The Super Bowl ads this year were, frankly, kind of a letdown (although Christopher Walken can always make anything funnier.) Good thing the game was a thriller—and a good example of always playing to the end. No matter how you feel about Tom Brady, there’s no doubt that coach Bill Belichick had his guys prepared for the big stage.
A big part of the preparation? Pop quizzes. The legendary coach is notorious for quizzing his players in the days leading up to the next game, stopping them in the hallway, putting them on the spot in practice. Who’s your matchup? How did he beat the guy last week? Where did he play his college ball?
Patriots safety Patrick Chung told the Wall Street Journal the practice is vital to player performance:
“Sometimes he’ll hit you with a couple real tough questions. But you’ve got to know that. And it’s not him just asking questions—it’s him trying to depend on us, us showing that we know what’s going on. It keeps our minds going … If you can anticipate certain things, or you know the game plan inside out, it makes it a lot easier to play fast. If you’re thinking about stuff, it’s impossible to play fast.”
While the pop quizzes can definitely bring back that old anxiety we all felt in school, the team’s veteran players say the preparation pays off on game days. Time spent studying game film, detail formations, player tendencies—they all add up to a team that’s more equipped – more mentally prepared – than its opponent.
Learning through testing
I know as a former student-athlete, a thousand things compete for your attention on a daily basis. It’s no surprise that finding ways to focus attention is one of the top challenges of educators nation-wide. Turns out basic quizzing might be a very real solution.
A recent study looked at the effect quizzes had on wandering minds. When students knew they were going to be tested on the information they just studied, would they pay more attention? Would they put forth a greater effort to absorb the information and comprehend how it’s useful? The study showed that quizzes reduced the amount of mind-wandering by more than half.
I’m not surprised. When I knew a professor might spring a surprise quiz on the book he assigned, I paid more attention to what I was reading.
Another study showed that regular quizzes were much more effective than one big test at the end. The researchers found that students not only learned more with this method but they also preferred to be tested at periodic increments while they learned the material.
Building a better teacher
So how does all of this research apply to athletics? No matter the level of the athlete, we all want our players to be “students” of the game. It doesn’t matter if you’re a point guard for your high school basketball team or you’re Rob Gronkowski, you’re constantly learning.
If the Patriots have taught us nothing else this year, it’s the value of preparation. Those players knew they had to understand every nuance of not only their own formations and plays but also the details of their opponents’ strategy. It’s a key reason why I believe they were able to make a successful (and history-making) comeback in the second half of the game.
Giving your players diagrams and video is just the first step. Successful coaches evaluate not only how much their players are learning but when a new teaching method is needed for a certain player. Former college and NFL player Marc Boerigter is now the manager of sponsorships for the NAIA and appreciates the insight the Just Play product and its quizzing component brings to their member schools:
“Aside from the monitoring aspect, it also allows a coach to self-evaluate how they’re teaching the plays—and if their approach is working or not.”
As you prepare your team for the next game, consider how well your players know what they need to know to play their best. After all, you never know if a little pop quiz might help you create the next star quarterback for the Patriots. (Tom Brady can’t dominate forever, right?)
While he’s glad he’s done with pop quizzes, former student-athlete Austin Barone knew their educational value when he founded Just Play Sports Solutions. Combining an interactive learning and teaching environment, Just Play offers your players a digital playbook with a video and quiz component that prepares them for the game. And when they’re prepared, they’re ready to “just play.” Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or Twitter.