In a match situation you have to be ready to use the right skill in the right situation

I his column in this week’s Gaelic Life, John Morrison digs down into the process of teaching players skills.

He explains that coaches must understand their players’ weaknesses, and they must make sure that the skill is put under pressure during a game situation.

Morrison goes on to highlight the principles which are key to teaching skills.

One of those key techniques is to make sure that players don’t stick to rigid rules learnt in a textbook.

“Every skill has a ‘textbook’ form or technique, yet the coach must avoid dictating what is th right form, such as a kick, a catch, a tackle.

“While each player has their own usage of the form – using the top of the laces or the outside of the boot – there is a correct time and place to kick the ball off the sweet spot.

“Thus players must learn to adapt their kicking or catching movements in milliseconds to suit the various situations on the pitch.

“This means players will have a variety of ways to solve the game ‘problems’ they are faced with.

“This means, also, that while training can still focus repetition of a skill or a tactic, the player must be able to use variable forms of the skill which helps deal with the game situation presented, ie, repeate without repeating.”

Buy the current issue of Gaelic Life to learn how to teach players to process lots of information during a game. Click here to buy the online edition.