by Brian Schreder

How do you maximize the learning during your ninety-minute youth sport practice? Teach the youth athletes with their optimum learning style. Individuals absorb new information through their own unique learning style.

The four major learning styles are:

1. Auditory: Auditory processors learn by hearing and interpreting the underlying meanings of speech through listening to the tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other spoken nuances. When teaching verbal learners, use short explanatory sentences and have them repeat back the drills motivation and specific instructions.

2. Visual: The majority of individuals are visual processors. Their optimally learning occurs through seeing the teacher's body language and movements, and facial expressions to fully understand the content of the lesson. Visual learner's learn best when seeing the coach's body language and facial expression and, typically, prefer standing near the front of the group to avoid visual obstructions.

3. Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic processors learn by doing and retain information best by acting out the activity themselves through either mimicking the action or showing it to others. Although kinesthetic learners are a minority in society, many youth coaches teach to this style. Coaches tell the players to do a specific drill by name, watch them, and then quickly provide a verbal adjustment without first telling them what and why they are doing it and acting it out for them.

4. Sequential: The sequential learning style is based on the "why" question. These athletes learn through linearly stepping through the process from start to finish and need to know the motivation behind each different step.

A key objective in youth sports is to maximize the athlete's learning during the ninety-minute practice. Following these steps, which incorporate each learning style, leads to an effective practice. When introducing a new skill or team play:

1. Tell the players what they are going to learn and the motivation for learning it.

2. Have a coach demonstrate the activity and ask the players to break it down step by step.

3. Let the players perform the activity with constructive coaching fine-tuning.

4. Recap the activity with why it is important and what are the steps in the process.

By following these steps all the learning styles are incorporated multiple times throughout the process and each young athlete is taught in their optimal fashion. Auditory learners are taught in their style during step 1, 3, and 4. Optimal learning for the visual and kinesthetic styles occurs dur ing step 2 thru 4. Finally, sequential learners get the most from steps 1, 2, and 4.

What are the learning styles of the youth athletes on your team? Based on their previous performance in practice and games, what is the one area that needs to be worked on in the next practice. Break down the drills and play execution into the four steps above to maximize the players learning potential.

Article Source: http://www.amazines.com