As Week 1 turns to Weeks 2 and 3 at this summer camp, I’m really focused on this as players are ‘starting’ to connect some dots with new concepts and techniques…
What is ‘this’? I’m getting there.
We’re going to build on an idea I’ve previously written on. Chances are, you haven’t read this one. I was writing to about 8 people at the time.
Read this for some context as to how this relates:
Naming and calling out something the team might not have seen while they are all focusing on their own reps at practice can be powerful. P.J. helped us with that.
He also helped me learn that naming something can be of value:
P.J. has been great to learn from on the ‘team’ culture side of things, but now, I’d like to turn your attention to the individual.
I’ve taken these two ideas and remixed something that helps the individual and improves the coach-player relationship…
Sounds like I”m trying to sell you a product… Not quite.
Step 1: Name It
Naming it helps you ‘see’ it. Becoming more aware and paying attention pays off with individual players.
What do we need to become aware of?
We need to notice and name the ‘imperceptible improvement.’
The what?
The imperceptible improvement.
You’re probably asking, “what the heck is that made-up term about?”
Let’s address that elephant.
Step 2: Define It
The imperceptible improvement is the .1% improvement a player makes as a result of making a habit change. This improvement is seen by the New Wave Coach before the player sees it. It is imperceptible to the player.
But not to you. As a coach, you see it.
With me so far?
Step 3: Why It Matters
Habit change is difficult for the majority of people. And most stop before they see results because the results don’t come fast enough…
The disaster we want to help our players avoid is them quitting before the positive feedback loop of seeing results is complete.
This means we need to see it early and ‘bridge’ letting them know they are improving. This will get them into a positive feedback loop quicker than if they were to do it alone.
I just threw a weird word at you, I know… Let’s connect this to dog training. I’ll explain the ‘bridge’ word.
Step 4 : How to Clicker Train and Mark/Bridge
Clicker training and using marker/bridge words are very similar. The first two minutes of this video explain where we are headed:
Okay, so how does Nate’s explanation apply to the idea of recognizing imperceptible improvement?
Great question.
Remember, the player is undergoing habit change. Habit change is difficult. We need them to stay with it long enough for them to see improvement. So we need to ‘mark’ with our communication that we saw improvement even if they didn’t yet.
Keir answers a related question on his Instagram:
“You don’t treat them for doing exactly what you want. You treat them for doing better than before.”
One quick distinction from the video. Nate was clicking and treating every time the dog did what he wanted. He explained why. Did you catch it?
At the very beginning of training with a puppy, he said he would reward every time. This builds a positive association between trainer and dog. Maybe you don’t use dog treats, but this to improve your relationships with players:
After this initial positive association phase, you’ll see a more calculated approach to rewards. It evolves just like you would use progressions and regressions with your athletes.
Eventually, he will get to a point where he is only ‘marking’ when the dog does it better than the previous time.
Now let’s tailor it to our player.
We need to see the imperceptible improvement early. We need to ‘reward’ by ‘marking.’
Marking in our case would be communication. Praise is just one example.
Then after we get the player into that positive feedback loop, they’ll be able to see a more perceptible improvement as they advance in the skill.
Notice the imperceptible and your coaching becomes impeccable.
P.S. If you’re enjoying the New Wave Coach, you have to check out the book series: