Types of skills
- Motor - involves movement, smooth execution of a physical act
- Perceptual - involves interpretation of information and making sense of environment
- Cognitive – skills using mind, problem solving, involves thought processes
In the context of football these skills would be;
- Motor – sprinting down the wing during a game
- Perceptual – sprinting to intercept the ball being passed down the wing
- Cognitive – realising that sprinting down the wing will give width in attack
Here are some more examples of these skills
From this table it is noticeable that all 3 types can be related closely, like dribbling in football where the player has to 1st decide the route, then analyse the players around before finally carrying out the dribble.
The phases in skill learning
There are 3 recognised phases in skill learning, these are the Cognitive phase, Associative phase and Automonous phase.
Cognitive phase - This involves grasping the demands of a task.
Associative phase - This is when less attention is paid to the task and more attention is paid to the environment.
Automonous phase - When the execution of the task and decision making become automatic.
Technique
Technique is a learned skill specific to a sport to enable greater success
“the tackle is where most of the injures in rugby now occur. Coaches should ensure that all players know how to tackle correctly.” If players have the wrong technique, they are more likely to injure themselves.
A good tackler uses leg power to drive the shoulder onto the ball carrier, before using the arms to wrap around the opponent. Here are some aspects of a good technique.
- Focus eyes on target area
- Move forward to meet the ball carrier
- Sink early into tackle position and bend knees
- Chin up, eyes open
- Head to the side or behind the impact – cheek to cheek
- Contact with the shoulder
- Wrap with arms – maintain grip
- Drive with legs and keep feet on the ground
Relationships between the three
I have found out that the relationship between skill, ability and technique is: SKILL = ABILITY + TECHNIQUE
Skill is a person’s ability to choose and perform the right techniques at the right time, successfully, regularly and with a minimum of effort. Athletes use their skill to achieve athletic objectives e.g. sprinting a 10 second 100m. Skill is acquired and therefore has to be learned.
Improving skills.
When we choose to move, the action is controlled by the “conscious brain” using a combination of learned movements. For these movements to progress successfully, we require information feedback.
The idea that skill equals ability plus technique is a good way to describe how to be able to achieve a particular skill. However there are a number of different aspects which come into consideration when performing a skill and being successful at that skill. Skills can be enhanced easily through training, as long as the athlete's technique, ability and the type of skill that is being trained have all been taken into account, before setting up a training programme
Overall skill is developed by having good ability and having technique that suits your body and mind, with thought out training programs to suit you, personally.
Practice makes perfect
Practice helps to improve a person’s level of performance because it helps a persons body and mind perfect specific skills and techniques. With practise, you would be able to pick out problems and floors in your technique. Practice can also lead to a higher level of fitness, which can also help a person improve on their skills and even find new ones.
A higher level of fitness, improved techniques and new found skills will all help a person find a higher level of performance, and help them to perfect their game.
Most top sporting professionals play their sport full time, which means that they train for at least 5 hours a day. Depending on their sport, they will also spend hours in the gym, and even have a specific diet, which suits them.
They do all of this so that they can stay at the top of their game, every sportspersons dream is to be the best there is at a specific activity, whether it be running, cycling, or swimming.
These very best sports men and women are the ones who have the most skill, best technique, highest ability and the best physique for their preferred sport.
Having said that, the worlds best footballer isn’t necessarily the footballer that is the best at all of these components, he is the footballer who has the best combination of all of them.
