How many times have we heard coaches evoke the KISS
principle, that is not what I am talking about. When I hear KISS I almost take
it as an insult, KISS is dumbing down. I have believed for years that
simplicity yields complexity. Start simple and basic and build complexity as
needed. If it is not needed then don’t go to more complexity. Simple is not
necessarily simplistic. I also strongly believe that if I can’t explain the
science to my athletes in terms that they can understand then I probably should
not be doing it. Why? Because If I can’t explain it then I probably don’t
understand it and if I don’t understand it then it is not worth doing because
it is going to be half-baked. It is just monkey see monkey do activities. I
have found that the most brilliant people I know can make abstract concepts
totally comprehensible, that is a gift of great teachers and coaches. I end
with a quote from Winnie – the – Pooh “It’s more fun to talk to someone who
doesn’t use long difficult words but rather short easy words like ”What about
lunch?”
2 Comments
terry
hi vern, i don’t 100% agree that if you cannot explain the science its not worth doing. As you say coaching is an art as well as science, and experience can learn us a lot, for example you may not know how a certain drill may improve some aspect of performance but through experince you know it works. would you not use the drill? even though you know it works because you cannot explain the science behind it?
terry
vern i would be interested in your reply to my above statement.thanks.