On November 1st, our class performed a lab based on the constant and varied practice of throwing a beanbag. Constant practice is a form of practicing a single task that allows the individual to repeatedly rehearse one variation of a task. This is similar to quick-stick in lacrosse. During quick-stick, the player practices one very specific type of throw over and over again as quickly as possible, which helps improve reflexes. On the other hand, varied practice allows the player to practice different versions of the same action. For example, wall ball in lacrosse allows the player the freedom of changing the type of throw while still practicing the task of throwing/catching. Varied practice transfers over to performances much better than constant practice.
In our lab, we partnered up and each performed either a constant or varied practice schedule. My partner was Emma, who performed the varied practice. Her task was to throw a beanbag at a target (hula-hoop with a disk in the center) from a distance of 4, 5, and 6 meters. Each time Emma threw from one distance, she would switch to another distance. My task was to perform a constant practice schedule. I had to throw a beanbag at the target from a distance of 5 meters. My distance never changed. Both of us threw the beanbag forty-five times for practice, and then five times for a retention test to see which practice schedule worked best.
With the varied practice schedule, Emma hit the target a total of 12 times during the practice, and twice for the retention test. With the constant practice schedule, I hit the target 14 times during the practices, and twice for the retention test. Based off of the results, neither practice schedule was better than the other. These results are interesting because the varied practice schedule was supposed to create better results in a performance situation.
There are several factors that could contribute to these skewed results. First, things such as fatigue, talking, laughing, or boredom could have distracted the participant enough to where they were not focused on the task at hand. Also, natural ability could play a huge role in the constant and varied practice schedules creating the same results. For example, if I naturally have a higher level of hand-eye coordination and throwing abilities than Emma, then my results for the constant practice could match her results for the varied practice. The way to get rid of the human error in the experiment would be to have the same person perform both constant and varied practice schedules and compare their own results. That way natural ability does not interfere with the results.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
PDFE #9 "Importance of Early Grades Physical Education"
I grew up in the City Schools of Decatur where elementary schools were allowed one hour of a physical education class once or twice per week. To the best of my knowledge, all seven elementary schools shared one PE teacher, Coach Owen. There was a cap of twenty students per class, and only one class took PE at a time. We would perform our activities in a basic gym setting or outside on a field. Coach Owen taught us lots of fun things, such as gymnastics, field hockey, and dodge-ball. For the most part, I always enjoyed PE and learned a lot about different sports.
The current GA Physical Education requirements are completely inadequate, especially considering today's society. If you drive down a random neighborhood road, rarely will you find children out playing in the streets. I attribute this semi-recent change to two factors. First, the world of electronics as infiltrated our children's world of play. Playtime has now become a stationary part of our day. Second, society puts too much pressure on children to become high academic achievers by the age of seven. Because of the increase in academic standards, children are receiving more and more homework at younger and younger ages. This means that after they get home from sitting in a chair for eight hours a day, they must sit longer to complete their homework. Nowadays, neither homes nor schools are a place of play.
This stationary lifestyle for children is not natural. Studies show that movement and exercise stimulate the brain. If schools would embrace this fact and incorporate more physical education into their education system, the results would be very beneficial. Children would be able to sit still, focus more, and be more creative. But those are only the short-term effects. Long-term effects would include children learning how to retain an active lifestyle throughout their lives, which would give them increased health benefits and lower their chances of becoming overweight. The benefits of an extensive physical education program is undeniable.
I think an ideal or quality program would require an average of 30 minutes a day (minimum) of an organized PA/PE class for elementary through high school students. Even in high school, I had a hard time focusing in all of my classes simply because I needed to move around. This need for movement does not just apply to young children. It should be a continuous thing that every school system promotes. Also, the atmosphere of PE classes need to focus less on competition and more on fun learning of movement skills. The more positive the atmosphere, the more effective the PE program will be.
