Joe Shaw:
THE PROGRAM
Each week we'll be presenting another part of Joe's revolutionary coaching programme, that helped guide David Palmer and John White to the top of the game.

The Program is applicable to all sports, and represents an invaluable resource for any coaches who have the foresight,
the inspiration, and the commitment to make it work for them.

 

The full program,
as originally published,
is available on the
Coaching section of
David Palmer's website.
www.davidpalmer.be

 

 

24-Oct, Week THIRTEEN:
 

WHY THIS FUTURISTIC
PROGRAM IS SO SUCCESSFUL
  
Because Sports Psychologists know what can be beneficial to Coaches, but few Coaches are aware of this information. This knowledge is a combination of scientific research and practical experience of Coaches and Athletes. Coaches are unaware of this knowledge because it is framed in a technical language unfamiliar to them. Psychologists, as do all academics, emphasise on producing scientific research rather than interpretation of it to Coaches and Athletes. This program disseminates all of this information, because Coaches are not interested in Sports Psychology. They only become interested when they can understand it, and it is relevant to their Coaching.

Delivery is the Key
The major problem is not the lack of interest; it is the lack of a delivery system that makes it available. Understand these programs, and this problem is eliminated.

Many excellent Coaching Manuals fall into this category. How are the Coaches of our junior athletes going to understand these Manuals and retain an interest in their teachings? Are they not just Tests of Skills? Do they not totally ignore the Psychological requirements that are essential to all sports at elite level? Do you know the all important Psychological Requirements of your Sport? Have you ever been taught them? The answer will be a resounding NO.

Psychology has never obtained the degree of general acceptance achieved by paradigms in the physical sciences, and Sports Psychology has even less general acceptance. Psychology lacks effective unifying paradigms, and is therefore considered an unsatisfactory science.

Fundamental theoretical models, (Paradigms) determined the way in which experiments are designed and results interpreted. Shaun Moxham and I have simplified it with these programs.

A new Paradigm
In our own way, we have tried to create a new Paradigm, by removing the Sport Psychologist from the program and teaching the psychological skills required in the future. It is too late when the Athlete requires a Sport Psychologist, as the damage has been done. Our aim is to utilise the psychology before it is even required, and then when it is necessary, the Athlete already understands it, and has no problems implementing it.

Once a theory gains the status of a paradigm, it remains unchallenged until it is overturned in favour of a new paradigm. Eg: The switch from Newtonian to Einsteinium physics. Freud, then Jung in 1920, the Isabel Myers and her Mother Kathleen Briggs, all agreed that no one can change form. We cannot grow an extra leg or drastically increase our height. Remove the fangs of a Lion and you have a toothless Lion not a Cat.

We can and do however, use the Myer Briggs Type Indicator (M.B.T.I) combined with the McQuaig Word Survey to establish fundamental Temperamental patterns of behaviour, and from that information we can offer advice to Coaches and Athletes. We do have the definitive skills on how to teach these skills, just as we do not have complete scientific evidence on how to not raise children, teach English effectively, or rehabilitate Drug Dependents. We are however expected to bring up our children, teach English effectively and rehabilitate chemically dependent people in the best way that we know how. We use this information in our teaching.

There is little risk that teaching these skills will cause damage, rather greater damage will be caused if we fail to teach these skills, early in the training program. Your Philosophy is the foundation from which you will develop your entire approach to this Sports Psychology program. Coaches rarely have a definitive Philosophy, a set of beliefs and values that they espouse and practice, or they discount the significance of psychological factors in Sport.

Basically it could be claimed that we are creating a new Paradigm, (a technical term in the philosophy of Science), by determining the way our experiments have been designed and our results interpreted. We have had outstanding success from a limited output. We do not claim to be training Psychologists, which as agreed is not an exact Science, but we do claim that this program has vitally important functions that have been used with great success. We do have the runs on the board. What a pity that our Administrators ignore them.

The Coaching Philosophy
The program defines why and how to develop a coaching philosophy, and how to learn the communication skills vital to teaching and training athletes. It teaches the all important psychological skills of Imagery, Psychic Energy Management, Self Confidence, Belief, Goal Setting and Attentional Skills. It provides the Tools necessary for measurement and evaluation of the skills, and highlights the weaknesses that the athlete perceives is hindering improvement. We marry the all important Psychic skills with the Physical skills for maximum performance, in a manner that is easily learnt and understood.

Having a Philosophy removes uncertainty about formulating training regimens, style of play, tactics, discipline, codes of conduct, short and long term goals, and if you find as much time to developing your philosophy, then you will be a much better Coach. My Philosophy and that of Shaun Moxham is that the Health, Welfare and Benefit of the pupil is of paramount importance and Winning will follow if this Philosophy is carried out. Remember that a Philosophy is your set of values and beliefs, and how you act, not what you talk about.

The Manuals, Coaches and Athletes’ Workshops, and the Explanatory Notes, are indicators that find you a basis for assessment and improvement in your Coaching style, which guarantees improvement, dependent upon the amount of effort put into learning, measuring, adapting and changing as required.

An experienced Coach, Fitness program, off court skills such as Media Management, Goal Setting, Nutrition, Brain Wave Patterns and their objects, a personalised program, and numerous other essentials are included, and this program must not be considered merely as psychological. The emphasis here is only because this all important aspect is not covered in other programs, yet it is the most essential discipline at elite level of Coaching.

Remember that at the beginning of your career, it was all Technique and only Technique No Psychology is taught. Now the emphasis is on the Mental aspects, the Psychological Requirements of the Sport, and you must learn and understand them.

GREAT THINKERS WILL ALWAYS ENCOUNTER VIOLENT OPPOSITION FORM MEDIOCRE MINDS


 

 

"THE FIFTY REQUIREMENTS
OF SQUASH"

Psychological Profiling
of the four key areas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREAT THINKERS WILL ALWAYS ENCOUNTER VIOLENT OPPOSITION FORM MEDIOCRE MINDS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming in week 14:
Mental Training
for Success