TOVO Tuesday 196

Attribution

?Definition: the action of regarding something as being caused by a thing.

If we choose to see football through a technical lens, we will attribute most errors to a technical breakdown. We can then use that data (valid or not) to justify any number of actions or comments. Ultimately, we will satiate our desire to prove our point. See a poor pass, attribute that error to technical skill and move on assured that more isolated training is required before we can play again.?

So obvious, no? So logical.?

Here′s the thing.?

What if most errors happened before, before. Antes que antes.?

Every child who improves their vision will find an extra meter of space and thus their success.

Every child who improves their decision-making will reduce errors.

But how many traditional coaches will even consider, nerve mind attribute errors to perception or conception? Far too few in my experience. But why?

Vision is not so visible.?

Decision-making less so as it is hidden within the recesses of the mind. Execution is visible. That we see.?

And yet we know that football performance is powerful combination of vision, decisions and precision.?

Vision. Decision. Precision.?

Poor vision leads to poor execution.

Poor decisions lead to poor execution.?

Poor precision is poor execution.?

It is abundantly obvious when an athlete loses a ball on the dribble. Coaches evaluate the action taken.?

Attribution: Poor dribbling.?

Prescription: Dribbling drills.?

However, the best coaches evaluate the actions not taken and thus not executed. Dribbling into pressure imprudently is a vision or decision error, not a technical error. Turning blind is a product of not scanning. Shooting when your teammate has a better expected goal opportunity is a poor decision. And the list goes on.?

I find most errors occur antes que antes. Before, before. Before our eyes see it manifested.?

This approach expands the possibilities of attribution. Not easy, but worth the effort on our part. The next time we attribute perhaps we can reflect. Or even better, perhaps we will no longer divorce perception from the decisions they afford and the execution attempted. Perhaps training holistically matters.?

Maybe, just maybe, the children before us will become players of great vision, decisions and precision.?

Wouldn′t that be something to see.