Utilize Technology to Teach and Coach

In yesterday’s play of the day, the use of still shots with coaching points were used to teach tailback reads. The clinic article on AFM, “Methods for Teaching and Practicing Your System”  discusses this in more detail.

The teaching progression that provides a great foundation for players to learn and understand a concept and the techniques utilizes technology to the fullest as well. What’s given as an introduction is the diagram and assignment chart. This is a good visual and overview, but for most players the X and O diagrams don’t solidify what should be a concrete idea before the player hits the field.

The next step in the process is to use a series of still shots to illustrate the coaching points of technique. This is a better example than film for a few reasons. First, it provides a picture of exactly what the play or technique should look like. Second, it helps train the players eyes for exactly the coaching point they should be looking for when they watch film. Having the presentation available for them to view and refer to is helpful for their learning. Recording a screen cast that includes the still soft and a video walk thru(with voice over) also provides a great resource.  The examples shown are done in Powerpoint.  A still shot is taken from video and coaching points are easily added.

Still shot illustrations with coaching points give the player a much better idea of what the technique should look like. X&O diagrams are not as effective for this.

Third, the film is used to create the still shot explanation should be used and analyzed to show the players what it looks like in video. Now the what was explained and illustrated in still shots can be shown on video. Stopping at key points can train the inexperienced eye exactly what o look for. Young players, if untrained, not have the correct focus when watching video and end up only looking at the big picture.

The examples provided are from a version of the zone running game that I have used in the past. The methods, techniques, and plays are part of an iBook series that will be released later this spring.

My first iBook, full of dynamic content including coaching presentations, still shot explanations and video(wide and tight views) is available for purchase from the iBookstore on your iPad:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/101+-pro-style-pistol-offense/id611588645?mt=11