This is an idea I’ve been playing with for a while, ever since I heard a podcast in which a young football coach was talking about applying video games to her football coaching. She talked about “power ups”, “cheats”, “boss levels” and other video game terminology, all with reference to mini games she was using on the training field. I started thinking about how this would apply to slalom, and it was a problem I kept coming back to.
Then I read “Coaching Adventure Sports” which delves a little into the games-based approach and how it applies in coaching, and Paul was good enough to send me a stack of articles and papers about the theory and practice. Most of it was still with reference to team games, and I was still getting a headache trying to put it all together.
I’ve formulated something which I think may work. Covid has meant I haven’t been able to try it yet. Please, if you’re reading this, and it sounds interesting, give it a go! Let me know how it works and any adaptations you would make. This page will definitely be a page in progress, and I will amend it as I try things out, see how they work and gather feedback.
I will run through how the activity works, in italics will be a specific example which will run through the explanation.
The Game
Athletes move through a series of “levels” (challenges). These could be technique based, time based, clean-run based or a combination thereof, all providing a degree of problem solving. Ideally they would be based on problems the athlete themselves have identified, and involve a degree of collaboration and ownership. Once the athlete has completed the level (just once is fine!) they move up a level. The next level will take what they’ve done and build on it.
Paddler X has a problem with staggers, he consistently aims too low across the flow, turns too late, relies on huge backstrokes to turn and then is on catch-up for the next gate in the sequence.
The Levels
Each challenge should:
Be “Pleasantly Frustrating”: The athlete can get help “On Demand” (if they ask for it) or “Just in Time” (the coach realises the frustration may be getting beyond pleasant and steps in).
Be “Representative of Performance”: Simulating a race situation.
Offer “Cycles of Expertise”: Each level will offer a period of instability gradually leading to a more stable performance. The progression will allow repetition without repetition.
Have “Clear Identity”: What is the end goal?
Level 1 “Paddle this sequence of 3 downstream gates making sure you have completed your turn before you go through the gateline”
Level 2 “Still making sure you’ve finished your turn before you cross the gateline, and this time you’re not allowed any reverse strokes”
Level 3 “Paddle this course of 3 downstreams, a breakout and a further 2 downstreams. Same rules as level 2 for the downstreams. No rules (yet!) for the breakout”
Level 4 “As level 3 but the breakout must be a bow rudder style breakout. Once you hit the eddy you’re only allowed to use your right blade”
Information – The 4 “Cs”
If feedback is needed or ask for it can take 4 forms, depending on the athlete, performance thus far, how many attempts they’ve had etc.
Challenge – Ask questions to develop understanding and make them think about how to solve the problem. “Where are you aiming as you exit that gate? How does this affect where you do your turn at the next gate?”
Clue – Give them a clue on how to progress “Why don’t you try aiming at that tree as you exit the first gate, and see what happens in the second gate?”
Cheat – Give them the answer “You need to turn more on each gate, so you’re aiming further upstream of the next gate. That way you’ll have more time to turn”.
Change – Change something about the task to make it easier. Move gates to make the staggers less tight, allow a spin.
You could also offer a temporary change, a “Power up” round! “On this run I’ll raise the inside poles of the first 2 gates.” Or “You’re allowed one reverse on this run”
Disclaimer!!
I am fully prepared for this to be really messy. I could have 6 kids all trying different tasks at the same time and be trying to “level them up” at the right time. Peer review could come in handy. I accept that I may have to step in and change the level challenges drastically or have a few extra up my sleeve in case some get to the top level much earlier than others (time based targets could be useful here). It will require planning, and it will be mentally tough to keep on top of whilst it’s happening. Ultimately I think it could be a lot of fun and allow some good development away from the “this is how you do it” model.
Photo Stephen Pearce
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