The Link Between Tactics, Sport Psychology and Perceptual-Motor Learning

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The Link Between Tactics, Sport Psychology and
Perceptual-Motor Learning

• Squash Canada Task 11 Advanced Strategy and
  Tactics
• November 2003
• Tim Bacon, Smith College

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Ice-Breaker!

• Think about the best tactical squash player that
  you know. Think about their psychological
  qualities. Turn to the person next to you and
  briefly discuss and decide (less than 2 min.)
  what psychological qualities do the best tactical
  squash players possess?

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Overview

• Open Skill Process
• Nideffers Model of Concentration
• Anticipation Deception
• Psychological Qualities Styles of Play
• Mental Skills to Improve Tactics
• Winning Ugly Psychological Tactics
• Periodization of Tactics Psychology

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Importance of Linking Tactics to Psychology
Perceptual Motor Learning

• Canada Vickers
• Australia Abernathy Flynn
• German Tennis Federation (TC)
• Bompa

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Strategic Mistakes?

• Tactical-Technical - insufficient skill to carry
  out the strategy
• Tactical-Physical insufficient conditioning to
  implement the strategy
• Tactical-Psychological too anxious or lack of
  concentration or confidence to implement the
  strategy
• Tactical-Perceptual Errors in perception,
  judgement or decision-making

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The Open Skill Process

• Perception
• Decision
• Action
• Feedback

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3 Stages of Learning
Stage Characteristics Tech./Tactics
Cognitive Technique
Differenitated Tactics
Automatic Tactics
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Attention is both a Motor Learning and Psychology
Topic
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Nideffers Model of Sports Concentration

• Focus flashlight model
• 4 types of focus
• Relationship to Open Skill Process
• Choking Process
• Attentional Errors
• TAIS
• Attentional Control Training

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Four Types of Attentional Focus
Broad
WIDTH
Narrow
External
Internal
DIRECTION
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Choking
An Attentional Problem
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Attentional Problems
Attending to past events (e.g., what was?)
Attending to future events (e.g., what if?)
Choking under pressure
Overanalysis of body mechanics
Fatigue
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Test of Attentional Interpersonal Style

• BET, NAR, OIT, OET, RED
• Canadian Jr. results

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Anticipation in Racquet Sports

• Abernethy  A  players initiate movement
  before the ball is struck -  D  players do not!
• Expert players rely on shoulder and racquet head
  cues - novices don t
• Differences between world-class and
  national-level players

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Teaching Ball Judgement

• Train the perception straight or cross
• Train the decision  fore  or  back 
• Train skill 1 forehand
• Train skill 2
• Alternate execution of skills
• Randomize execution of skills
• Competitive game
• Evaluate in match play

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Progression for Anticipation

• Identify pre-impact cues
• train the perception
• train the decision
• train skill 1
• train skill 2
• alternate skills
• randomize skills
• competitive-conditioned game
• evaluate in match play

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Decision-Making (Tactics) Progression

• Choose a topic select two skills where player
  must differentiate
• Sell the decision
• Train the perception
• Train the decision
• Train skill 1
• Train skill 2
• etc.

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Decision Training (Vickers)

• Tactial Training
• Feedback
• Top down vs. Bottom up

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Tactical Coaching Assessment
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Coaching Feedback Assessment
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Top Down Coaching
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Developmental Model for Perceptual-Motor Skills
(Flynn)
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Psychological Qualities Styles of Play
Style Psych Quality Methods to Develop
Retriever
Attritional
Lobber/slow
Hard Hitter
Shotmaker
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IPS and Tactics

• Tactical play is improved when in the zone

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Mental Skills to Improve Tactics
Skill Application Rationale
Relaxation
Self-Talk
Activation
Visualization
Concentration
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Focus Plans

• Integrated mental tactical plan
• 3 parts Pre-Match, Match, Refocus
• 3 ways to develop
• Situation/checkpoint/score
• Tactics
• Free form

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Winning Ugly Psychological Tactics

• Brad Gilbert Winning Ugly
• Geoff Hunt on Squash
• Chuck Kriese Momentum Management

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Periodization of Tactics Psychology

• Technical-Tactial periodization
• Development of psychological qualities
• Development of mental skills
• Periodization of visualization
• Long-term planning

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Periodization of Visualization
General Prep. Specific Prep. Pre- Comp. Comp. Trans.
Technique Basic Patterns Individual Game Plan Styles Focus Plan Opponent Refocus N/A
Forehand drop in front Drop followed by volley Retriever 8-8, 5th Match ball Down 2-0 N/A
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Longterm Planning TC Example
Age U11 U14 U16/18
Psych Qualities
Other
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References