Pace or Skill

[BigCat1]

What is easier commodity to improve?

Read a great article about Peter Bell on the weekend where he said that he had worked hard on his pace over the summer with an athletics coach. He stated that he had always had good endurance but he had been able to get much quicker. He hinted that the results had been achieved in a short space of time. it goes against the common belief that a player is born with pace and there is not a lot he could do about it.
On the other hand some people say that skills can be taught (ie Loewe and Tredrea) over time and that it is just a matter of practice.

We have a number of players like Spriggs and Clarke who are quick and athletic but have poor skills. No amount of training seems to help them improve

We also have a player Bartel who seems slow. IMO I think he could improve his lack of pace quicker than it will take the others to learn how to kick

What do you guys think? Is pace and easier asset to gain compared to skill?

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by BigCat1
What do you guys think? Is pace and easier asset to gain compared to skill?

I think pace is an easier asset to gain as opposed to skill.

You already mentioned Spriggs and Clarke as examples of players with natural speed, yet their skills let them down. On the other side of the coin, you mentioned Bartel and I'd also mention Gary Ablett there. Ablett has basically had a footy in his hands since he was little, (and you can tell on the ground) but struggled to get to the contests last year due to his pace. However, he's been able to work on that aspect of his game and although I reckon he still needs to gain another yard, his skills are first rate.

 

[spriggsy6]

Every team needs speed to get it thru the midfield as quick as possibl;e....Spriggsy is perfect for this!

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Welcome Spriggsy6.

Good to see some new blood around the place.

 

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by phatandphreaky
Welcome Spriggsy6.

Good to see some new blood around the place.

What he said... it's always good to see some new contributors chiming in here.

Welcome to BigFooty, Spriggsy6.

On the topic, might be easier to harness and develop skill moreso that pace, IMO. Through the right coaching and practices, you can do that, while speed is like height, qualities that cannot be taught.

You can be taught how to change speed and pace when it suits a player, but the player can only learn that from practice and repitition.

Great topic, BigCat1.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Best make a comment on the topic as well. Clearly skills are easier to improve than pace.

If you're quite slow, no amount of weight work or general training will make you quick.

Whereas even the worst kicks can be taught to kick accurately (by the right coach).

 

[evertonfc]

Skills can improved much more easily than pace.

But a good topic.

Ben Cousins was told he was 'too slow' before doing some work with WA's top sprint coach. Now look at him.

Obviously both can be maniuplated, but to improve your pace would require some absolutely intense aerobic and anaerobic training.

 

[BigCat1]

I used to think that speed was something that you were just born with and could do nothing about but after reading the article on Bell I got talking to a friend of mine that does athletics. He said that everyone can increase their speed and it didn't matter how fit the person was. It was to do with strength, technique and repition. He made a comment and said that a fit person (ie a football player) who has done no formal sprint training could pick up half to a second over 100m if they applied themselves. Obviously genetics has a lot to do with it and Bartel and Ablett wont ever be as quick as Wojcinski but a small increase would add so much more to their games. A couple of extra sessions a week is all it would take.

 

[Moo://_Cow]

i think spriggs has improved his disposal by heaps, but i'd say pace is harder to improve on.

 

[ecleftic]

Originally posted by BigCat1


Read a great article about Peter Bell on the weekend where he said that he had worked hard on his pace over the summer with an athletics coach. He stated that he had always had good endurance but he had been able to get much quicker. He hinted that the results had been achieved in a short space of time. it goes against the common belief that a player is born with pace and there is not a lot he could do about it.

Much easier to improve skills with repetition, practice, practice, practice and the right skills coach.
A few footballers run interclub over the summer season but what they do isn't enough to improve their pace. A good hard season of speed work with a quality sprint coach will improve their pace somewhat. Thing is if you have no pace in the first place no amount of training will make you fast.
Some of the Geelong players should run pro races over the summer season ala the Essendon boys. This would help them to improve their reflex and reaction time as well as help their pace. Tim McGrath actually runs pros but in distance events.

 

[evertonfc]

Originally posted by Moo://_Cow
i think spriggs has improved his disposal by heaps

He's learnt to put the rubbish out?

 

[Seb]

Worst. Joke. EVER.

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by Moo://_Cow
i think spriggs has improved his disposal by heaps

I would have to agree with that, although he does still tend to spray his kicks sometimes. His last 10 games have been much better for us, more consistent, 10 possessions being his worst return in this time.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by Moo://_Cow
i think spriggs has improved his disposal by heaps

Yeah, but one accurate kick would achieve that.