So...more than a year ago, I wrote this on timeouts and the value of points. A lot of coaches worry about the timing (thus those links) but I think there's less done regarding the efficiency of communication. I wrote something applicable to that for talking with players between sets.
So what guidelines can we use for improving communication during timeouts?
We have to be aware we have a limited amount of time--30 seconds for club, 60 for NFHSA, 75 for college. Limited time means we can't wax poetic. Anything we say needs to be clear and concise, direct to the situation at the moment.
--Sometimes when I'm just daydreaming, I try and think of ways I can reduce the number of words I use to get a message across. Other times, I'll limit myself to using only one-syllable words to communicate. I do this as practice for being clear in my messaging. Practice with language/communication is important--it isn't just about practicing the physical skills. [At the 2015 National Tournament, the scouting report for opponents was limited to a haiku, nothing more: Serve them tough, Zone One / Middles hit slides and tip short / No lollypop serves.]
Given the time constraint, it's also important to limit yourself to one key point. Anything extra can just cause brain melt. As an alternative, if you have the staff--you can split up the team with players listening to a specific coach based on position. You could also limit your conversation to only the players out on the court rather than to the whole team--though I don't like this with younger athletes...
I think there's one other thing coaches should be aware of in the moment. If a coach calls a TO when his team is struggling, the athletes KNOW they are struggling...so expressing frustration at them, showing anger with them is only going to reinforce their current insecurities. When you call a timeout, it's important to consider the current emotional state of your team. For me, that means staying calm as much as possible--if we have a lead, calmness ideally leads to them remembering things aren't over yet. If we trail, they will know I'm still focused on the match rather than blame for our current situation. When I am coaching younger players--I'll celebrate what we are doing right and emphasize our fundamentals (never anything about the other team)
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So when I write stuff, I'll go away and come back to it down the road. Here I am, a few days later. I saw a social media post by a gentleman named Harjiv Singh. He's a Ph.D. on motor-science-y stuff with the brain. I listened to a presentation he made at a coaching convention pre-COVID...and his concepts stuck.
So writing this and THEN having Singh in mind--it got me thinking about what we say--not just limiting the words, but what those words are. What word are they going to focus on? If I say "Don't miss your serve", they are going to immediately hear "don't"--which will send their brain down a negative route. I can say "Hit Zone 1"--but in doing so, it's possible they follow my instruction too well--and reduce their aggressiveness when hitting there. It's tough--limited time, limited words, and trying to make sure they come away with the right message.
Or is it better to not worry about all this--and simply give them a minute to talk/discuss without too much coach input? Ahh, but the catch here is the athletes knowing what they see and having the understanding to share that quickly/efficiently with teammates. Longer breaks like college (75 sec), this is easier than USAV club (30 sec). Is it possible for 12 year olds in their first year of playing the game to use a timeout in this fashion?
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