As a child, I loathed sports. Give me a good book any day! I was the youngest in my family and childhood memories of backyard cricket and tennis are full of dropped catches, missed hits and the constant fear of a ball in the face. I did enjoy swimming and riding my bicycle, so at least I managed to have some exercise.
Fast forward a few decades. I was now married and the mother of four children. My husband began taking our children to a local park each week for family soccer (football) games and playing with a Frisbee and a few tennis balls. For several months I resisted joining them. Eventually, I wondered why I was at home cooking dinner while everyone else was out having fun.
The first few weeks were laughable. My ball skills were no better than our four-year-old’s.
Improvement With Practice
Gradually, though, I began improving. The most useful game was invented by my husband. All six of us stood in a small circle and threw a tennis ball randomly to each other. You had to stay focussed so you didn’t miss a catch. If you dropped the ball or made a poor throw, you had to run around the circle twice. You then had to immediately be ready in case someone threw the ball at you as soon as you arrived back at your place in the circle.
At first, my general fitness improved by leaps and bounds as I spent most of the time running. After weeks of practice, I began catching more and running less. Eventually, I became moderately proficient at catching and throwing. I will never be top class at ball skills, but we were all surprised at how much I improved. Simply through regular practice and focussing on the ball as it flew through the air towards me. I also concentrated on bringing my hands to the ball to catch it.
As we all improved, we also invented a few variations: catching one-handed or using only our non-dominant hand. Some days, everyone did a lot of running.
What does all this have to do with learning sport online?
Can You Learn a Sport Online?
YouTube is crammed with videos on all sorts of sports. Do you want to learn how to hit a baseball or dribble a basketball?
In the book Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski, we are introduced to Julius Yego from Kenya, who learned how to throw a javelin via YouTube before spending hours practicing. He became known as Mr. YouTube and is now a medal winner in the Olympic Games and World Championships.
Some YouTube offerings are introductory videos as tasters for a purchased course. Braille Skateboarding has a few free videos showing beginners how to step on the skateboard, ride, and Ollie. Or you can master freestyle swimming technique with Terry Laughlin. (Thank you, Barbara Oakley, for these links.)
The recurring theme is “learn how to do it here, then go and practice it yourself”.
Learn the Rules Online
Do you want to know the rules of Australian Rules Football or Curling? Or are you thoroughly confused by cricket? Again, YouTube to the rescue.
Some Courses About Sports
Searching for sport on Class Central brings up over 70 courses, although some are not currently available. You will find courses on a range of sports-related subjects rather than how to actually play the sports.
Internet of Things for Active Aging: A look at devices and apps to help older people keep fit and track their fitness levels.
The Science of Training Young Athletes: Aimed at youth sport coaches and parents, this course examines “the multidimensional nature of coaching … and briefly overview[s] the body structures strengthened through training” so children will stay interested and injury-free.
Science of Training Young Athletes Part 2: This course helps coaches devise sound training plans. Exercise physiologists or people who have completed The Science of Training Young Athletes course will benefit most from this course.
Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise: Learn why physical activity is important and its role in common health issues such as cardiovascular health, osteoporosis, cancer, and arthritis.
The Body Matters: Why Exercise Makes You Healthy and How to Stay Uninjured: Although currently archived, you can still watch the lecture videos and read the discussion forums. “Whether you are a competitive athlete, an aspiring musician or dancer, whether you play for fun or just want to lead an active lifestyle, this course will entertain and challenge you.”
Is Juggling a Sport?
JuggleFit states that juggling is the ultimate exercise. It’s portable, improves focus and concentration, and relieves stress. Watch their video, follow the instructions, and practice every day.
Practice
Just like learning a musical instrument or a new language, you will improve most quickly by actually doing it. You don’t have to spend hours every day like David Beckham, but regularly revisiting the sport will increase your skill.
A Final Thought
I could watch hours of YouTube videos or live games but would never improve my sporting skills unless I went out there and did it myself.
By Pat Bowden, published November 13, 2018.
