Flooded With Positive Energy
Using a strength-based approach to promote campers’ skills
By Susan Langlois
Teaching a new skill to campers, especially in a sport with a complex motor skill like the golf swing, can be challenging. But it also can be the most satisfying and meaningful camp experience for both campers and the instructor, using a strength-based approach.
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Teaching campers to rely on their strengths at camp can set in motion tremendous psychic energy. This energy can encourage campers to focus on technique in a sport that is challenging to master, and which they can improve with effort.
Of course, the first lesson in golf is to respect both the ball and the club that may cause a serious injury. So, novice golfers must understand and appreciate staying in the tee box and realizing that any golf ball that lands beyond the mat is off-limits.
After these measures are firmly established, the next step is to help the players get better. Do you check the grip and stance before they attempt to hit the first shot? Or do you ask them to think about a sport they play well and how they improved their skills?
If you had to choose between these methods, (of course, neither is wrong), you might consider what the latest research in motor learning shows in producing the most improvement and the least frustration. The latest research overwhelmingly supports teaching a challenging motor skill with a strength-based approach. In the above example, the instructor asks the beginners to recall what they did to get past the first stage in the other sport. Asking two or three volunteers what they did to progress is another strength-based teaching strategy. Sharing success stories can increase psychic energy and inspire campers to focus in mastering another challenging sport.
Pivoting The Thought Process
Martin Seligman is a highly respected psychologist who has conducted research in helping people become psychologically stronger and healthier using a strength-based approach. Applying the strengths they discovered in learning a previous sport can develop a mindset that players already have a head start in learning a new sport. This type of instruction is often opposite that of instructors who first point out common mistakes and focus on what players shouldn’t do. “No, you missed the ball because you didn’t keep your head down. You don’t have enough eye-hand coordination yet.”
Helping beginner golfers remember what they are already good at and how they got there can engage their brains to expect success with focus and effort. This activates the learner’s brain with positive energy and blocks out distracting thoughts.
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The Power Of Suggestion
Strength-based instruction can also help players focus on the tempo of the golf swing, e.g., “You can bring the club back with more control by saying your first name on the backswing and then saying your last name on the downswing.” The most important part of this strength-based instruction is “You can,” which has the power of suggestion.
The Sandwich Technique
You can also use “the sandwich technique” in strength-based instruction. The instructor makes a positive observation: “Your grip is perfect: the club is resting in your fingers.” That positive-specific feedback is the first slice of bread in the sandwich. Now the brain is energized by a positive thought: “I’ve got the right grip.” The middle layer of the sandwich is the protein. This instruction has the best chance to help campers improve. “Read the brand name on the ball as you start the backswing, and keep reading that name on the downswing.”
The second slice of bread in this sandwich will be the last instruction golfers hear. It must be positive and consistent with the previous instructions: “By reading the writing on the ball, you will give the brain the focus it needs to make solid contact.” What makes this second slice of bread strength-based? “You can make solid contact with the golf ball.”
Acknowledging Success
A third strength-based method is “acknowledging success and pointing out what produced it.” If you just observed a player hit a gorgeous wedge shot over 100 yards, there are many ways to acknowledge that success. My favorite is simply shouting “Tagged!” Golfers who hear “tagged” usually give a huge smile. That smile expresses positive energy that can be contagious. Now, it is just as important to explain why that swing produced the gorgeous shot: “Your last golf swing was the smoothest swing you’ve made so far. Did you say your first name on the back swing and your last name on the downswing? You did? Awesome!”
In all three teaching methods, the focus is on what works. With some practice, it can become second nature to focus on what’s correct. When the focus is on technique, there isn’t much room for thinking about a mistake or being embarrassed about what others will think. With even more practice, players will not be as self-conscious about making a mistake. The energy, effort, and expectations are all about improvement. And when the desire to repeat what brings success is the focus, everyone can appreciate a golf ball that is “tagged.” These beginning golfers may start to give each other some strength-based reinforcement. Campers not only enjoy their own great golf shots, but also enjoy the gorgeous shots of other golfers. This is yet another lifelong lesson that promotes enjoying and supporting everyone’s success.
Susan Langlois has more than 30 years of experience as a college professor, athletic administrator, camp director, and sport-facilities design consultant. She is a graduate of Springfield College and the University of New Hampshire. She is currently the Dean of Arts & Sciences at Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. Reach her at slanglois@rivier.edu.