Conversation 23/43 I really shouldn’t be saying this, but not every ecological practice needs to be highly competitive. Competition can create pressure, consequences and meaningful intentions. But the moment you introduce a score, players’ behaviour can completely change. They may protect the score. Choose safer options. Prioritise winning over exploring. Avoid unfamiliar movement solutions because failure now carries a cost. The practice may become more competitive while becoming less useful for exploration. Great ecological coaching requires a careful balance between exploration and performance. You might begin with a cooperative task that allows players to search for different solutions. Then introduce an opponent so their actions must adapt to live information. Finally, add scoring or a value system to examine whether those solutions remain functional under competitive pressure. Opposed practice and competitive practice are not necessarily the same thing. An opponent...