PLAYMAKER PhD RESEARCH
This website is dedicated to the Playmaker Principle, and all related research, events, and professional development. What is the Playmaker Principle? It is the concept that the playmaker is the person in the team who makes it better for being in it. It is the person or ideal that you aim to make the team and others around you better through your efforts and investment in them.
Why is this Important?
This passion project originated from the PhD research completed by Liz Masen on what coaches really want in their playmakers and questioned whether coaches were wanting someone just like them in this key position. It has now expanded to encompass all things related to the Playmaker Principle.
While there had been limited academic research written on playmakers and the playmaker positions, The Playmaker’s Advantage by Zaichkowsky and Peterson was a ground-breaking book dedicated to the most valuable player on any sports team. The book’s lead author, Dr. Zaichkowsky, is recognized as a pioneer of performance psychology and interdisciplinary science, integrating the study of the brain with observable behavior, and this book also incorporates interviews from some of the most successful coaches and sport psychologists in professional and Olympic sports.
The book provides numerous definitions of the playmaker based on those provided by experts, yet the consistent theme throughout these definitions is that the playmaker is the player that the team is built around and someone who makes the players around them better. It is the playmaker’s understanding of how to create a competitive advantage through utilizing their fellow-players that distinguishes them. And this is why Liz Masen’s original research was focused on the playmaker, and more specifically, what coaches want in this position.
“We spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to grow muscle and increase speed when the payoff would be much greater by focusing on cognitive instructions and decision-making quickness.”
The Playmaker’s Advantage’s lead author, Dr. Len Zaichkowsky, shares 40 years of experience and insight as a consultant, researcher, and professor at Boston University.
Why is this Important?
The purpose of this research study is ultimately to be a useful and relevant reference for coaches. It draws on the coaches’ experiences, opinions, and expectations, to evaluate what they want in key playmaker positions for their sport.
“We spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to grow muscle and increase speed when the payoff would be much greater by focusing on cognitive instructions and decision-making quickness.”
The Playmaker’s Advantage’s lead author, Dr. Len Zaichkowsky, shares 40 years of experience and insight as a consultant, researcher, and professor at Boston University.
While some academic research has been written on playmakers and the playmaker positions, The Playmaker’s Advantage by Zaichkowsky and Peterson was a ground-breaking book dedicated to the most valuable player on any sports team. The book’s lead author, Dr. Zaichkowsky, is recognized as a pioneer of performance psychology and interdisciplinary science, integrating the study of the brain with observable behavior, and this book also incorporates interviews from some of the most successful coaches and sport psychologists in professional and Olympic sports.
The book provides numerous definitions of the playmaker based on those provided by experts, yet the consistent theme throughout these definitions is that the playmaker is the player that the team is built around and someone who makes the players around them better. It is the playmaker’s understanding of how to create a competitive advantage through utilizing their fellow-players that distinguishes them. And this is why my research is focused on the playmaker, and more what coaches want in this position.
Ultimately, the purpose of Liz Masen’s PhD research study was to be a useful and relevant reference for coaches. It draws on the coaches’ experiences, opinions, and expectations, to evaluate what they want in key playmaker positions for their sport.
Playmaker PhD Research
What do coaches really want in their playmakers?
This question inspired seven years of PhD research across six team sports (basketball, volleyball, football (soccer), rugby union, field hockey, and ice hockey), and now you’ll get to know the answer.
Find out how and why each sport is unique, and what is most critical to get right as the coach. The findings may reveal something you’ve never thought about before which could have a significant impact on your relationship with your playmaker and your entire team. Most importantly, this groundbreaking research has been translated into actionable coaching strategies by a highly experienced facilitator. Topics include coaching styles, understanding coach expectations, potential biases, aligning your coaching staff, enhancing selection and recruitment processes, more deeply understanding your players, and matching your playing style with your team’s strengths
Ultimately, the purpose of this research study is to be a useful and relevant reference for coaches. It draws on the coaches’ experiences, opinions, and expectations, to evaluate what they want in key playmaker positions for their sport.
Physical criteria desired in athlete selection is well researched, the science around strength and conditioning is well documented, however the understanding and application of behavioral styles is only in its infancy. This research is pursuing an area not previously investigated around key playmaker positions and specifically what coaches want from a behavioral perspective of the players in these positions. The application of this research can be used in coach education, game strategy, player selection, and development programs.
For the purposes of this research, the “playmaker” is defined as the player that has the most influence on the outcome of the game through their direction and the implementation of game strategy (i.e., who makes the plays).
Studying all six sports of basketball, field hockey, ice hockey, rugby union, football (soccer), and volleyball provides for individual focus and analysis, as well as the opportunity to make a comparison across these sports.
Explore Playmaker PhD
Upcoming Events
We’ve created a catalogue of them here for you to watch or listen back to the recordings. Simply select which webinar you would like to rewatch via the buttons below. In return, we’ll be sure to invite you to join us for our next open webinar.
You are invited to attend these past and upcoming webinars and workshops.
Interesting Research
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Book List
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Other Details
This part of the website is to provide you with more detailed information about a number of different topics.
About Liz Masen
Liz Masen, the PhD Candidate and Lead Researcher for this study into ‘What do coaches really want in their playmakers?’ is in the final stage of completing her PhD, which she has been completing part-time within the School of Health and Behavioral Sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast since 2018. It has been a long 7 years!
Where to from here?
Thank you in advance for your participation as it is enormously valued. The quality of this research depends on the quality of those involved, and I appreciate your time in engaging in this project.
Or, if you’d like to learn more about the details of this research, please spend time on the other webpages providing more information.