U.S. patent application number 11/376099 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for dribbling and ball control sports training system and method.
Invention is credited to Luis Edgar Gonzalez Allegre.
Application Number | 20070219024 11/376099 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38441540 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070219024 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Allegre; Luis Edgar
Gonzalez |
September 20, 2007 |
Dribbling and ball control sports training system and method
Abstract
A sports training method is described comprising the following
steps: classifying the dribbling and ball or puck control motions
into modular predetermined motion sequences according to the
sensomotor and technical skills developed, evaluating athlete's
skill level in relation to dribbling and ball or puck control in a
specific sport; transmitting to the athlete the information
regarding predetermined motion sequences according to the diagnosed
skill level; developing dribbling technique and key sensomotor
skills; developing dribbling creativity and innovation in the
athlete; sequentially performing the predetermined motion sequences
in individual or group dynamics; monitoring and evaluating the
performance of the athlete as pertains to his/her ability to
perform the predetermined motion sequences and updating the
knowledge base of the training method so that the sports training
method is never obsolete or is outgrown by athlete. A sports
training system is also described comprising means for classifying
different dribbling and ball control motions into modular
predetermined motion sequences according to the sensomotor and
technical skills developed, means for indicating the positioning of
feet and ball, means for developing specific sports skills related
to dribbling and ball control motions and also the sensomotor
skills required in most sports, such as balance, accuracy,
flexibility, speed, and strength, means for integrating the sense
of rhythm, means for communicating the predetermined sequences to
the athlete, means for monitoring and evaluation, means for
rehabilitating sports injuries and means for updating and
increasing the knowledge base of the training system.
Inventors: |
Allegre; Luis Edgar Gonzalez;
(Mexico City, MX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
38441540 |
Appl. No.: |
11/376099 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/422 ;
473/446; 473/447 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2102/22 20151001;
A63B 69/002 20130101; A63B 69/0071 20130101; A63B 24/0075
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/422 ;
473/446; 473/447 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/00 20060101
A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A sports training method which comprises the following steps:
classifying different dribbling and ball or puck control motions
into predetermined motion sequences according to the sensomotor and
technical skills developed, evaluating athlete's skill level in
relation to dribbling and ball or puck control in a specific sport,
transmitting training information to the athlete according to a
diagnosed skill level, developing dribbling technique and key
sensomotor skills, developing dribbling creativity and innovation
in the athlete, monitoring and evaluating the performance of the
athlete as pertains to his/her ability to perform the predetermined
motion sequences and create new sequences, and updating a knowledge
base of the training method.
2. A sports training method according to claim 1, wherein the step
of classifying the different dribbling and ball control motions
results in modular and interconnected predetermined motion
sequences.
3. A sports training method according to claim 2, wherein the steps
of classifying the different dribbling and ball control motions
into predetermined motion sequences is organized into different
skill levels.
4. A sports training method according to claim 1, wherein the
athlete's skill level is evaluated and determined in terms of
precision, speed, balance, resistance, individual technique,
technique in group dynamics and creativity.
5. A sports training method according to claim 1, wherein the
athlete receives the appropriate predetermined motion sequences in
accordance with the previous evaluation of the athlete's diagnosed
skill level through any of several means such as printed formats,
electronic media, computers, internet or mobile wireless media.
6. A sports training method according to claim 1, wherein the
predetermined motion sequences are described textually,
graphically, or using animation, video, audio, multimedia,
interactivity, motion sensations, or a combination of any or all of
these.
7. A sports training method of claim 1, in which the athlete
sequentially performs the predetermined motion sequences to develop
dribbling and specific technical and sensomotor skills.
8. A sports training method according to claim 1, wherein the
athlete develops the sensomotor skills required in sports such as
balance, accuracy, flexibility, speed, strength or the technical
abilities specific to dribbling and ball or puck control.
9. A sports training system according to claim 8, wherein the
athlete develops a sense of rhythm defined in terms of the
spatio-temporal relationship between the athlete, the ball or puck,
and the player of the opposing team the athlete has to dribble
around.
10. A sports training method according to claim 8, wherein
dribbling and ball control skills are developed in individual
and/or group dynamics.
11. A sports training method according to claim 8, wherein the
athlete performs the predetermined motion sequences first with one
of the legs and then with the other leg so as to develop a
comparable level of ability with both legs.
12. A sports training method according to claim 8, wherein the
athlete performs the predetermined motion sequences on several
adjoining mat bodies or any other adjoining means for indicating
the positioning of feet and ball.
