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Remember this
Posted at 12:31 AM
There are quiet coaches, loud coaches, hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck-standing-straight-up coaches. Which kind are most effective? By Paul Honda Watching and reading about the effect of adrenaline on animals in memory tests and studies has me wondering about how this relates to coaching. Many of us who grew up in the olden days had coaches who knew of only one method to motivate: scream like hell. It usually got results, which only reinforced the method and led to more screaming later. Was it wrong? Hard to say. I do remember all of my coaches quite well, from the quiet ones like Dwight Kaai to the quiet-but-highly-instructional ones like Miles Ogawa, from the loud ones like Kenneth Kanahele to the loud-with-spit-flying ones like Tom Costain. I can't really say any of those methods did not work since I learned from all of them. The coaches who taught well, for the most part, tended to be the ones who had intensity, yet managed to unveil gems — insights about my personal flaws and strengths — in quieter moments, when my attention was focused. There are probably a thousand great ways to teach sports, and if adrenaline enhances a youngster's ability to remember a lesson, to remember instruction, I'm all for it as long as there is a mix of teaching methods. Too much yelling turns any player deaf (not literally, but emotionally) after awhile. Too little intensity, whether in a game situation or a practice drill, do little good, as well. What's the answer? I don't know, but I'll explore these interesting notions as I find out more. There's nothing quite like coaching, and in the end, it is about teaching, one generation to another, as it always has been since the beginning of time. Someone taught someone else how to navigate a canoe across the Pacific ... was there any screaming involved? I dare to find out. Previous Article: Pupule's Top 10 ballot, Feb. 4 Comments © Copyright 2003 HondaReport.com/Leahi.Net
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