaching is the same. I know it is a false dichotomy but it is the difference between the 'Coach' and 'Trainer'. Truly effective teaching and coaching requires deep 'contact' with the student or player. You only have to recall how Peter Sterling spoke about Jack Gibson. He recalled the influence Jack had on him as a man and his development as a person. There wasn't a word about the technical rugby league skills although there is no doubt Jack knew plenty about them. It's the old argument about teaching (and coaching) as Art or Science. Of course it has to be some of both, but the magic ingredient clearly has to be yourself. Without that, nothing "rises". I enjoyed your presentation at Bond University this morning Wayne and even though this article of yours wasn’t the topic, I find myself in complete agreement with you. As a teacher for over 30 years I often (and with increasing frequency) clash with administration “paper-warfare”. For many years I have said ‘You can carve it on my gravestone – peole are more important than paper!’Teaching (and the incresing demands of bahaviour management) is all based on relationships. Coaching is the same. I know it is a false dichotomy but it is the difference between the ‘Coach’ and ‘Trainer’. Truly effective teaching and coaching requires deep ‘contact’ with the student or player. You only have to recall how Peter Sterling spoke about Jack Gibson. He recalled the influence Jack had on him as a man and his development as a person. There wasn’t a word about the technical rugby league skills although there is no doubt Jack knew plenty about them. It’s the old argument about teaching (and coaching) as Art or Science. Of course it has to be some of both, but the magic ingredient clearly has to be yourself. Without that, nothing “rises”.

]]> By: Wayne Goldsmith http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4993 Wayne Goldsmith Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:15:43 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4993 Thanks Richard, A top swimming coach once copied two years of his training diary and gave it to me. It contained all his sets, drills, tapers, notes, techniques, planning and programming. Seeing the shocked look on my face he said, "Enjoy reading these but it will not make any difference to your coaching". I asked "why". He replied, "You don't have my athletes, you don't understand my philosophy and more importantly, you're not me". Training sets, drills, programs are not the answer - it's engagement. It's not what you do but how you do it. A poorly planned program done briiliantly with the total engagement of the hearts and minds of the athletes is likely to produce great results. An expertly devised and periodised plan, done poorly with no engagement of the athletes will fail. It's people not periodization. It's people not programs. It's people not planning. People people people! WG Thanks Richard,

A top swimming coach once copied two years of his training diary and gave it to me. It contained all his sets, drills, tapers, notes, techniques, planning and programming.

Seeing the shocked look on my face he said, “Enjoy reading these but it will not make any difference to your coaching”.

I asked “why”.

He replied, “You don’t have my athletes, you don’t understand my philosophy and more importantly, you’re not me”.

Training sets, drills, programs are not the answer – it’s engagement. It’s not what you do but how you do it.

A poorly planned program done briiliantly with the total engagement of the hearts and minds of the athletes is likely to produce great results.

An expertly devised and periodised plan, done poorly with no engagement of the athletes will fail.

It’s people not periodization. It’s people not programs. It’s people not planning.

People people people!

WG

]]> By: Wayne Goldsmith http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4992 Wayne Goldsmith Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:09:00 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4992 Thanks James. Agree with you. In the end aren't we all after this for our athletes (and ourselves): 1. Train to the best of your ability every day ensuring that your practice closely simulates your competition environment; 2. Stay healthy and injury free; 3. Get plenty of sleep and rest; 4. Eat a variety of healthy, natural, nutritious foods; 5. Believe in yourself. Just think - a multi billion industry has evolved out of trying to achieve these five simple goals. Have we got it wrong? WG Thanks James.

Agree with you. In the end aren’t we all after this for our athletes (and ourselves):

1. Train to the best of your ability every day ensuring that your practice closely simulates your competition environment;
2. Stay healthy and injury free;
3. Get plenty of sleep and rest;
4. Eat a variety of healthy, natural, nutritious foods;
5. Believe in yourself.

Just think – a multi billion industry has evolved out of trying to achieve these five simple goals.

Have we got it wrong?

WG

]]> By: Wayne Goldsmith http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4991 Wayne Goldsmith Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:02:32 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4991 Thanks Jim. There's always an answer - it just depends on looking at things differently. Sadly many people are "Hammer-heads" - i.e. "to the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail". WG Thanks Jim.

There’s always an answer – it just depends on looking at things differently.
Sadly many people are “Hammer-heads” – i.e. “to the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail”.

WG

]]> By: Jim Vance http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4990 Jim Vance Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:18:00 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4990 Your best article yet...Always enjoy your writings. Jim Your best article yet…Always enjoy your writings.

Jim

]]> By: Richard http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4988 Richard Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:42:15 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4988 Wayne, Spot on as always and very timely. I have a visiting International coach here with me for two weeks and chasing every possible drill / activity / training method (short cuts) under the sun and hoping that i have everything any of us have ever done on DVD so it can be taken back home. I keep trying to explain, pretty much what you said above, but might just print this out and pass it on!! Well done and keep up the great work. How are you progressing with your work on those other ideas you discussed a while back. Cheers Richard Wayne,

Spot on as always and very timely. I have a visiting International coach here with me for two weeks and chasing every possible drill / activity / training method (short cuts) under the sun and hoping that i have everything any of us have ever done on DVD so it can be taken back home. I keep trying to explain, pretty much what you said above, but might just print this out and pass it on!! Well done and keep up the great work. How are you progressing with your work on those other ideas you discussed a while back.

Cheers
Richard

]]> By: james marshall http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/comment-page-1/#comment-4987 james marshall Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:44:36 +0000 http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/?p=1001#comment-4987 Good thinking Wayne, on recovery it is interesting that no one promotes sleep as a great recovery tool- because no one can make any money out of it. As to the quick fix answers, it may be a problem of the education system where students are taught how to pass tests, rather than how to understand, think and learn. This will then automatically transfer into the workplace. Good thinking Wayne, on recovery it is interesting that no one promotes sleep as a great recovery tool- because no one can make any money out of it.

As to the quick fix answers, it may be a problem of the education system where students are taught how to pass tests, rather than how to understand, think and learn. This will then automatically transfer into the workplace.

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