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Stages of Learning Beginning Stage The beginning stage of learning is the thinking stage. This is where the athlete is working out in his mind what to do. As the coach, first you must explain very clearly to athletes the skills they are to learn. It is imperative to be very patient in this stage. The athlete can get easily overwhelmed when he or she is given too many tasks to learn at one time or if you put a lot of pressure on the athlete too quickly. The stage is complete when the athlete can perform the skill, even though he or she may not perform it perfectly. Intermediate Stage The intermediate stage is the next level in learning. This stage invokes the motor programme that was started in the beginning stage. The athlete needs to be motivated and given feedback on his/her skill development. The emphasis is now on the quality of practice to refine skills. The shift is from mental activity to learning the sequence of movements to master the skill. Athletes work on refining their timing and coordination. They need to know what they are doing incorrectly and how they can make corrections. Feedback is vitally important at this stage. As the skill becomes more automatic, the athlete has entered the advanced stage.   Advanced Stage The advanced stage is when the athlete is performing the skill. The control of the movement becomes more automatic. The athlete is not thinking about the movement as much. The athlete can now focus on more critical skills and applying strategy of the new skill to his/her sport. It is important to note that improvement in this area is smaller and may require more motivation for the athlete to practice.   Coaching Tips An athlete may be at the advanced stage for one skill and at the beginning or intermediate stage for another skill. Your success is in being able to determine where your athlete is at various learning stages and provide the best instruction, motivation and feedback for each one's success.

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