Introduce the Activity

Coaches should aim to speak as little as possible in a training session, making sure that what they say is clear to the players and gets to the point. The most important thing is to give the players a chance to act! Remember, a timeout only lasts for 60 seconds so coaches need to be quick and concise!

When starting a new activity the coach needs to:

  • Gain attention - use a whistle, voice or a pre-arranged signal e.g. stepping to the middle of the floor;
  • Name the activity – this makes it easier to use in subsequent sessions (e.g. “Shell Drill”);
  • Explain the activity and its purpose to the players;
  • Establish working rules of the activity (e.g. position and movement of players);
  • State one or two teaching points – these are what is being emphasized in this activity. This is what the coach wants the athletes to learn and be able to repeat in a game;
  • Demonstrate – if necessary, give a practical demonstration of what is to be done so that the players can watch and better understand the goal.

Using Cue Words

Using “cue words” can save a lot of time and is also an efficient method of providing concise feedback. A cue word may be the name of the activity or a particular teaching point (e.g. “lock and snap” to emphasize arm and wrist position when shooting).

Any cue words should be explained when introducing the activity and then used consistently during the activity. It is also important to keep them consistent from one practice to another as well as in games.

It is a common mistake for a coach to use a particular cue word (e.g. “get to the pinch post”) forgetting that they haven’t explained to the team what it means. This obviously leads to a lot of confusion and wasted time.

Players can also be confused because different coaches may use different cue words for the same thing. For example, “pinch post” and “elbow” refer to the same area of the court.

It can be effective at the start of the season for the coach to provide players with a page of notes, explaining various cue words that they will use. Alternatively, giving the players time at practice to write notes can also help them to remember the cue words.

Removing Distractions

When introducing activities the coach needs to be conscious of how they are positioned relative to the group. Sometimes the coach will turn away from the group, to show a particular area on the court, or to instruct athletes doing the demonstration. The problem with this is that:

  1. it makes it harder for the coach to be heard;
  2. it becomes harder to concentrate on what is being said;
  3. the coach will miss visual cues that can help demonstrate if the players are understanding (e.g. nodding their head tends to indicate they understand whilst a quizzical look can show that they are unsure).

As far as possible, the coach should try when talking to stand in a position in which they are “open” to the group – i.e. the coach can see them, and they can see the coach. If the coach needs to move (e.g. to show where a player moves in the activity) they should speak to the group, move (while not speaking) and then turn to face the group and continue speaking once they are at the new position.