What is a discourse community?
Discourse communities are defined by the linguist John Swales as "groups that have goals or purposes, and use communication to achieve these common goals” (Swales, 1990). See full article HERE |
What makes soccer a discourse community?
In soccer the overall aim of playing is to win. Within the sport many different roles can be seen like, players, coaches, trainers, managers etc. Although these people have different individual roles and goals they are all working together to achieve the overall team goal which is a victory. As per Swales' definition of discourse communities everyone involved with soccer shares a similar goal and purpose, and uses communication to achieve these common goals.
See example of Manchester United's current Players & Staff HERE |
Thesis - My use of Communication
With the knowledge that every person learns and takes on information in a different way it is important to use a variety of methods of communication to get your point across. The lexis we use during training sessions and matches would be completely out of place in almost any other environment, however to a soccer player it is simple to understand. As the coach, especially when coaching children, I play a similar role to a language teacher in school, I am teaching a group of children how to communicate in what is theoretically a different language to what they usually speak. Many times in the past I have found myself almost translating what I have said to a player who is new to the lexis. The three main communication styles I use when coaching are my voice, my body and the use of media such as whiteboards and markers.
Communication styles I use when coaching.
Verbal/VoiceMany people involved with soccer at a high level will tell you that the use of your voice to talk to teammates during a match is as important as what you do when you have the ball at your feet. This is even more important when you are coaching, particularly players who are unsure of their roles on the pitch or just need that extra reminder of what their job is. The language I use when speaking with my players is very different than the language I use when speaking to fellow coaches, parents, referees or fans.
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Body LanguageWhen coaching technical skills like passing or heading, the use of a whiteboard and my voice are generally not enough for the players to gain an understanding of the skill. The best way to teach a skill to someone is to demonstrate it yourself using your own body. Players can watch and relate to the placement of different body parts and have a clear demonstration of what I am telling them to do.
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MediaA whiteboard is a coach’s best friend. Using a marker and magnets I can write instructions, set up formations, draw diagrams and explain situations to my players with a visual reference to supplement what I am saying using my voice. The white board is an excellent piece of visual media which allows the players to have a picture of what I am talking about so they can find it easier to relate and take on board the coaching points.
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Thesis - Sir Alex Ferguson's use of Communication
Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the most successful managers of all time. Most well known for his 26 years at the helm of Manchester United where he turned them into the biggest club in the world. Ferguson is world renowned for his coaching ability both tactically and when managing players. Ferguson realised that different players learnt and took on information in different ways, and therefore used many forms of communication when speaking to his players. The three main forms of communication Sir Alex used when coaching were; the use of his voice to verbally instruct, the use of his own body language to demonstrate and physically teach, and the use of many forms of media from whiteboards to specialised computer analysis in the form of ProZone. Examples of each of these forms of communication can be found in 'My Autobiography' written by the man himself. Sir Alex Ferguson's knowledge of the game and ability to use these forms of communication effectively led to him accumulating a massive 38 trophies during his time with Manchester United.
Communication examples from Sir Alex Ferguson.
Verbal/VoiceSir Alex Ferguson's 'hair dryer treatment' is well known around the world, it refers to the ferocity in which he spoke to his players when they were not playing the way they should, or to the standard he feels they can. Despite this, Ferguson was not always worked up when communicating with his players, many who have played under him compliment his sense of humour and ability to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. He uses the right words and tone depending on the situation at hand.
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Body LanguageBy the end of his time at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson was 71 years old. At this point in his career he had learnt to manage the players and coach using media and his voice. Ferguson brought in many world class coaches to work under him, they were all aware of exactly how he wanted to play, and carried out demonstrations on his behalf. Sir Alex still used body language in the form of pointing and gestures to add to the words he was speaking.
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MediaProZone sports is an International sports analysis company which allows managers to see every quantifiable piece of data that can be collected during each of their matches. Using ProZone to show stats and player performance is just one example of Sir Alex Ferguson using media to communicate to his players. As with all successful coaches Ferguson effectively used a whiteboard during training sessions and team talks to give the players a visual on what he was speaking about in a tactical sense.
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