13. A sports training method of claim 1, in which the athlete
performs steps conducive to developing creativity and innovation in
dribbling and ball control.
14. A sports training method according to claim 13, wherein the
athlete is instructed to go beyond the predetermined motion
sequences and combine the predetermined motion sequences learned
and is instructed to improvise and create new dribbling and ball or
puck control sequences utilizing one or a combination of several of
the following basic motions: step, jump and turn plus the
predetermined motion sequences learned.
15. A sports training method according to claim 1, which further
includes the steps of monitoring and evaluating the performance of
the athlete through the use of numeric tables or by using the same
media utilized for communication with the athlete such as printed
formats, internet and mobile wireless media.
16. A sports training method of claim 1, wherein the objective of
the predetermined motion sequences is rehabilitation of an injured
muscle or group of muscles.
17. A sports training method according to claim 16, where the
monitoring and evaluation of the rehabilitation process uses
several parameters such as presence and intensity of pain,
strength, endurance and flexibility of said muscle, and the overall
physical and mental condition of the athlete.
18. A sports training system, which comprises: means for developing
dribbling creativity and innovation in the athlete, means for
classifying different dribbling and ball or puck control motions
into predetermined motion sequences according to the sensomotor and
technical skills developed, means for indicating the positioning of
feet and of the ball or puck or any other object similar in form
and/or function to that of a ball or puck, means for developing
sports skills related to dribbling and ball or puck control
motions, means for communicating the training information to the
athlete, and means for updating the knowledge base of the training
system.
19. A sports training method according to claim 18, wherein the
system provides means for instructing the athlete to improvise and
create new dribbling and ball or puck control sequences utilizing
the following basic motions: step, jump and turn, combined with the
predetermined dribbling motion sequences that have been identified
and classified by the system
20. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for classifying the different dribbling and ball or puck
control motions into predetermined motion sequences is defined by
the sensomotor and technical skills developed and described in
terms of the positioning of the left foot, the right foot, the ball
or puck and of any other body part that comes in contact with ball
or puck
21. A sports training system according to claim 20, wherein the
means for classifying the different dribbling and ball control
motions into predetermined motion sequences is modular and
interconnected in structure.
22. A sports training system according to claim 20, wherein the
means for classifying the different dribbling and ball control
motions into predetermined motion sequences is organized into
different skill levels.
23. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein
dribbling and ball control skills are developed in individual
and/or group dynamics.
24. A sports training system according to claim 23, wherein the
athlete develops a sense of rhythm defined in terms of the
spatio-temporal relationship between the athlete, the ball or puck,
and the player of the opposing team the athlete has to dribble
around.
25. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for indicating the positioning of feet and ball is based on
the anatomical and biomechanical characteristics of the human
body.
26. A sports training system according to claim 25, wherein the
means for indicating the positioning of feet and ball has physical
dimensions based on the height of the player.
27. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for indicating the positioning of feet and ball is a mat body
made of plastic, fabric, laminar or similar material and is rigid
and non-foldable.
28. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for indicating the positioning of feet and ball is a mat body
made of plastic, fabric, laminar or similar material and is
flexible and foldable.
29. A sports training system according to claim 27, wherein the
upper layer of the mat body or similar object or surface allows
easy sliding of feet and rolling of ball, and the bottom layer may
adhere to floor so as to diminish the possibility of the mat body
or similar object or surface from sliding and causing injury to the
athlete.
30. A sports training system according to claim 27, wherein the
means for indicating the positioning of feet and ball has visual
indicia for indicating both the positioning of the ball or puck and
the different parts of the body of the player that come into
contact with the ball or puck.
31. A sports training system according to claim 18, in which the
means for transmitting efficiently the predetermined sequences to
the athlete consists of different communication formats such as
printed media, electronic media, computers, internet and wireless
mobile media.
32. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for evaluating both the initial skill level of the athlete
before the training method is initiate and monitoring the athlete's
progress in the acquisition of the dribbling and ball control
skills are the same as those used for communicating efficiently
with the athlete and consists of information in different formats
such as tables displayed in conventional printed media, electronic
media, computers, internet and wireless mobile media.
33. A sports training system according to claim 18, wherein the
means for updating the knowledge base of said system uses a
graphical user interface accessed through the internet, mobile, or
other portable wireless media that allows anyone, anyplace, anytime
to upload new information to the knowledge base of the sports
training system.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] This invention relates to methods and systems for training
athletes, and especially, for training athletes in the skills of
dribbling and ball or puck control, related, but not limited, to
soccer, basketball, hockey, and other similar sports.
