The Experiential Learning Cycle
Of the following two examples, I’d like to invite you to answer which is more likely to provide someone with a deeper level of learning… Example 1 For the past…
Category: Athlete Development
The Differences Between Training, Coaching, and Mentoring
Over the past twenty years, I’ve had a number of diverse roles and positions, all of which link to one area of commonality – people development. In these various roles,…
The Four Stages of Learning Model
No matter what new skill we decide to learn, there are four distinct learning stages that we transition through. Being aware of these stages can help us to accept that…
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Motivation is often hailed as the most significant factor for athletes to attain, and maintain, sustained levels of excellence. It’s clearly a key cog in the wheel of success, so…
The Power of Self Talk
Research indicates that people, on average, speak to themselves at a rate of between 300 and 1,000 words per minute. Commonly referred to as self-talk, this constant internal dialogue has…
Sports Skill Classifications
Every sport has a unique set of skills, each possessing characteristics that change in different situations. These classifications are based on three factors: How precise a skill is. If the…
Fixed & Growth Mindsets
The term fixed and growth mindset, originates from research conducted by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, who concludes that people can be placed on a continuum according to their…
What is Mental Toughness?
Mental toughness is a term frequently used within sporting contexts, often being hailed as the principle reason for victory, or the sole explanation for loss. Coaches, supporters, commentators, and journalists…
Performance Dips
Anyone who has played competitive sport for a reasonable length of time will probably have experienced, to varying degrees, a performance dip at some point. But what is it, and…
Mental Rehearsal
Mental rehearsal, also referred to as visualisation, is a training technique that is used to create an experience in your mind, with the objective of improving your physical skills through purposefully…
Overcoming Fear
Fear is the feeling of threat from an imminent danger, regardless of whether or not this danger is real or imagined – the brain can’t make a distinction between an…
Game-Day Leadership
If you accept a leadership position, whether as coach, captain or just in a more informal capacity, your role and responsibilities on match day can be allocated into three segments: pre-game;…
Communicating With Skill
Teams and individuals who communicate well operate with a greater clarity of purpose, knowing exactly what they’re going to do, and why, how and when they’re going to do it.…
Practicing For Pressure
Do you know of any players who perform impressively during practice, demonstrating great athleticism, and impressive technical ability, yet who struggle to replicate their skills in competition? Chances are, you’ll know…
Being a Team Player
Modern day culture is quick to reward great individual performance, encouraging people to develop an inward-focused mindset, which has the potential for creating negative repercussions for those competing in team…
Relative Age Effect
The Relative Age Effect, commonly referred to as RAE, is a theory which suggests that children can be disadvantaged for the rest of their sporting careers, simply because of their…
Maximising Your Potential
As with anything in life, in order to work out where an athlete wants to go, it’s important to first understand where the athlete currently is. In high performance sport environments,…
Motivating Your Players
Every athlete will have their own motivational drivers and so, as a coach, it’s important for you to acquire a good understanding of what these unique drivers are, so that…
Parenting an Athlete
Raising an athlete in today’s modern culture is a demanding proposition, with children experiencing more pressure to succeed in their chosen sport than ever before. The result is an increasing…
Bio-Banding
Traditionally, young athletes have been organised according to their age. In the UK, this tends to correspond with school year groups, so a child in year 6 would be categorised…
Nathan Wood Consulting 