Saturday2Sunday host Matt Caraccio brings Matt Waldman on the show to conclude the Skill Acquisition series with a conversation about the theory and practice of player evaluation.

Last week, I posted about this excellent 11-part series that Caraccio created for S2s, featuring coaches, trainers, authors, and academics whose has gravitated towards skill acquisition in football. Matt asked me to join him for the final episode in the series to discuss my impressions of the series and how an evaluator might use this information.

Here are some of the topic we discussed:

• Why the ideas shared in the 11-part series lead me to think that the NFL is inflating the value athletic ability between December and April of every draft season.
• How quarterback development should embrace more performance-oriented teaching techniques that reduce boundaries rather than create them.
• Why these ideas must be embraced organizationally from the top-down before scouts can have an opportunity to implement them to their potential.
• The evolution of the silo mentality of the NFL that needs to be reined-in.
• Why quarterbacking and offensive team play won’t change until the common ownership mentality changes and why the NFL will need serious competition for players that impacts the league’s bottom line before owners will embrace it.
• The practical value of defining the criteria you are seeking on the field and why it makes you a better evaluator.

If you enjoyed this podcast, you’ll enjoy the other 10 parts of the series far more.

Part I – In the first part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Shawn Myszka (@MovementMyagi) of Movement Mastery. Shawn is a performance advisor for NFL players, a sports movement specialist, an educator & presenter. Shawn is also the author of the website entitled Football Beyond The Stats: Breaking Down On-Field Movement of the Game’s Best. In this episode, we discuss many of the foundational principles of skill acquisition and how these principles can impact coaches and evaluators of American football.

Part II – In the second part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined byRob Gray (@ShakeyWaits ). Rob is an Experimental Psychologist at Arizona State University, sports scientist, driving researcher, and training consultant. Rob is also the host of the Perception & Action Podcast.  In this episode, we discuss the meaning of functional movement and the importance of movement variability in the sport with many examples pertaining to American football.

Part III – In the third part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Fergus Connolly (@Fergus_Connolly). Connolly is a performance expert who has applied performance science with leading sports, military, and business teams. He has worked with professional teams in soccer (Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers), the NFL and college football (San Francisco 49s and University of Michigan) and rugby (Welsh national team). Dr. Connolly is the author of‘Game Changer’ and you can find can find his work at fergusconnolly.com. In this episode, they discuss the principled nature of “the game” and how the methods and practices of movement science and skill acquisition are impacting coaching and evaluation.

Part IV – n the fourth part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Michael Zweifel (@BBAPerformance). Michael Zweifel is a Sports Performance Coach. NCAA Record Holder. Former NFL. Wisconsinite. Michael is the Owner and Head of Sports Performance at Building Better Athletes (BBA).In this episode, we discuss how to apply the principles of skill acquisition in the coaching and evaluation of American football. Michael’s unique journey offers tremendous insights.

Part V – In the fifth part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Scott Salwasser (@TTU_CoachSal ). Scott is the Director of Speed & Power Development at Texas Tech University. In this episode, we discuss the applications of the principles of skill acquisition in American Football. We examine a variety of topics including play speed and the role of a strength and conditioning coach.

Part VI – In the sixth part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Andy Ryland (@USAFootballMT). Andy is the Sr. Manager of Football Development at USA Football and Skills Coach in Tackle Technique. Andy is also a former Penn State University Linebacker, Rugby All-American, USA Eagle and Bucknell OLB Coach. In this episode, we discuss the Vision-Decision-Action (VDA) Cycle and how this paradigm can help us better understand the behaviors of players on the field as coaches and evaluators.

Part VII – In the seventh part of our Skill Acquisition Seminar Series, Matt is joined by Rich Bartel (@CoachRichBartel). Rich is a nationally-known Quarterback trainer. Rich has played the quarterback position at the high school, collegiate, and NFL levels. In this episode, we discuss how the principles of skill acquisition have impacted the coaching and evaluation of the quarterback position.

Part VIII – Taylor Boggs (@TBoggsOLP). Taylor is a Coach at Offensive Line Performance (OLP). Taylor has played offensive line at both collegiate and NFL level. In this episode, we discuss how the principles of skill acquisition have impacted the coaching and evaluation of the offensive lineman.

Part IX – Ross Cooper (@GorrillaMyscles), Football Skill Acquisition Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator. In this episode, we discuss how the principles of skill acquisition impact the development of American football players with an emphasis on the wide receiver and defensive back positions.

Part X – Daniel Peterson (@DanielPeterson) and Dr. Leonard Zaichkowsky – Daniel and Leonard are the authors of The Playmaker’s Advantage: How to Raise Your Mental Game to the Next Leveland the Co-Founders of com. In this episode, we discuss the definition of a ‘playmaker’ and the meaning of ‘Athlete Cognition’. In addition, we examine the role of pressure in an athletes expression of skill.