[0003] 2. Background Information
[0004] Sports like soccer and basketball are among the most popular
games in the world and are enjoyed by hundreds of millions of fans
and enthusiasts. In the United States, soccer currently enjoys a
rapid growth.
[0005] There are numerous approaches for training athletes. In
soccer, basketball, and hockey, these training methods generally
use drills for teaching the athlete those abilities required in the
game through repetition. As with most sports, the mastery of these
skills needs many years of performing countless drills.
[0006] Nowadays, the relative success of the training methods is
based on the athlete's ability to replicate, in a game situation, a
learned motion taught in a drill situation.
[0007] There is a need to develop better training methods that make
it easier, natural and intuitive for the athlete, regardless of
skill, level or age, to learn and master dribbling and ball control
skills, including the most complicated, the so-called fantasy
dribbling movements.
[0008] According to learning theory, a much more efficient training
method would develop creativity in the athlete so that new
movements can be improvised beside the replication of the
drills.
[0009] This can be achieved through training methods that foster
creativity in the athlete which is done by including steps in the
method that allow and encourage the athletes to go beyond the
predetermined motion paths learned in drill situations in order to
innovate and, thereby, creating their own sequences. Creativity is
a key word in the development of better athletes.
[0010] Thus, the learning process of the training method should
have as its foundation the development of creativity and innovation
on the part of the athlete, so that the athlete is capable not only
of replicating the drills, but also of innovating and performing
new moves that today's truly great athletes display, creating new
moves that appear almost impossible to duplicate and are labeled
magical.
[0011] This training method should be designed to be used by both
the 5-year-old beginner and the professional expert athlete.
[0012] Today's best players not only excel in the technical skills
particular to the specific sport they practice but they are also
better all-around athletes. Sports science has identified in the
20th and 21st centuries the essential sensomotor skills for playing
most sports, such as balance, resistance, flexibility (range of
motion), strength and speed, the development of which makes for
better all-around athletes. Thus, there is a need for training
methods that develop both the technical abilities specific to each
sport and those for developing better all-around athletes
[0013] Furthermore, there is an urgent need for a dribbling
training method that identifies and classifies the different
dribbling and ball control motions performed in sports such as
soccer, basketball and hockey. These become the building blocks
around which the training system is structured and the foundation
for developing creativity in the athlete. Through observation and
analysis, the dribbling movements of an athlete can be identified,
classified and then organized in the most appropriate way for
learning, mastering and applying them in real game situations. The
classification of the predetermined motions should be done
according to the sensomotor and technical skills that each of those
predetermined motions develops such as balance, strength, speed,
endurance, flexibility and the different levels of proficiency in
technical dribbling abilities.
[0014] The classification of said motion sequences should render a
training method that is modular in structure which, from an
instructive perspective, basically means that all of its different
learning units can be interconnected. In the case of a dribbling
training method, the learning units refer to the different
sequences of dribbling and ball control movements which have been
identified and classified. The interconnection means that there's
always a point of reference which all of them have in common and
that joins them all. From a didactic perspective, this point of
reference among all the dribbling sequences makes the learning
process more natural. From a mathematical point of view, the fact
that the motion sequences can be interconnected maximizes the
number of resulting combinations, and thus, the athlete in a real
game situation multiplies his/her dribbling possibilities.
[0015] One of the key sports science concepts that has been
identified as a requisite for achieving success in sports is the
development of 100% symmetry or laterality in the athlete. This
means that the athlete is equally skillful dribbling with both
legs, right and left, in soccer, or both arms in the case of
basketball. Laterality results in the development of an athlete
which is more resourceful since the athlete can dribble around a
player of the opposing team with equal ease using the right or left
leg.
[0016] Another one of the objectives of sports training methods
should be the development of the ideal muscle memory in the
athlete. The ideal muscle memory is defined as that motion
performed by the athlete which is both functional and efficient.
The functional part refers to those motions that are technically
correct. The efficient refers to those motions that are performed
with the least amount of effort exerted by the athlete.
[0017] A better dribbling training method should integrate steps
for mastering the spatial-temporal relationship of the three
physical elements involved in dribbling: the ball or puck, the
athlete's own body, and the body of the player in the opposing team
around which the athlete has to dribble. The training method should
even take this concept one step further in order to develop the
rhythmic capacity in the athlete to master, from a spatio-temporal
viewpoint, the dynamic relationship between these three
elements.
[0018] This rhythmic skill differentiates the good players from the
truly great as is obvious from seeing any of the great basketball
or soccer players move on the court or field.
