LEARNING METHODS IN HANDBALL
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The fundamentals on which traditional learning methods are based, were created through experience and comparisons of different (un)successful ways of performing movements. Observing their efficiency, coaches came up with the common model – what we call: a technique. What was the best for the best player, was good for all players – this was the way to create one and unique technique. The best way to learn it is by direct methods of correcting mistakes: deviations from the model.
Comparison among top teams shows that such type of equality does not exist, not even among top players because all people are different.
We should search for activities that enable learning handball elements which are in line with the biomechanics of a player. The movement of human body is a connection of lot of different factors and if used efficiently, there is no need to correct it. I do not agree with leaving kids to play freely and in that way learn playing handball, because I think that they will not exploit their full talents. Our job is to form a framework within which they will create motoric models using indirect learning methods. We should always strive to use activities that enable development of several different capabilities, and perhaps the most important: respect differences in biomechanics of children movements, if they are capable of solving the game situations effectively.
The point of the “handball education” is learning technical elements by performing movements at the whole, with simultaneous development of the psychomotor speed and the technical - tactical creativity. It is based on the assumption that one should respect the difference between individual players and with the faith in biological ability of self-creation of motoric programs adapted to their individuality. Such motoric model will be perfectly harmonised with biological characteristics, because it was formed by auto harmonisation, hence it is realistic that in the end of the process it will be more successful.
We should start the learning process without our corrections. If child trains in the environment where he is frequently exposed to verbal instructions, positive or negative, he is permanently distracted and his focus on performing the task will be reduced.
Kids of that age have difficulties to separate criticism of performing some technical detail from personal criticism and damage we consequently do maybe bigger than the benefit of “correcting itself”.
If we, during the dribbling exercise, insist on gentle pushing the ball by fingers and on repetitions until done good, while we keep saying to child how he did it wrongly, we could expect the logical consequence: a bad mood and(or) guilty feeling.
However, if we think of activities that will lead a player into the situation of independent problem solving when dribbling and then using method of “trials – errors – successful trials”, he will form his own picture how to dribble. It is logical to expect he would feel less criticised during the process and once he learnt the technique he would feel good because: “I can do that!”
Training is one way of overcoming deficiencies, by repetition. This is why we talk about the automatisation of movements.
However, if you try to systematise a genius, somebody who is intuitive, there is a risk to extinguish his creativity.
Systematisation raises a quality for average players,
but also makes average the quality of the best ones.
Jorge Valdano
Tuoreimmat jutut