not comfortable with figuring things out on the fly. Be patient with them, they want to do it right but need
types so if you hit all of them, you will likely impart the
to hear ALL of the information first and may need reassurance if you are trying something before
information in a way that they can process effectively. Simply imparting the information isn’t singly going to make
Quite often skaters will have a combination of the learning
completely explaining it. 2. Visual Learners: Once you have explained the drill and
you a successful coach with an adult learner. Here are some things you may also want to consider:
gotten through all of the Auditory Learner’s questions, you have to demonstrate it. These skaters are also your readers, so they will probably have a great understanding of the rules and want you to show them various scenarios they have keyed in on in the rule book. Good day, Visual Learners, you are probably still reading. 3. Kinesthetic Learners: You have explained the drill and demonstrated the drill, but the Kinesthetic Learner will not actually fully comprehend until they DO the drill. These are the ones who appear to be impatient by skating around while you are trying to explain something. You may think it’s rude and disrespectful, but that is how they process. These skaters will be happy to figure things out on the fly as they probably didn’t listen to half of your explanation anyway. Kinesthetic Learners are also the folks who will rewrite the rules by hand as they read them. The movement of the pen and re-iterating the information will help them learn. If they are reading this article at all, they are using their sharpies to highlight areas they have skimmed.
• Be upfront and clear in regards to your league’s philosophy and goals. Adults want to quickly assess how and if they will fit in to your organization. • It takes guts to enter this sport and you can create a better team environment if you develop an empowering atmosphere for everyone. It is a natural, human desire to want to belong, and the challenge for a coach or training team is to find a way to make everyone feel welcome, empowered, and worthy despite differences in skill level or teams. Don’t forget about your team mate with the low self-esteem. They may need more attention but they are worth the effort. • Remember all that life experience? Adults don’t want to be lectured, they want to be included in the process. Most adults are more successful in a collaborative environment. Get feedback from everyone on a regular basis, both on negative and positive aspects of practice. Sometimes drills are complete failures despite best intentions. Ask them why that drill didn’t work for them so you can modify and adapt to fit their needs. They will be part of the process, feel that they are being heard and generally be more interested in working towards a positive outcome.
McQueen Photography
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