Predictive Processing Model for Sports Coaching

Aim

The aim of the predictive processing model for sports coaching is to explain how coaches might leverage predictive processing principles to foster and develop sporting skills. In undertaking this aim, the model does not attempt to tell coaches how to coach. Rather, the model looks to outline what coaches might want to consider implementing into their coaching practices, if they wish to embrace the predictive processing perspective.

 The Model

The model for sports coaching proposes that the application of predictive processing principles starts from an overarching objective to help performers come to grips with their sporting niche. In addition, the model suggests that attaining this overarching objective is primarily achieved by helping to develop the performer’s models of the game, and further supported by enhancing the performer’s action, perception, prediction and error minimisation skills, as well as by shaping the sporting environment. 

The Overarching Objective

The model suggests that helping performers to come to grips with their sporting niche should be the overarching objective for any coach looking to integrate predictive processing principles into their coaching practice. This overarching objective is intentionally broad and intended to capture the various goals and missions pursued across different coaching contexts (e.g., fun and fitness, skill development, or performance success). Therefore, as a starting point for the application process, coaches are encouraged to consider what it means for their performers to come to grips with their performance space.

The Primary Principle

The model proposes that helping performers develop their models of the game – that is, to help them understand how the performance space works and how they can function within it – is the primary predictive processing principle that coaches should consider implementing into their coaching practice.

Importantly, effective models of the game are internal representations that enable performers to reliably predict current and future events, while also allowing some flexibility to deal with the inevitable prediction errors that arise in an ever-changing sporting environment.

To develop the performer’s models of the game, coaches can look to update or refine the performer’s existing models. Here, updating internal models relates to the acquisition of knowledge about the performance space that expands or extends the performer’s existing models (e.g., learning new skills or approaches). In comparison, refining internal models refers to making small adjustments to enhance the predictive utility of the performer’s existing models (e.g., honing technique, fine-tuning strategies, or sharpening awareness).

Supporting Principles

The model for sports coaching suggests that helping performers to enhance their models of the game (and grasp of the performance space) can be supported by:

  1. Enhancing the performer’s action skills,

  2. Improving the performer’s perception skills,

  3. Amplifying the performer’s prediction and error minimisation processes, or

  4. Shaping the sporting environment.

Coaching Actions

Coaching action is about enhancing the performer’s physical movement and communication skills (e.g., improving proficiency, expanding the range of action options, and cultivating action-selection capacities). The more skilled a performer is in their actions, the more likely they are to be able to influence the sporting environment in desired ways.

 

Coaching Perceptions

Coaching perception skills involves improving the performer’s ability to notice (and pay attention to) important sensory information while disregarding unimportant information (e.g., distinguishing between the signal and noise), and cultivating their confidence in the relationships between observations and outcomes (e.g., situational awareness).

 

Coaching Prediction & Error Minimisation

Coaching prediction and error minimisation processes involve encouraging performers to generate predictions about what is likely to happen and the advantageous actions available to them (e.g., anticipate) and then adaptively update these predictions in response to ongoing observations (e.g., prediction errors). Developing these predictive processes can be further enhanced by empowering performers to see prediction errors as opportunities to enhance future actions and outcomes (rather than as an indication of poor performance).

 

Shaping the Environment

Shaping the sporting environment involves adjusting the observable and hidden information in the training and competition environments (e.g., the types of tasks, level of challenge, and expectations of the activities) in order to help performers achieve some desired outcome – such as improving action, prediction, anticipation and adaption skills, or developing models of the game.