But you are affected by it every day whether you know it or not. And now might be a good time to think about how you can use it to YOUR advantage!
A tribologist is someone who studies the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion. Included in that is the science of friction.
We aren’t talking about friction in the sense of two objects creating heat or how tires grip the road. We are talking about the theory and the uses of just such an idea.
One such company that has embraced the idea of LESS friction is Amazon. It was originally called “Cadabara” but when a lawyer misquoted it as “cadaver” the founder Jeff Bezos went with the less confused Amazon.
When it started, it was online books, compact discs, computer software and hardware and videos. Part of the idea was to take the friction out of buying these categories. Bookstores often had thousands of books in shelves all over the store and after a drive, 20 minutes searching and then finally asking a clerk who told you they were out of stock, you had spent 45 minutes to an hour trying to buy this book. Amazon took the friction out. Go online, find the book, click it, check out and in 2 minutes the book was coming to your door.
This idea can also work in reverse. If you are one that wants to stop eating oreos at night before bed, apply some friction and make it harder for yourself. Don’t buy them or have them in your home so if you want them you will have to go to the store before bed, an idea after a long day that is very unappetizing.
If you are using too much social media, apply some friction. Take the password memory off of your phone so every time you sign into a website you have to put the e mail and password in…every time. After a while, studies show, you will not use that app as much if at all.
Our society is so frictionless we rarely even notice. Drive thrus are a way for restaurants and coffee shops to get you to order from them with very little friction: you need not leave your car, it’s put into your hand and now you can pay with the swipe of your cell phone instead of carrying cash or a credit card. Friction free!
Our daily clicks eliminate friction. Online payments, watching movies or t.v. series with one click, almost any subject in academia is a click of your laptop, register to vote online, talk to friends across the globe, conduct business, it’s all a keyboard away!
So how does this affect us as coaches? How can we utilize the idea of eliminating friction into our Coaching? Dr. Joe Baker says, “Coaches need to stop seeing themselves as transmitters of information and start seeing themselves as architects of the optimal learning environment.” What does that friction free optimal learning environment look like?
Maybe on a visual level, there is a white board with the practice written on it including player names or numbers onto every drill. The coach takes the friction out of every drill and transition to another one by naming the drills so the players recognize them and assigning the players their positions to eliminate the friction and wasting of time.
On a feedback level, long drawn out explanations will lead to a loss of attention and then the inevitable friction of trying to get that engagement back. Quick cues, little to no extra feedback, one focus and especially not stopping drills to talk to just one player about their improvement.
How can a coach get conditioning into their practice with less friction? Including it into the practice by sprinting to positions, sprinting to shag the balls and sprinting to grab water is an easy start. And then just playing the game itself, which is the best way to get into volleyball shape; play volleyball!
On a learning level however, friction can be a decisive element in whether a player retains and transfers what they learn or not. A drill with just one skill done over and over and over, called a “blocked” drill may disengage an older athlete from what they are doing and now the drill becomes a waste of time for both athlete and coach: no learning is accomplished.
But take that drill and give it extra reps at different skills, add scoring, make it game like and now, with lots of friction applied, the athlete must focus more on what they are doing thus learning at a much higher and faster rate than before. In this instance, friction is a welcome addition to practice.
What other ideas can you think of to utilize friction in your practices, in your season? Not just for you but for your athletes, parents and Club Director or Athletic Director?
There is efficiency to the idea of less friction which saves wasted time, spawns practices that move with pace and are able to accomplish more and athletes that stay engaged. The idea of adding friction can help athletes stay involved mentally and physically, reach beyond themselves and retain and transfer what they have learned in practice much more effectively.
You don’t need to be a tribologist to understand the idea of friction, just look around. How did you read this blog? In the mail? Probably not.
Enjoy the frictionless life we lead, use that extra time wisely and take that extra time to make yourself the best coach you can be.
It’s an investment that will never be lost.
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