An ecological dynamics approach to motor learning in practice: Reframing the learning and performing relationship in high performance sport

Abstract

For practitioners working in high performance sport, the primary goal is to ensure that precious preparation time is utilised efficiently, effectively and resourcefully to provide maximal impact on the performance potential of the individual or team. To achieve this goal, there is a need to treat athlete learning and development as an integral part of performing with a key focus on increasingly aligning the relation between the perfomer(s) and their environment, which may differ according to practice and performance (Button et al., 2020b). This article critiqued the weaknesses and limitations of traditional learning approaches in sport, seeking to highlight instead the value of adopting a contemporary ecological dynamics perspective, informing how practitioners should design practice to support a greater connectivity between the contexts of performance and learning.