The Decision Training ฎ program recognizes the growing importance of cognition, gaze control, and decision-making
research in sport. The Decision Training (DT) program identifies not only how athletes make performance decisions
but also how to facilitate visual perception and action to enhance performance.
What is Decision Training?
Athletes must be able to make split-second decisions under the pressures of competitions, but often this vital
learning is left to chance. In order to perform at their highest level, today's athletes need to receive equal
measures of cognitive and physical training within their daily practices. Decision Training provides teachers,
coaches, therapists, sport leaders, parents - indeed anyone involved in sport - with the information and insights
they need to create dynamic training environments that will improve the decision-making abilities of their
athletes/clients. Decision Training was developed by Dr. Joan Vickers and has been used in the National Coaching
Institutes of Canada for many years, as well as by many elite sports programs, and has been shown to be effective
not only by improving athlete performance, but also by improving the conditions under which athletes train.
Courses descriptions
The Decision Training program is comprised of three foundation courses and two certification courses.
The first three Coaching courses must be completed before the final two Certification courses can be taken.
In order to become a Certified Decision Trainerฎ you must complete both the Foundation and Certification programs.
DT Coach 1 Visual Perception, Cognition, and Action
DT Coach 2 Gaze Control and the Quiet Eye in Sport
DT Coach 3 Decision Training in Sport
DT Instructor Level 1 Applying Decision Training and Quiet Eye Skills
DT Instructor Level 2 Observation and Evaluation Skills
Testimonial:
The Decision Training courses offered by Dr. Joan Vickers at the
University of Calgary are a valuable learning experience for any
coach, and I recommend them highly.
John Bales
President, Coaching Association of Canada
The Foundations Program
DT Coach 1 Visual Perception, Cognition, and Action
Previously, the visual world of the performing athlete was hidden, but with the advent of mobile eye trackers
it is now possible to scientifically study how control of the gaze and attention underlies sports success
and failure. Coaches learn about the visual system, the brain, mirror neurons, motor control, brain plasticity,
types of eye movements, the focal and ambient visual systems, and the relationship of the control of the gaze
to focus and attention in sport.
DT Coach 2 Gaze Control and the Quiet Eye in Sport
Coaches learn about the visual search and vision-in-action methods of gaze research, the quiet eye and gaze
control in targeting, interceptive timing and tactical tasks. They are introduced to quiet eye testing and
training in a number of sport tasks.
DT Coach 3 Decision Training in Sport
Decision training incorporates the cognitive and gaze research presented in the first two courses with
recent developments from applied motor learning and extensive application in the field. Coaches learn
about the three-step decision-training model; practical examples and case studies are provided.
The Certification Program
DT Instructor Level 1 Applying Decision Training and Quiet Eye Skills
Instructors learn how to incorporate high levels of decision making within simulated sport coaching contexts.
The Decision Training Instrument is introduced and used to observe instructors as they implement decision
training and quiet eye skills in a micro-coaching environment. The focus of this course is on how to implement,
observe and evaluate the first four Decision Training Tools.
DT Instructor Level 2 Applying Observation and Evaluation Skills
Instructors apply quiet eye and decision training skills in simulated sport coaching contexts.
The Decision Training Instrument is used to observe instructors as they implement decision training
and quiet eye skills in their own coaching (or similar) environment. The focus of this course is on
how to implement, observe and evaluate the last three Decision Training Tools.
2007-2008 Dates and Prices (all courses at the University of Calgary
The Foundation Program
DT Coach 1 Visual Perception, Cognition and Action
October 15, 16, 2007
Cost: 499.00
DT Coach 2 Gaze Control and the Quiet Eye in Sport
October 17, 18, 2007
Cost: 499.00
DT Coach 3 Decision Training in Sport
October 19, 20, 2007
Cost: 499.00
The Certification Program
DT Instructor Level 1 Applying Decision Training and Quiet Eye Skills
April 8, 9, 2008
Cost: 699.00
DT Instructor Level 2 Applying Observation and Evaluation Skills
April 10, 11, 2008
Cost: 699.00
First course fee includes one copy of Vickers, J. N. (2007). Perception, Cognition, Decision Training:
The Quiet Eye In Action, Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics Publishers.
For more information and to sign up for courses:
Continuing Education, University of Calgary
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