Speaking in riddles

Command

This is where the coach informs the players what they are going to do.

An example of this would be a direct instruction, with limited interaction between the coach and the player. 

This method is all about the coach getting information across to the player as quickly as possible. A potential challenge is that it restricts the player’s ownership of the information, as they are being given the answers by the coach.

Q&A

This involves far more interaction and dialogue between the coach and the player. The coach will ask both open and closed questions, to which the player will try to respond with the answers. 

A challenge with this approach is that we assume the players always have the answer. What if they don’t?

Are we asking the individual too many questions? And, because of this, are we actually drowning the player with far too much information, problems to solve or decision-making?

Observation, analysis, feedback 

Here, the coach makes a deliberate decision to step back, and allows the players to solve problems and/or make decisions for themselves for a set period.

Having observed and analysed, the coach then delivers feedback to the players, based on what they observed.

This may simply be a case of highlighting good practice – for example: “Your decision to pass the ball back inside there was great. I liked why you did it, because of X, Y and Z…”

Guided discovery 

This is where you set the players several challenges – for example, constraint or scenario-based – which they must solve.

For instance: “Can you show me how to score when faced against a team which defends with a high level of pressure and line speed?”

The coach’s challenge is knowing when to step in and support the players in the problem-solving process, and when to sit back and allow them to continue to solve the scenario or constraint themselves.

Trial and error

This is arguably the most free-thinking method, where the coach sets a challenge, problem, constraint or scenario and allows the players to solve it with very limited support.

The coach sits back and observes how the players respond and adapt. 

The onus is on the players to try a variety of methods until, ultimately, they begin to ’discover’ success.

What we should consider as coaches

Taking the above into consideration, I would encourage you to reflect on the following.

If we ask players questions, we are asking them to take ownership of their learning. I wish I had been exposed to more coaches who used this method when I played the game.

It contrasts with monotonous and repetitive drills, followed by direct command-style feedback, with very little interaction between the coach and the players.

However, the challenge that lies with the Q&A approach comes with knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them.

Too often, we overlook ‘questioning’ as a skill. Have you ever caught yourself asking a question and then having to rephrase and re-shape it almost immediately? 

Give time and thought to the questions you might ask. When you decide it’s time to intervene with a question, make it a powerful one, which engages the players and makes them think.

As with all these things, it comes down to a matter of balance. 

Yes, the Q&A approach is a great method for encouraging players to own their understanding and development, but other methods must be employed alongside it.

Most of the strategies discussed here are intertwined. In fact, this article is more of a discussion around Q&A vs. Command. 

I’ve observed coaches who have been worried about using the ‘command’ strategy, for fear of robbing the players of learning themselves. Still, if used sparingly and correctly, it can have a positive impact.

To come full circle on this, it is not necessarily a case of asking too many questions – but more of knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them. 

Suppose we can find a positive balance between allowing the players to explore, supporting their learning through Q&A, and giving them direct snippets of information. In that case, we are taking a holistic approach to supporting the players. 

If we constantly ask poor questions that we have to repeat or reshape, then we are setting riddles, not asking questions.