Sunday, August 9, 2020

Basketball: Training Lessons, Gone to the Dogs

A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying. - B.F. Skinner

We perform to the level of our training. The latest MasterClass is Dog Training from Brandon McMillan. He shares many "cross-disciplinary" tips for coaching. I am not calling players 'dogs' but noting that operant conditioning works across species. B.F. Skinner first described operant conditioning. "Operant conditioning relies on a fairly simple premise: Actions that are followed by reinforcement will be strengthened and more likely to occur again in the future."

 1 Training depends on many factors including the dog's age, history, and "DNA." If he starts with a poorly-trained or abused animal, training will be tougher. I coached an athletic girl who continually talked back and resisted learning. I stayed patient. A year later her mother told me the girl eventually figured out that I was coaching not criticizing. She was an All-League player last season. 

 2 Training involves technique and conditioning (repetition with reward). There is no shortcut. "The magic is in the work." 

 3 Results are more durable when performed over time and multiple sessions. (Spaced learning principle, see Learning How to Learn from Coursera.org)

 4 Training succeeds better when the trainee is rested. (The more emotional, confused, uncertain, insecure, excited, distracted, tired, or stressed we are, the easier we make mistakes.) - Peter Bevelin (Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger)

 5 The accompanying voice should be direct not a suggestion or a question. 

 6 Praise and reward are integral to the process and should be done "up close." (But, players and their families value recognition in print and electronic media, not just verbal communication.) 

7 End on a positive note. 

Keys: 

 - Performance depends on positive repetitions.
- Conditioning takes time and is better when spaced.
- Training under fatigue is less effective. 
- Praise is an integral part of training.
- End on an upbeat note. 

 Lagniappe: Spot trends as they evolve. The Celtics employ pick-and-roll "drive and seal" action to good effect in this 8-second clip. 

Lagniappe 2a: "A game of separation..." Harden step-back 



 Lagniappe 2b. Jamaal Murray has a killer step back, too. 

Lagniappe 3. Coach Dorsey on Northern Iowa's "5 Out" Half-court offense. 
  • Great spacing.
  • Always fill the corners. 
  • Multiple options


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