[0019] The training system should use different formats for
transmitting the training information from the system to the
athlete. Such formats may be manuals, printed cards, video, audio,
multimedia, internet websites or wireless portable media. This
guarantees a training system that can be used anywhere, anytime by
anyone since it accounts for the disparity in the levels of access
to technology that exists in different parts of the world since
athletes do not always have access to computers, cellular
telephones or the internet.
[0020] There is a need for powerful training systems designed in
such a way so as they do not become obsolete or are outgrown by the
athlete. The training system should have the technological
capabilities so that its knowledge base can be frequently and
easily updated, always presenting new and fresh information to the
athlete. Nowadays, this is possible through the integration of
state-of-the-art communications technology, especifically the
internet and mobile wireless media, such as cellular telephones,
personal digital assistants (such as Palms and Blackberrys) and
I-pods. Through the use of this technology, the most recent
information can be uploaded to the knowledge base of the training
method from as many sources as possible in different corners of the
world. The graphical user interface (GUI) of these communications
media should be simple, intuitive and friendly.
[0021] There is a need for powerful training systems that are
portable and compact for transportation.
[0022] Nowadays, the reliance of most sports on speed and power
accounts for an increase in the number of injuries being suffered.
There is a need for developing training methods that allow the
athlete to continue training while they rehabilitate the injuries
of the specific muscle groups used in sports like soccer,
basketball and hockey and in parts such as toes, ankles, calves,
shin muscles, hamstrings, knees, thighs and lower back
[0023] An effective training method must also include a sequence
whose steps are of the following nature: diagnosis of actual skill
level, learning process (predetermined motion paths), development
of creativity in the athlete, monitoring and evaluation.
[0024] The prior art reveals the existence of numerous sports video
games whose sole purpose is entertainment. Although some skills
important to the practice of sports such as foot-eye coordination
can be improved by playing these video games, the ultimate
objective of these products is not training athletes since they
were never conceived or structured to be didactic devices and so,
they are very limited in their scope as training methods that
develop sports skills.
[0025] The prior art also describes dance mats based on stepping
paths. These mats, however, do not help in the development of
sports-specific skills or enable the systematic and structured
exercise of those muscle groups needed in the practice of soccer,
basketball, hockey or similar sports.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] It is a first object of the present to provide a sports
training system and method for training an athlete in dribbling and
ball or puck control.
[0027] The dribbling and ball control sports training system
develops both the technical skills required for dribbling and the
sensomotor abilities required in most sports such as balance,
resistance, flexibility, speed, and strength.
[0028] These objectives are achieved through steps that foster
creativity in the athlete by means of predetermined motion paths on
a surface marked with visual indicia that indicate the position of
the feet and the ball or puck. The predetermined motion paths serve
as the building blocks based on which the athlete will improvise
and create new dribbling and ball control motions.
[0029] The dribbling and ball control sports training method is
designed to be modular in nature so as to allow interconnectivity
between any one and all of the predetermined motion paths with the
objective of accounting for the full 360 degrees of dribbling
possibilities of an athlete.
[0030] The dribbling and ball control sports training method also
develops a key skill which has been identified by sports science as
important for succeeding in sports which is symmetry or laterality
and which refers to being equally skillful in dribbling with both
legs, right and left, in soccer, or both arms in the case of
basketball.
[0031] The dribbling and ball control sports training method also
develops the appropriate muscle memory that enables the athlete to
perform a motion in the most efficient manner, that is, both
functionally correct and exerted with the least amount of
effort.
[0032] The dribbling and ball control sports training method also
enables the development and mastery of more complicated
spatial-temporal skills like developing a sense of rhythm which
implies learning and mastering the dynamic relationship between
three different elements: the athlete's own body, the body of the
players the athlete has to dribble around and the ball/puck. In the
sports training method, the mastery of rhythm implies that the
athlete uses the parameters that define rhythm which are accent,
meter and tempo, to perform the predetermined dribbling sequences.
This is done through the use of some audio element that can be as
simple as the clapping of hands or the integration of some visual
or sensorial stimuli that denotes rhythm such as flashing lights,
waves or similar.
[0033] The training method may be classified in many skill levels
such as a three-tier skill level classification that includes
beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, so it can be used by
both the five-year old child or the expert professional player.
[0034] The steps of the training method are explained to the
athlete through different means that range from the most simple and
economical, such as manuals and/or printed cards, to more
sophisticated means requiring specific state-of-the-art technology
such as the internet, video, audio, animation, 3-D animation,
interactive media, multimedia, mobile wireless media, or a
combination of some or all of the above.