Although I grew up with a traditional approach to physical education, teaching with a skill theme emphasis would promote a healthier atmosphere and more beneficial results. As I already stated, movement is key for effective PA/PE classes. In traditional PE settings, less students move, playing is a competition, and too much time is spent organizing students. On the other hand, a skilled theme approach involves all students, encourages fun and positive attitudes, and promotes a higher percentage of movement. Therefore, an effective PE program that teaches the importance of physical activity to all students so that they can better focus in a classroom setting should have a skilled theme approach to teaching. With a skill theme emphasis and more frequent PE classes, children will develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle, which will inevitably transfer over to higher performance in their academic careers.
The current GA Physical Education requirements are completely inadequate, especially considering today's society. If you drive down a random neighborhood road, rarely will you find children out playing in the streets. I attribute this semi-recent change to two factors. First, the world of electronics as infiltrated our children's world of play. Playtime has now become a stationary part of our day. Second, society puts too much pressure on children to become high academic achievers by the age of seven. Because of the increase in academic standards, children are receiving more and more homework at younger and younger ages. This means that after they get home from sitting in a chair for eight hours a day, they must sit longer to complete their homework. Nowadays, neither homes nor schools are a place of play.
This stationary lifestyle for children is not natural. Studies show that movement and exercise stimulate the brain. If schools would embrace this fact and incorporate more physical education into their education system, the results would be very beneficial. Children would be able to sit still, focus more, and be more creative. But those are only the short-term effects. Long-term effects would include children learning how to retain an active lifestyle throughout their lives, which would give them increased health benefits and lower their chances of becoming overweight. The benefits of an extensive physical education program is undeniable.
I think an ideal or quality program would require an average of 30 minutes a day (minimum) of an organized PA/PE class for elementary through high school students. Even in high school, I had a hard time focusing in all of my classes simply because I needed to move around. This need for movement does not just apply to young children. It should be a continuous thing that every school system promotes. Also, the atmosphere of PE classes need to focus less on competition and more on fun learning of movement skills. The more positive the atmosphere, the more effective the PE program will be.
Although I grew up with a traditional approach to physical education, teaching with a skill theme emphasis would promote a healthier atmosphere and more beneficial results. As I already stated, movement is key for effective PA/PE classes. In traditional PE settings, less students move, playing is a competition, and too much time is spent organizing students. On the other hand, a skilled theme approach involves all students, encourages fun and positive attitudes, and promotes a higher percentage of movement. Therefore, an effective PE program that teaches the importance of physical activity to all students so that they can better focus in a classroom setting should have a skilled theme approach to teaching. With a skill theme emphasis and more frequent PE classes, children will develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle, which will inevitably transfer over to higher performance in their academic careers.
Friday, October 29, 2010
PDFE #8 "Stages of Learning"
In order to observe the stages of learning people go through, we completed a lab exercise that taught us how to tie a bowline knot. We paired up, with one person being the experimenter and one person being the participant. I started out as the participant and then switched with Jenny half way through.
It was interesting to watch the different ways and pace Jenny and I learned. For example, I am a very visual learner, so initially I tried to tie the knot strictly using the pictures provided. However, the picture was of poor quality and you could not distinguish if the rope was going over or under itself. So, I was forced to use the instructions, which was a disaster. I got confused by the metaphor within the instructions talking about a rabbit and a tree. I had to ask Dr. Epling to show me how to tie the knot. Once I saw it performed, I was able to duplicate the results without faltering. From then on, my movements quickly became smooth and autonomous. On the other hand, Jenny quickly figured out how to tie the know but struggled with getting it the correct size and tightness. Therefore, I had a longer verbal-cognitive stage of learning, whereas Jenny experienced a longer motor stage of learning. Both of us reached the autonomous stage of leaning within trial 20. Interestingly, both Jenny and I pass through each of the stages of learning, like the textbook predicted we would. The only difference that I was not expecting was for there to be such a difference in amount of time spent in each stage. That seems to vary with the person.
After we reached the autonomous stage for the bowline knot, Jenny tried to tie the knot upside down. This proved difficult for her because she had to teach herself the opposite way of tying the knot. In order to pass this obstacle, she and I discussed the steps together. Tying the knot upside down reverted us back to the beginning stage of learning (verbal-cognitive). However, once we got past the initial confusion, we quickly progresses back to the autonomous stage. It was fascinating to watch each other learn and observe our individual differences.
It was interesting to watch the different ways and pace Jenny and I learned. For example, I am a very visual learner, so initially I tried to tie the knot strictly using the pictures provided. However, the picture was of poor quality and you could not distinguish if the rope was going over or under itself. So, I was forced to use the instructions, which was a disaster. I got confused by the metaphor within the instructions talking about a rabbit and a tree. I had to ask Dr. Epling to show me how to tie the knot. Once I saw it performed, I was able to duplicate the results without faltering. From then on, my movements quickly became smooth and autonomous. On the other hand, Jenny quickly figured out how to tie the know but struggled with getting it the correct size and tightness. Therefore, I had a longer verbal-cognitive stage of learning, whereas Jenny experienced a longer motor stage of learning. Both of us reached the autonomous stage of leaning within trial 20. Interestingly, both Jenny and I pass through each of the stages of learning, like the textbook predicted we would. The only difference that I was not expecting was for there to be such a difference in amount of time spent in each stage. That seems to vary with the person.
After we reached the autonomous stage for the bowline knot, Jenny tried to tie the knot upside down. This proved difficult for her because she had to teach herself the opposite way of tying the knot. In order to pass this obstacle, she and I discussed the steps together. Tying the knot upside down reverted us back to the beginning stage of learning (verbal-cognitive). However, once we got past the initial confusion, we quickly progresses back to the autonomous stage. It was fascinating to watch each other learn and observe our individual differences.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
PDFE #7 "Personal Ability Inventory"
Personal Ability Inventory:
Multilimb coordination 4
Control precision 3
Response orientation 3
Reaction time 4
Rate control 3
Manual dexterity 4
Finger dexterity 4
Arm-hand steadiness 4
Wrist-finger speed 2
Aiming 4
Explosive strength 3
Static strength 3
Dynamic strength 1
Truck strength 1
Extent flexibility 1
Dynamic flexibility 1
Gross body equalibrium 3
Balance with visual cues 3
Speed of limb movement 3
Gross body coordination 4
Stamina 3
Movement rate 2
Motor timing 4
Perceptual timing 4
Force control 4
Five High-Level Proficiency Skills I Can Perform:
1. Throw a lacrosse ball with a stick
2. Run while cradling the ball
3. Quick Stick
4. Accurately shoot a ball at a goal
5. Accurately predict when to release the ball at a moving target (feed behind the goal)
Ideal Ability Profile:
Skill: Accurately predict when to release the all at a moving target (feed behind the goal)
1. Control precision
2. Aiming
3. Manual Dexterity
4. Multilimb coordination
5. Motor timing
6. Perceptual Timing
7. Force control
Discussion:
The skill I chose is used in lacrosse on the attack side. If a player goes behind the goal with the ball, they typically watch for their teammates to cut in front of the goal to receive the pass. This can be very difficult when you add a goalie and defenders block the way. The pass must be extremely accurate and precisely timed to be effective. People with a non-ideal ability profile for the skill I chose could become successful in two ways. First, they could use the perceptual-motor abilities of response orientation, reaction time, and rate control to anticipate the movement of the opponents and determine if the ball can be thrown safely to the player. The other way to compensate for their lack of the ideal abilities I listed above is to use the physical proficiency abilities of explosive strength, gross body coordination, and speed of limb movement to dodge around the opponents to get the ball closer to the moving player so that accuracy is not as important.
My personal ability inventory matches the ideal ability profile fairly well. I gave myself a 3 (average) for control precision, but I gave myself a 4 (above average) on all the other abilities necessary for the skill I chose. At the same time, I have been practicing this skill for about six years, so I cannot determine to what extent my skill is due to ability and not practice.
*Note: This lab was very interesting to break down my skills into specific abilities. However, the numbered rankings are relative to how the person views his/herself. I did not give myself a 5 on any ability because I consider that to be equivalent to an Olympic athlete.
Multilimb coordination 4
Control precision 3
Response orientation 3
Reaction time 4
Rate control 3
Manual dexterity 4
Finger dexterity 4
Arm-hand steadiness 4
Wrist-finger speed 2
Aiming 4
Explosive strength 3
Static strength 3
Dynamic strength 1
Truck strength 1
Extent flexibility 1
Dynamic flexibility 1
Gross body equalibrium 3
Balance with visual cues 3
Speed of limb movement 3
Gross body coordination 4
Stamina 3
Movement rate 2
Motor timing 4
Perceptual timing 4
Force control 4
Five High-Level Proficiency Skills I Can Perform:
1. Throw a lacrosse ball with a stick
2. Run while cradling the ball
3. Quick Stick
4. Accurately shoot a ball at a goal
5. Accurately predict when to release the ball at a moving target (feed behind the goal)
Ideal Ability Profile:
Skill: Accurately predict when to release the all at a moving target (feed behind the goal)
1. Control precision
2. Aiming
3. Manual Dexterity
4. Multilimb coordination
5. Motor timing
6. Perceptual Timing
7. Force control
Discussion:
The skill I chose is used in lacrosse on the attack side. If a player goes behind the goal with the ball, they typically watch for their teammates to cut in front of the goal to receive the pass. This can be very difficult when you add a goalie and defenders block the way. The pass must be extremely accurate and precisely timed to be effective. People with a non-ideal ability profile for the skill I chose could become successful in two ways. First, they could use the perceptual-motor abilities of response orientation, reaction time, and rate control to anticipate the movement of the opponents and determine if the ball can be thrown safely to the player. The other way to compensate for their lack of the ideal abilities I listed above is to use the physical proficiency abilities of explosive strength, gross body coordination, and speed of limb movement to dodge around the opponents to get the ball closer to the moving player so that accuracy is not as important.
My personal ability inventory matches the ideal ability profile fairly well. I gave myself a 3 (average) for control precision, but I gave myself a 4 (above average) on all the other abilities necessary for the skill I chose. At the same time, I have been practicing this skill for about six years, so I cannot determine to what extent my skill is due to ability and not practice.
*Note: This lab was very interesting to break down my skills into specific abilities. However, the numbered rankings are relative to how the person views his/herself. I did not give myself a 5 on any ability because I consider that to be equivalent to an Olympic athlete.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
PDFE 6 "General Motor Ability"
In this week's PDFE, we completed a lab that measured a person's balance using both static and dynamic balancing tasks. The purpose of the lab was to disprove the general motor ability theory, which states that some individuals have an innate ability that allows them to excel in almost all sports/movement activities. The tasks involved a stork stand, diver's stand, heel stand, sidewards leap, bass stepping-stone, and book-balancing walk. Although there were variations in how each group member performed the task, overall the timed measurements were accurate in predicting who had the best performance for each category. After collecting all the data, ranking each individual for each task, and assessing each person's scores, the general motor ability theory is clearly disproved. Everybody in the group excelled at one task, except for one person who excelled at two and one person who did not excel at any. When looking at each person's ranking, a pattern can be seen that shows that person's overall level of balance. For example, one member of our group consistently got rankings of 3s and 4s (out of 5), which puts her in the average range. One member consistently got rankings of 1s and 2s, while another consistently got 4s and 5s. So there seemed to be levels of developmental balance, which could be explained by a person's activity-based background. Almost everyone dominated one task, but I observed some people to be at different levels than others. At the same time, most of the rankings were close, with only a couple of outlying measurements. Although the general motor ability theory is not accurate, there does appear to be slight differences in balancing abilities among the people in our group.
Friday, October 1, 2010
PDFE #4/5 "Career Opportunities in Sports Related Fields"
PDFE #4
For interviewing a professional in my field of study, I interviewed Dr. Angela Lanier, who works in the Kinesiology department as an associate professor, on September 30, 2010. I choose Dr. Lanier because of her vast knowledge and experience working in the field of exercise science. Also, as a backup plan to physical therapy, I have always been interested in teaching. Associate professors of kinesiology combine my favorite subjects with a teaching position. Below is the list of questions I asked and Dr. Lanier's responses:
1) Please list your job title and give a brief description.
I am an Associate Professor, which involves teaching, research/scholarship, and service to Berry College and the surrounding community.
2) What are the basic requirements for your job?
In order to obtain this level of work, you need to have a doctoral degree, evidence of successful teaching, research, and service hours.
3) What are your daily responsibilities?
On a daily basis, I teach kinesiology courses, advise students, revise curriculum, attend meetings, and work on scholarship. Much of the day involves interacting with students.
4) What are some rewards/benefits of the job?
Some rewards would include interacting with students and getting to see them become successful in their career/graduate school endeavors. Also, daily learning, publishing articles, and the freedom of not being confined to an 8-5 job. Some benefits are attendance at conferences, access to learning environment, flexible schedule, decent insurance/retirement package, and lengthy holidays are that often coincide with my daughters' holiday breaks.
5) What are some downsides to your work?
The main one is that work never ends. Sometimes I'm up working until 1 or 2 in the morning to finish projects. My salary is not dependent upon the outcome and is relatively fixed. Having summers off is not a true statement since that is usually the only time I can complete scholarship obligations. I would hate to see my hourly wages!
6) What skills/qualities would you look for in a worker for your field?
I would look for a skilled teacher, a researcher who is organized and self-motivated, someone who is zealous for student success, communicates well, gets along with and supports colleagues, and is knowledgeable.
7) How do exercise science courses play a role in your job?
Currently I teach all of the exercise science courses except nutrition and sport psychology, so it is very prevalent in my career.
8) Do you have any words of advise for someone looking to enter into your field of expertise?
It is a wonderful career. One should take the road to career one step at a time in his/her search for personal interests. Never let other people's negative/critical comments deter you from your pathway. Always strive for self-improvement and not for improvement of other's perceptions of you. Choose a mentor in graduate school who is not only well-known but who will be a good mentor. Also, get involved in other graduate students' research projects so you build your publication record early in your career.
PDFE #5
After reading "Becoming Invaluable," I began to realize both my strengths and weaknesses in preparing for a future job in the exercise science field. By nature, I am a planner. So, last year I thought that I was jumping the gun on planning out my schedule for the next four years and looking into graduate school requirements. Thankfully, planning ahead is recommended, so I am currently on track to graduate with all my graduate school requirements. As far as campus life goes, I am involved in several organizations, a sports team, and am considering going abroad this coming summer. However, I am not prepared for everything. For one thing, I cannot imagine what I will be doing five years from now. While I do not know exactly what I want to do with my exercise science major, I do need to at least narrow down my options so that I can take the correct measures in preparing for post-undergraduate work. The power point made me realize that I need to begin exploring grad assistantship opportunities, and need to decide what type of setting in which I would like to work. Also, I need to research what standardized tests I must take in order to graduate, figure out when I need to take them, and begin preparing to take those tests. In addition, developing a back-up plan would help ease some stress in case my current graduate school plans fall through. Overall, the power point helped lay out what I have done and what I need to do in preparation of graduate school.
For interviewing a professional in my field of study, I interviewed Dr. Angela Lanier, who works in the Kinesiology department as an associate professor, on September 30, 2010. I choose Dr. Lanier because of her vast knowledge and experience working in the field of exercise science. Also, as a backup plan to physical therapy, I have always been interested in teaching. Associate professors of kinesiology combine my favorite subjects with a teaching position. Below is the list of questions I asked and Dr. Lanier's responses:
1) Please list your job title and give a brief description.
I am an Associate Professor, which involves teaching, research/scholarship, and service to Berry College and the surrounding community.
2) What are the basic requirements for your job?
In order to obtain this level of work, you need to have a doctoral degree, evidence of successful teaching, research, and service hours.
3) What are your daily responsibilities?
On a daily basis, I teach kinesiology courses, advise students, revise curriculum, attend meetings, and work on scholarship. Much of the day involves interacting with students.
4) What are some rewards/benefits of the job?
Some rewards would include interacting with students and getting to see them become successful in their career/graduate school endeavors. Also, daily learning, publishing articles, and the freedom of not being confined to an 8-5 job. Some benefits are attendance at conferences, access to learning environment, flexible schedule, decent insurance/retirement package, and lengthy holidays are that often coincide with my daughters' holiday breaks.
5) What are some downsides to your work?
The main one is that work never ends. Sometimes I'm up working until 1 or 2 in the morning to finish projects. My salary is not dependent upon the outcome and is relatively fixed. Having summers off is not a true statement since that is usually the only time I can complete scholarship obligations. I would hate to see my hourly wages!
6) What skills/qualities would you look for in a worker for your field?
I would look for a skilled teacher, a researcher who is organized and self-motivated, someone who is zealous for student success, communicates well, gets along with and supports colleagues, and is knowledgeable.
7) How do exercise science courses play a role in your job?
Currently I teach all of the exercise science courses except nutrition and sport psychology, so it is very prevalent in my career.
8) Do you have any words of advise for someone looking to enter into your field of expertise?
It is a wonderful career. One should take the road to career one step at a time in his/her search for personal interests. Never let other people's negative/critical comments deter you from your pathway. Always strive for self-improvement and not for improvement of other's perceptions of you. Choose a mentor in graduate school who is not only well-known but who will be a good mentor. Also, get involved in other graduate students' research projects so you build your publication record early in your career.
PDFE #5
After reading "Becoming Invaluable," I began to realize both my strengths and weaknesses in preparing for a future job in the exercise science field. By nature, I am a planner. So, last year I thought that I was jumping the gun on planning out my schedule for the next four years and looking into graduate school requirements. Thankfully, planning ahead is recommended, so I am currently on track to graduate with all my graduate school requirements. As far as campus life goes, I am involved in several organizations, a sports team, and am considering going abroad this coming summer. However, I am not prepared for everything. For one thing, I cannot imagine what I will be doing five years from now. While I do not know exactly what I want to do with my exercise science major, I do need to at least narrow down my options so that I can take the correct measures in preparing for post-undergraduate work. The power point made me realize that I need to begin exploring grad assistantship opportunities, and need to decide what type of setting in which I would like to work. Also, I need to research what standardized tests I must take in order to graduate, figure out when I need to take them, and begin preparing to take those tests. In addition, developing a back-up plan would help ease some stress in case my current graduate school plans fall through. Overall, the power point helped lay out what I have done and what I need to do in preparation of graduate school.
Monday, September 20, 2010
PDFE #3 "Movement Preparation"
On Saturday, September 18th, I observed the women's lacrosse practice out on the Ford fields. This was only the third practice the team has ever had. I choose this setting because I played lacrosse in high school and love the sport.
Reaction Time:
Reaction time is the time it takes from an initial stimulus to occur and a response to be chosen. Lacrosse is based on reaction time. The more reactive the player is, the better. One of the most frequent reactions I observed during practice occurred during simple passing and throwing drills. If a girl threw the ball inaccurately but still within reach of the other player, reaction time made the difference between a catch and a miss. The faster the reaction time, the more often the catcher could move her stick to where the ball was headed and potentially catch the ball. If the catcher's reaction time slowed, then by the time her stick got in the ball's line of fire, the ball had already passed.
Hick's Law:
Hick's Law states that the more stimuli/options a player has, the longer the reaction time will be. When practicing a 3 v. 2 drill (3 attack verses 2 defense), the goalie will throw the ball to an attacker, forcing one defender to take ball and the other defender to take the other two attackers. The moment the ball lands in one attacker's stick, both defenders must react to the situation. They must know who will get on the ball and who will take the other two. The longer they take to decide, the less chance they have of stopping the ball. During the practice, it was the second day of learning defense. Because of this, I could see a moment of hesitancy as the defenders tried to figure out how to best position themselves to block the ball. If it were a 2 v. 2, there would not be this moment of hesitancy. But when a third attacker is added, the defenders must figure out how to best react.
Psychological Refractory Period:
The Psychological Refractory Period is the delay in a player's reaction time when two stimuli are presented back-to-back. In lacrosse, effective attack players use fakes and dodges to either distract, confuse, or get around a defender. I noticed a lot of attackers pretend to either shoot or throw the ball, but instead, would actually dodge around the defender. By faking one thing and doing another, the attacker is presenting the defender with two stimuli back-to-back, which causes a delayed reaction time to the second (and true) movement. The defender will almost always follow the first movement, thinking that they are blocking the attacker. By the time they realize the attacker has changed movements, the defender has been beat by a fraction of a second.
Anticipation:
Anticipation is a player's prediction of what and when an action will happen. Lacrosse incorporates a lot of anticipation into even the most simple of drills. One example of anticipation occurred during a 2 v. 2 drill with a feeder on the side. The team was practicing tight game situations. One set of attack players set up a pick in order to get open for the feeder to pass them the ball. The attacker that was using the pick to escape from her defender had to first predict if a pick was going to happen through observing her partner's movements. Then, the attacker had to anticipate how long for her partner to get into position, how long for herself to get past the pick, and where the ball would be thrown right after she came out of the pick defender-free. The reason this requires so much anticipation is because the entire play takes about two-three seconds, and the attacker looking for the pass cannot see the ball coming at her until she is around the pick, which means that her stick needs to be in the right place at the right time in order to receive the pass. As the team practiced this drill, players accurately anticipated all the movements about half of the time. The majority of inaccurate prediction occurred when the attack player tried to catch the pass. That was the hardest step out of the play, requiring the most anticipation.
Reaction Time:
Reaction time is the time it takes from an initial stimulus to occur and a response to be chosen. Lacrosse is based on reaction time. The more reactive the player is, the better. One of the most frequent reactions I observed during practice occurred during simple passing and throwing drills. If a girl threw the ball inaccurately but still within reach of the other player, reaction time made the difference between a catch and a miss. The faster the reaction time, the more often the catcher could move her stick to where the ball was headed and potentially catch the ball. If the catcher's reaction time slowed, then by the time her stick got in the ball's line of fire, the ball had already passed.
Hick's Law:
Hick's Law states that the more stimuli/options a player has, the longer the reaction time will be. When practicing a 3 v. 2 drill (3 attack verses 2 defense), the goalie will throw the ball to an attacker, forcing one defender to take ball and the other defender to take the other two attackers. The moment the ball lands in one attacker's stick, both defenders must react to the situation. They must know who will get on the ball and who will take the other two. The longer they take to decide, the less chance they have of stopping the ball. During the practice, it was the second day of learning defense. Because of this, I could see a moment of hesitancy as the defenders tried to figure out how to best position themselves to block the ball. If it were a 2 v. 2, there would not be this moment of hesitancy. But when a third attacker is added, the defenders must figure out how to best react.
Psychological Refractory Period:
The Psychological Refractory Period is the delay in a player's reaction time when two stimuli are presented back-to-back. In lacrosse, effective attack players use fakes and dodges to either distract, confuse, or get around a defender. I noticed a lot of attackers pretend to either shoot or throw the ball, but instead, would actually dodge around the defender. By faking one thing and doing another, the attacker is presenting the defender with two stimuli back-to-back, which causes a delayed reaction time to the second (and true) movement. The defender will almost always follow the first movement, thinking that they are blocking the attacker. By the time they realize the attacker has changed movements, the defender has been beat by a fraction of a second.
Anticipation:
Anticipation is a player's prediction of what and when an action will happen. Lacrosse incorporates a lot of anticipation into even the most simple of drills. One example of anticipation occurred during a 2 v. 2 drill with a feeder on the side. The team was practicing tight game situations. One set of attack players set up a pick in order to get open for the feeder to pass them the ball. The attacker that was using the pick to escape from her defender had to first predict if a pick was going to happen through observing her partner's movements. Then, the attacker had to anticipate how long for her partner to get into position, how long for herself to get past the pick, and where the ball would be thrown right after she came out of the pick defender-free. The reason this requires so much anticipation is because the entire play takes about two-three seconds, and the attacker looking for the pass cannot see the ball coming at her until she is around the pick, which means that her stick needs to be in the right place at the right time in order to receive the pass. As the team practiced this drill, players accurately anticipated all the movements about half of the time. The majority of inaccurate prediction occurred when the attack player tried to catch the pass. That was the hardest step out of the play, requiring the most anticipation.
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