I just finished a book that is a must for every coach’s library, Practice Perfect – 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better by Doug Lemov, Erica, Woolway and Katie Yezi.
It is a very good blend of the science behind practice and the author’s practical experience. Obviously the cornerstone for effective athlete development is practice, but too often it is just about putting in the time. Now with the 10,000 hour figure looming out there everyone is even more concerned with putting in the time (Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell). It is not the time in practice, it what you put into the time. Practice must be deliberate, focused and connected to the desired end result – performance in competition.
In an article in the January 19 New York Times on 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman says it quite well: “ Every game is different, No matter how you look at it, you have to pay homage to the football gods every week in practice, in meetings, in your preparation. Then you have to go out and perform on game day.”
What are you doing in practice?
Do you know why?
Are the practices appropriate for the people you are coaching?
Are you paying homage to the gods of gymnastics?
Read Practice Perfect for answers to these questions and many more to help your athletes be better at getting better.
In this book, the authors engage the dream of better, both in fields and endeavors where participants know they should practice and also in those where many do not yet recognize the transformative power of practice. And it’s not just whether you practice. How you practice may be a true competitive advantage. Deliberately engineered and designed practice can revolutionize our most important endeavors. The clear set of rules presented in Practice Perfect will make us better in virtually every performance of life. The “how-to” rules of practice cover such topics as rethinking practice, modeling excellent practice, using feedback, creating a culture of practice, making new skills stick, and hiring for practice. Discover new ways to think about practice. Learn how to design successful practice. Apply practice across a wide range of realms, both personal and professional