[0035] The information of the training method is always up to date
and its knowledge base can be augmented as there are means for
updating and enlarging the knowledge base of the system through the
use of the internet and mobile wireless media. These means for
updating and enlarging the knowledge base allow anyone, anywhere
and at anytime to upload new information to the knowledge base of
the sports training system. The technological capacity to be easily
updateable is a key element of a training system and method that is
based on developing creativity in the athlete
[0036] Since the sports method and system is based on developing
sensomotor capabilities, it can also be used to rehabilitate
specific groups of muscles generally injured in ball/puck
sports.
[0037] A simpler and less technical version of this training method
and system can be used recreationally and also in the fitness
industry by individuals who do not practice any ball/puck sports
but who are looking for new and different ways to exercise and be
in better shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention with indicia to indicate the positioning of feet and
ball/puck.
[0039] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a more elaborate embodiment of
the present invention with indicia to indicate the positioning of
feet and ball/puck and so called functional areas: outer footwork
area, inner footwork area and ball/puck area
[0040] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the steps of the sports
training method of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example of a table used in
monitoring and evaluation of the skill level of the athlete.
[0042] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a predetermined motion path for
developing dribbling and ball control skills using the sports
training method of the present invention and denoting the
sensomotor skills developed with this motion.
[0043] FIG. 6 is an illustration of another predetermined motion
path for developing dribbling and ball control skills using the
sports training method of the present invention and denoting the
sensomotor skills developed with this motion.
[0044] FIG. 7 is an illustration of yet another predetermined
motion path for developing dribbling and ball control skills using
the sports training method of the present invention and denoting
the sensomotor skills developed with this motion.
[0045] FIG. 8 is an illustrating of an embodiment of the invention
employed in the practice of group dynamics.
[0046] FIG. 9 is an illustration of the different communication
means of the invention used for transmitting the dribbling and ball
control sports training method to the athlete.
[0047] FIG. 10 is an illustration of the textual part of the
graphic user interface (GUI) used for updating and enlarging the
knowledge base of sports training system utilizing the internet or
wireless remote devices such as cellular telephones or personal
digital assistants.
[0048] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the steps of rehabilitation
within the sports training method.
[0049] FIG. 12 is an illustration of yet another predetermined
motion path for developing dribbling and ball control skills this
time in the sport of basketball using the sports training method of
the present invention and denoting the sensomotor skills developed
with this motion.
[0050] FIG. 13 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present
invention using soccer goal posts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0051] The present invention refers to a sports system and method
for training an athlete in dribbling and ball or puck control or
control of any object of similar form or function to that of a
ball.
[0052] The training system develops both the sensomotor skills
required in sports such as balance, accuracy, flexibility, speed,
strength and also the technical abilities specific to dribbling and
ball or puck control.
[0053] These objectives are achieved through steps that foster
creativity and innovation in the athlete by means of predetermined
motion paths on a surface marked with visual indicia that indicate
the position of the feet and the ball or puck. Said predetermined
motion paths serve as the building blocks based on which the
athlete will improvise and create new dribbling and ball control
motions.
[0054] The sports training system comprises means for classifying
the different dribbling and ball or puck control motions into
predetermined motion sequences according to the sensomotor and
technical skills developed, means for indicating the positioning of
feet and ball or puck, means for developing sports skills related
to dribbling and ball or puck control motions, means for developing
dribbling creativity and innovation in the athlete, means for
communicating the training information to the athlete, steps for
monitoring and evaluating the skill level of athlete, means for
updating and enlarging knowledge base of training method, and means
for rehabilitating sports injuries through performing the
predetermined motion sequences of the training method.
[0055] In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for
indicating the position of the feet and the ball or puck may be a
mat fabricated of materials, such as plastic, PVC, fabric, or
similar, and may be flexible or rigid, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
The mat may also be foldable so that it can be portable and
transported easily from one place to another.
[0056] The shape or form of the means for indicating the
positioning of feet and ball/puck may be different, whether
geometric (circular, rectangular, square or polygonal) or
non-geometric or organic. It may also be a character, sign or a
symbol. The partitions or subdivisions may have a triangular shape,
or other different forms whether geometric, non-geometric, a
character, sign or symbol. The number of partitions and colors may
also change.
[0057] All of the above visual elements may be constantly changing
to provide feedback to the performance of the athlete for the
purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the athlete by the training
system.
[0058] The size and dimensions of the means for indicating the
positioning of the feet and ball may be based on the height of the
athlete as the proportions of one to the other are important for
the effective realization of the sports training system.
[0059] Key anatomical characteristics of the human body may be used
as reference points in designing the surface marked with visual
indicia that indicate the position of the feet and ball or
puck.
[0060] The design of the means for indicating the positioning of
feet and ball/puck may be based on human anatomy, its form,
function and dimensions. As function follows form, human anatomy
ultimately determines the mechanical possibilities and limitations
of the human body involved in performing dribbling and ball/puck
control motions. Thus, the means for indicating the positioning of
feet and ball/puck may be divided into one or several functional
areas such as the following: an outer footwork area, an inner
footwork area, an area for the person the athlete has to dribble
around and an area inside which the ball or puck moves. These
functional areas illustrated in FIG. 2 provide the athlete with 360
degrees of dribbling and ball/puck control possibilities through
the use of predetermined motion paths.
[0061] In another embodiment of the invention, a projection device
or the like may be integrated to the sports training system so that
either one or both the ball/puck and the means for indicating the
positioning of the feet and ball may be projected and/or displayed
virtually either through any electronic, holographic, laser or
likewise means. The projection or virtual image generated by the
sports training system may also be that of the feet or other body
parts relevant for teaching, learning and mastering dribbling
skills, and even of the complete body of the athletes and of other
players such as those the athlete has to dribble around. The
predetermined motion paths to be performed by the athlete may also
be projected or displayed virtually through any of said means
mentioned above.
[0062] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the present invention also
describes and claims a sports training method comprising the
following steps: (a) evaluating the athlete's skill level with
regard to dribbling and ball or puck control in a specific sport;
(b) transmitting the information related to the predetermined
motion sequences to the athlete according to the skill level
defined in the previous step; (c) the athlete sequentially
performing those predetermined motion sequences; (d) integrating
means conducive to developing dribbling creativity and innovation
in the athlete, and (e) monitoring and evaluating the performance
of the athlete as pertains to his/her ability to perform the
predetermined motion sequences and to create new sequences.
[0063] One or several devices may be integrated to the sports
training method to give certain indications to the athlete such as
providing feedback as to whether the motion sequences were
performed correctly or incorrectly. The feedback devices may be,
but are not limited, to the one or several of the following: light,
flashing light, sound, audio, video, multimedia, motion sensations,
or likewise.
[0064] A vital part of this sports training method provides means
for classifying the different dribbling and ball control motions
into predetermined motion sequences based on the sensomotor and
technical skills developed and defined in terms of the positioning
of right foot, left foot, ball or puck, and of other body parts
which may be used in said motion sequences. The classification
accounts for the 360 degrees of dribbling and ball or puck control
possibilities that the athlete has in real game situations. One of
the objectives of this classification is to identify the
predetermined motion sequences that develop the appropriate muscle
memory in the athlete so that the motion can be performed in a way
that is both functionally correct and efficient, e.g. the athlete
exerts the least amount of energy (economy of motion).
[0065] The classification may result in a series of predetermined
motion sequences which may be modular in structure so as to allow
for interconnectivity between any one and all of the predetermined
motion paths. For example, the end position of the motion sequence
illustrated in FIG. 5 may be linked with the beginning position of
the motion sequence illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0066] The classification of the predetermined motion sequences is
organized into different skill levels depending on the complexity
of each one. The skill levels may be beginner, intermediate,
advanced, professional or expert. The end-result of this is that
the training method can be used by the novice 5 year-old child or
the expert professional player.
[0067] A series of predetermined sequences are devised to carry out
the dribbling and ball control sports training method. For example,
in FIG. 5, a sequence for drawing with the ball the diameter of a
circle and pivoting counterclockwise over the left foot, is
conceived. Said sequence comprises the following: [0068] a) Initial
position--Ball on central circle. Feet on area 1, slightly apart
(12 in.) [0069] b) Left foot on central circle besides ball [0070]
c) With right foot move ball to "g" [0071] d) With right foot move
ball to "c", pivoting counter clockwise over left foot and stopping
ball over "c" with right foot [0072] e) With right foot return ball
to central circle [0073] f) Initial position--Ball on central
circle. Feet on area 1, slightly apart (12 in.)
[0074] In FIG. 6, another sequence is conceived for controlling the
ball with the shoulders by lifting the ball with the right foot.
Said sequence comprises the following: [0075] a) Initial
position--Ball on central circle. Feet on area 1, slightly apart
(12 in.) [0076] b) Take ball with both hands at chest level [0077]
c) Throw ball up in front of body and slightly over head level
[0078] d) Jump forward, right foot on "g", left foot on "c", hit
ball with right shoulder [0079] e) Right foot on "h", left foot on
"d" [0080] f) Hit ball with left shoulder [0081] l) Right foot on
"g", left foot on "c" [0082] m) Hit ball with right shoulder [0083]
n) Hold ball with both hands at chest level, both feet on area 1
[0084] o) Place ball on central circle [0085] p) Initial
position--Ball on central circle. Feet on area 1, slightly
apart
[0086] In FIG. 7, yet another sequence has been conceived for
turning 360 degrees clockwise on the left foot with the ball on the
back of the neck. Said sequence comprises the following: [0087] a)
Initial Position--Ball on central circle. Feet on area 1 slightly
apart (30 cm.) [0088] b) Left foot on central circle besides ball
[0089] c) With right foot lift ball to rest on back of the neck
[0090] d) Turn 360 degrees clockwise on left foot. Spread arms for
balance. Ball remains all the time on back of the neck [0091] e)
Ball to right foot [0092] f) Ball on central circle [0093] g)
Initial Position--Feet on area 1 slightly apart (12 in.)
[0094] In FIG. 12, a motion sequence of beginner skill level for
the sport of basketball is described. Said sequence comprises the
following: [0095] a) Initial position--Hold ball with both hands at
chest level. Left foot on area 2, right foot on area 4. [0096] b)
Right hand bounces ball behind body on central circle [0097] c)
Behind body, take ball with left hand. Left hand bounces ball
behind body on central circle [0098] d) Behind body, take ball with
right hand [0099] e) Initial position
[0100] Much like the sequences described above, there may be a vast
number of predetermined sequences to implement the dribbling and
ball control sports training method of the present invention.
[0101] The sports training method uses the principle of symmetry or
laterality to enable one to develop a comparable level of ability
with both legs, right and left (or both arms in the case of
basketball) which, in a real game situation, mathematically
duplicates the dribbling possibilities of the athlete. According to
sports science, the principle of laterality is crucial for
achieving success in certain sports and the ideal time in life to
learn it is in childhood.
[0102] The athlete will acquire complicated spatio-temporal skills
to learn and master the relationship between the three key physical
elements involved in dribbling: the ball/puck, the athlete's own
body, and the body (or bodies) of the players in the opposing team
the athlete has to dribble around. The sense of rhythm may be
developed to interrelate these three elements. To accomplish this,
an element that can reproduce accent, meter and tempo, which are
the three components of rhythm, may be used when performing the
predetermined motion sequences such as, but not limited to, audio
and/or video sources like clapping hands, musical beats, flashing
lights, video, motion sensations or waves.
[0103] One of the main objectives of the sports training method is
to encourage the athlete to think and act creatively ("out of the
box") so that the athlete is able to create the athletes's own
dribbling and ball control moves. The means by which creativity is
developed in this sports training method in the athlete is a
two-step process. The first step consists of the following: the
athlete is instructed to combine any two or more of the different
predetermined motion sequences defined by this sports training
method applying creativity as to the order in which they are
combined. The combination of the different predetermined motion
sequences is possible because of the modular structure of the
method which allows the interconnection or combination of each and
every single one of the motion sequences. The act of combining the
different motion sequences contributes to the freeing of the
athlete's cognitive patterns, e.g. thinking out of the box. The
second step complements the first and consists of instructing the
athlete to use any or a combination of some or all of the three
basic motions involved in dribbling which are: step, jump and turn,
to improvise new dribbling and ball control sequences using as
building blocks the predetermined motion sequences the athlete has
already learned. The sequences resulting from innovation once
created in the brain of the athlete and performed, may be converted
through repetition into muscle memory, which are movements that
have been learned and mastered and may be applied in real game
situations.
[0104] In another embodiment, the training method is not limited to
developing athletic skills restricted for soccer, basketball, or
hockey, but to other athletic endeavors that use a ball, a puck or
an object similar in form and/or function.
[0105] In another embodiment, the sports training method may be
structured in such a way so that the predetermined paths are
performed by the athlete with different training objectives in mind
such as: warming up, shaping up and/or developing specific
sensomotor competences such as balance, precision, strength,
flexibility or mobility.
[0106] Several adjoining mats or any other adjoining means for
indicating the positioning of feet and ball may be used
concurrently where the athlete moves from one to the other which
helps to develop dribbling skills on wider spaces.
[0107] In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG.
13, at least one soccer goal post is integrated to the indicia to
indicate the positioning of feet and ball/puck, to practice passing
and shooting skills.
[0108] As is illustrated in FIG. 8, the dribbling and ball or puck
control skills may be developed individually and/or collectively
with the participation of several athletes in a group dynamics
setting. Group dynamics may be implemented, but not restricted to,
the following arrangements: (a) two or more athletes take turns
performing different, complementary or the same predetermined
motion sequences; (b) two or more athletes take turns competing
among them to perform the most creative, the most accurate, the
fastest, or the most precise performance; (c) two or more athletes
take turns in a follow the leader dynamic where the first athlete
performs a predetermined dribbling motion and the athlete that
follow tries to replicate that motion sequence; the follow the
leader dynamic may be performed using the same mat or adjoining
mats, surfaces or any other means for indicating feet and ball
positioning so the athlete tries to mirror the dribbling sequences
performed by the first athlete; (d) a variation of this with an
added factor of complexity is the inverse mirror where the athlete
mirrors the dribbling motions of the first athlete but using the
opposite leg (opposite side of the body) or even by inverting the
order of the predetermined sequence so that the second athlete
starts from the end and proceeds to the beginning of the motion
performed by the first athlete.
[0109] The evaluation of the athlete's skill level on an individual
or group format may be done using any or several performance
parameters such as: creativity, accuracy, balance, endurance,
speed, flexibility and strength. Creativity may be evaluated
according to the degree of innovation in the motion created by the
athlete. Accuracy may be evaluated according to the degree of
precision in the positioning of feet and ball for each
predetermined motion sequence. Speed is measured in time units such
as seconds, minutes or hours, and endurance, in number of
repetitions. The evaluation and monitoring of the athlete's
development of dribbling and ball/puck control skills may be done
through the use of tables that have been previously created or that
may be calculated manually or automatically by a computer or
similar device as feedback to the athlete as is illustrated in FIG.
4.
[0110] In another embodiment of the invention, the evaluation may
be stored as a feedback mechanism which may further instruct the
player to execute more complex motion sequences whether designed
previously or calculated ad hoc by a computer or likewise based on
the evaluation of dribbling or sensomotor skills of the athlete, or
based on other parameters such as, but not limited to, the specific
physical or psychological characteristics of the athlete or the
game strategy.
[0111] As can be observed in FIG. 9, the training instructions and
evaluation may be communicated and explained to the athlete through
different means that range from the most simple and economical such
as using text and graphics media like manuals, cards or likewise,
to more sophisticated means requiring specific technology such as
internet, video, audio, animation, 3-D animation, interactive
media, multimedia, mobile wireless media, or a combination of some
or all of the above. Display, light, sound, motion sensations or a
combination of any or all of the above may also be used.
[0112] In a further embodiment of the invention, image display for
displaying a moving picture and/or moving picture storage and/or
moving picture display controls, whether analog or digital, may be
integrated to the sports training method to further facilitate the
training, communication, evaluation and monitoring of the
athlete.
[0113] The means for updating and enlarging the knowledge base of
the sports training system including increasing the number of
predetermined motion sequences, may be done through the use of the
internet, mobile wireless media, and the like, which allow anyone,
anyplace, anytime to upload new dribbling or ball control motion
sequences which they have created or any other new information to
the knowledge base of the sports training system. The technological
capacity to be easily updateable is a key element of a training
system and method that is based on developing creativity in the
athlete. FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the graphical user
interface designed for enlarging the knowledge base of the sports
training system.
[0114] In another embodiment, the knowledge base may be updated,
stored, retrieved and modified by manual or automatic means the
result of specific applications programming.
[0115] Since the sports method and system is based on developing
sensomotor capabilities, it may also be used to rehabilitate
specific group of muscles generally injured in ball/puck
sports.
[0116] A sports training method wherein the athlete sequentially
performs the predetermined motion sequences to rehabilitate
specific sports injuries is illustrated according to the flowchart
in FIG. 11.
[0117] According to the muscles or group of muscles diagnosed
previously with injuries, the athlete receives the appropriate
predetermined rehabilitation sequences through the use of any of
several means such as printed formats, electronic media or mobile
wireless media. The predetermined motion sequences for
rehabilitation are described textually or using graphics,
animation, video, audio, multimedia, interactivity, or a
combination of any or all of these.
[0118] The sports training method includes the step of monitoring
and evaluating the effectiveness of the rehabilitation method of
those injured muscle(s) using several parameters such as the
presence and intensity of pain, the strength, endurance and
flexibility of said muscles and the overall physical and mental
condition of the athlete.
[0119] A simpler and less technical version of this training method
and system can be used recreationally and as another fitness option
for individuals who do not practice any ball/puck sports but who
want to be in better shape and are looking for fresh, new and
entertaining ways of accomplishing it.
* * * * *