I think this is the same principle as the over-complication of periodisation.

There are a lot of sports physiologists, sports nutritionists, sports psychologists and sports biomechanists who need jobs and who all believe that their sub-discipline is the one “true-faith” in terms of performance enhancement.

So when you read a periodised plan it MUST contain specific coaching interventions which involve physiology, nutrition, psychology and biomechanics.

In reality, in all sports, at their simplest, you train to your full potential consistently, master the basic skills of the sport and perform them at speed, under fatigue and under pressure.

The rest is window dressing.

WG

The way I see union and league is that every time players recieve the ball they have three options. They can either pass the ball, run with the ball or kick the ball and all they have to do is do decide where they are going to pass, run or kick the ball to.

As a coach you have to decide which is going to be the preference for your players so you can achieve the object of the game, which is to outscore the oposition. That’s it.

In Hockey and Soccer it’s much easier, when players recieve the ball they only have two options, they can either pass the ball or run with the ball.

Netball’s even easier, with the rules, all the players have to do is to decide where they are going to pass the ball to.

It may all sound simplistic, though as you did mention you do have other details which surround it, but essentially that’s it.

Cheers
Robin

I get lots of mail about this post – most of it saying “you don’t understand rugby” – but again I ask the rugby brains out there – show me a game plan that is any different? So the question is, if you accept my premise that all game plans are pretty much the same, who will dare to be different? Who will come up with something radically new and change the game? Who will take a risk and develop a unique way of playing the game? The opportunity is there for someone………………..

WG

The same thing happens in business, in trying to solve a problem…most people look for the solution before trying to understand what is the objective of the situation.

It’s all about meeting objectives!!