Space. The final frontier in Sports. Be a space rider!
In a recent discussion with athletes from different sports, it finally dawned on me what the common denominator was for all in the room.
The final frontier in all athletes visual processing strategy. Put another way, great athletes see, measure and process the space between objects on a field faster and more accurately than their opponents.
Simply, the space in between Point A and Poiint B and how players measure and gauge the space explains:
First step quickness on a fly ball;
A Quarterback hitting a reciever down field;
Hitters estimating time to collusion;
Soccer or Hockey goalies defending the goal;
Golfers sizing up a putt.
Seeing in this three dimensional strategy reminds one of Open Focus i.e. Looking at nothing and seeing everything!
Try this test to see if you get this strategy;
While sitting in your room or outside, look around all the different objects in your view.
Blink as a reset and "see" the space in between the objects and the object at the same time.
"Space riders" as we are calling this way to see can be practiced daily.
The harder and more one dimensional we look at objects the less we see, especially once the object starts moving.
Space rider drills:
Take BP and make the space in between the ball and home plate part of your focus. Use the space to calculate time to collusion. Remember, we hit or catch what we think we see based on all relevant cues ( space being the biggest) we can gather in a small period of time.
Have a catch or have someone kick soccer balls at you and estimate when the ball will arrive on your space measuring skills.
Think of this invisible road between objects as the ultimate tool to quickly calculate on the fly.
Allocate parts of team practice to space ride between the many objects ( trees,fences, cars). First player to see the space wins!
Estimating when a moving object will arrive is more a function of how effective players space ride the "nothing in between".
Embrace and measure space and see like Spock and the vision kings and queens in the universe.