Locked in Shed - ski coaching podcast

Focus of Attention - part 2

Where performers and coaches direct their focus of attention has significant influence on behaviour and learning. 

Marianne Davies is a Senior Coach educator for UK Coaching and former Coaching Manager for Canoe Wales. She’s got a background in adventure sports, is a keen equestrian and is currently doing a part-time PhD in Skill Acquisition in Equine Sports. 

We’ve teamed up to run some workshops at the forthcoming UK Snowsports Conference in Castleford at the beginning of September.

In this second of two related podcasts we delve further and closer into focus of attention, so let’s resume where we left off….

Brought to you by richard barbour coaching - it's personal.

There’s still a little time to take advantage of the special gift mentioned in the last episode. But you must be quick as this runs out on Friday 25 August at 11am UK time.

Focus of Attention - part 1 Where coaches and performers direct their focus of attention has significant influence on behaviour and learning.    I’ve got a great guest who knows a lot about this topic and that’s Marianne Davies. Currently a Senior Coach educator for UK Coaching and former Coaching Manager for Canoe Wales she’s got a background in adventure sports, is a keen equestrian and currently doing a part-time PhD in Skill Acquisition in Equine Sports.   An avid researcher, she’s recently co-authored a paper on focus of attention, which is something close to my heart as a fellow coach and coach educator and prompted me to contact her to learn more.     We’ve teamed up to run some workshops at the forthcoming UK Snowsports Conference in Castleford at the beginning of September 2023.   The conference is open to everyone. So if you are listening before 24 August 2023 and the podcast tempts you to book one of the last remaining tickets, listen hard for a time based gift somewhere – but you’ll need to pay attention right through to the end. This podcast was made in collaboration with richard barbour coaching - it's personal. Instagram @richardbarbourcoaching

Episode 9

Reasons to be skilful (part 3)

In this episode I’m continuing my discussion with John Shedden and my intention is to focus more attention on skill. As well as expanding on the implications of skill for performers and their coaches, we discuss considerations for goal setting, planning a coaching programme, some anecdotes, Mikaela Shiffrin’s practice and Donald Rumsfeld – Donald Rumsfeld! what on earth has he got to so with skiing?

We also reveal the secret weapon of this podcast, with responsibility for maintaining cheer and focus.

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked in Shed production

References:

Knapp, B. (1963) Skill in Sport: The Attainment of Proficiency. 6th impression. London: Rutledge and Kegan Paul.

Shedden, J. (1982) Skilful Skiing. 1st ed. Wakefield: EP Publishing Limited.

Links:

What is skill?

In this episode I’m continuing my discussion with John Shedden and my intention is to focus attention on skill. John’s book Ski Teaching introduced to snowsports a definition of skill by Barbara Knapp, an academic in the Physical Education Department at the University of Birmingham. In her book Skill in Sport, first published in 1963 she introduced a definition of skill that has been at the heart of UK snowsport coach education ever since.

I wanted to discuss this definition and its component parts along with some of the implications for skiers and riders.

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked in Shed production

References:

Knapp, B. (1963) Skill in Sport: The Attainment of Proficiency.6th impression. London: Rutledge and Kegan Paul.

Sharp, B. (1992) Acquiring Skill in Sport. 1st ed. Eastbourne: Sports Dynamics.

Shedden, J. (1972) Ski Teaching.1st ed. Cardiff: John Jones Cardiff Ltd.

Links:

Episode 7

I’m continuing my discussion with the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden.

During research, John explored how skiers’ perceptions were affected by sensory information. This influenced his thinking about skill and the importance of developing sound habits in closed environments before applying them in more complex environments. We go onto discuss some of the differences between the ski instructing and coaching and the role of governing bodies.

An insightful episode to help instructors and coaches use a person-centred approach with their skiers.

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator, I wanted to create resources that support a mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked In Shed production

Links:

Episode 6

Skilful skiing

I’m continuing my discussion with the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden.

Three of John’s books: Ski Teaching, Skilful Skiing and Skiing: Developing Your Skill are seminal works. From the early 70s they were hugely influential on those developing ski instructing in Britain and form the backbone of national coaching schemes operated by the home nation governing bodies. Having read them as part of my own coach education I set out to discuss some of the key themes to gain further insights.

We start by discussing coach education material developed with the help of funding from a well known bank.

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked In Shed production

References:

Shedden, J. (1972) Ski Teaching. 1st ed. Cardiff: John Jones Cardiff Ltd.

Shedden, J. (1982) Skilful Skiing. 1st ed. Wakefield: EP Publishing Limited.

Shedden, J. (1986) Skiing: Developing Your Skill. 1st ed. Marlborough: The Crowood Press.

Links:

Episode 5

I’m continuing my discussion with the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden.

In this episode I am concluding a 2 hours discussion that was made into three episodes, this one being the third. John discusses the work of Georges Joubert, how dynamic balance became active balancing, arousal, emotions and finally meeting the American professor who marked his degree.

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked In Shed production

References:

Shedden, J. (1982) Skilful Skiing. 1st ed. Wakefield: EP Publishing Limited.

Jones, G & Hardy, L (1990) Stress and performance in sport. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Joubert, G. (1979) Skiing, An art… A technique. US: Poudre Publishing Co.

Links:

Episode 4

Information processing and PET

I’m continuing my discussion with the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden.

In this episode I am talking with John about his university study where he explored his interest in psychology and information processing, leading him to develop a new model of motor skill development, still in use today. We also discuss the sensory information needed at different stages of skill development and two PET models used in ski coaching.

Members of the Snowsport England Coaching Scheme also receive a supporting article written by John. 

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked In Shed production

Reference:

Shedden, J. (1982) Skilful Skiing. 1st ed. Wakefield: EP Publishing Limited.

Links:

Episode 2

The development of skiing in England and formation of the Englsih Ski Council

I’m continuing my discussion with the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden. I wanted to find out more about how the structure of English skiing developed in the 70s, John’s role in promoting the sport and the formation of the National Governing Body, the English Ski Council.

Along the way there’s a revelation about the impact of English ski racing on the Swedish star Ingemar Stemark, arguably the best ski racer in history - ever

These recordings are about the art, science and history of snowsport coaching. As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create resources that support their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level.

A Locked In Shed production

Link:

Episode 1

John Shedden - skiing beginnings

I'm using the covid-19 lockdown in the UK to make recordings about the history and art of snowsport coaching. 

My first guest originally aspired to a career in the nuclear sciences. But a spiritual experience on a school skiing trip transformed his life by steering him in new directions. He's the former National Coach and Director of Coaching for Snowsport England, John Shedden. John discusses his introduction to the sport, making skis, getting qualified as an instructor and learning experiences that helped him see the light in different ways, shaping his future career.  

As a coach educator for the national governing body Snowsport England, I wanted to create content that supports their mission of inspiring participation in snow sport at every level, whilst creating a learning library of resources for ski coaches.

A Locked In Shed production

Links: