"WE CANNOT CHANGE THE CARDS WE ARE DEALT, JUST HOW WE PLAY THE GAME"
-- Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
The "meaning" and "value" of the game will vary for different ages, levels, teams, situations, and individuals. All stakeholders should respect that the game is significant, and also be empathetic towards understanding the game is different in meaning to each athlete, coach, parent, and fan.
The WSA Way encourages competition at early stages of development as part of the "fun" and "challenge" associated to the game, and bridges towards a focus on achievement and winning in the later stages. This model continues to produce evidence that it is valid, even if not popular to those seeking achievement in early stages of development.
The WSA Way encourages competition at early stages of development as part of the "fun" and "challenge" associated to the game, and bridges towards a focus on achievement and winning in the later stages. This model continues to produce evidence that it is valid, even if not popular to those seeking achievement in early stages of development.
THE WSA WAY PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT
How the "Game" fits into the WSA Way Phases of Development is key to understanding WSA's perspective on the game.
TIMED DEVELOPMENT
The WSA Way "TIMED DEVELOPMENT" pattern below identifies the primary focuses at various stages of development, timed and synced to biological and psychosocial development.
EARLY STAGES (4-12) There is a greater focus on "skill acquisition" and proper "socialization" into the sport for the primary purpose of producing a fun experience.
LATER STAGES (12+) There is a greater focus on performance, achievement, and competition, with an aim towards winning. The primary purpose is finding new tangible levels, challenges, and opportunities for the player and the player's team, in the game.
EARLY STAGES (4-12) There is a greater focus on "skill acquisition" and proper "socialization" into the sport for the primary purpose of producing a fun experience.
LATER STAGES (12+) There is a greater focus on performance, achievement, and competition, with an aim towards winning. The primary purpose is finding new tangible levels, challenges, and opportunities for the player and the player's team, in the game.
SYCNING TO ATHLETE PATHWAYS
The WSA Way "TIMED DEVELOPMENT" pattern also syncs to potential social pathways in the game for athletes. At later stages of development, success and achievement can produce different types of opportunity for the athlete and/or team, which are not available or relevant at earlier stages of development.
SYNCING TO BIOLOGICAL KNOWNS
Likewise, the "TIMED DEVELOPMENT" syncs to biological knowns of the athlete. It is known that skill acquisition does not collaborate well with a focus on winning, since skill acquisition is inherently a "fail-to-learn-to-grow" pathway, where a higher volume of permitted failure creates a higher rate of skill acquisition. Thus, the focus on competing for results comes later, after biological windows begin to close for "skill acquisition" and emotional windows begin to open for developing the "emotional IQ" required to manage success and failure from results.
SYNCING TO PSYCHOSOCIAL ACHIEVEMENT NEEDS
Later stages of development come with aims at high performance and winning. High performing athletes need to filter and analyze application of strengths and weaknesses, rather than accentuate experimentation required for skill development. Winning requires reducing mistakes, while skill acquisition requires making them.
WINNING
Pursuing achievement is an important value, and when framed within the proper perspective a lofty pursuit of a WSA Player and a WSA Team, worthy and deserving of our perseverance.
The WSA Pillars, represented by the three peaks of the WSA Badge since 1992:
Perspective, Perseverance, Achievement.
The WSA Pillars, represented by the three peaks of the WSA Badge since 1992:
Perspective, Perseverance, Achievement.
GAME DAY AT THE SIDE PEAK PERFORMANCE
STAGE4: 13+ YEARS ONWARD
There are various best practices for reaching peak performance.
The WSA Way generates a process for high achievement based on experience, research, and adaptation.
The WSA Way generates a process for high achievement based on experience, research, and adaptation.
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