The Pons Method: Deep Teaching and the Development of Complex Mental Schemas in Football
The Pons Method represents a revolution in football training, combining principles of neuroscience, visualisation and empathic learning to enhance individual and collective performance. Its approach is based on helping players build complex and nuanced mental schemas, deeply rooted in their long-term memory (LTM), just as great coaches and elite players do.
Schemas and Mental Models: The Basis of Learning
The Pons Method understands that schemas are general representations of the world (for example, basic rules of football), while mental models are personal interpretations of those schemas, based on individual experiences and roles within the game.
Schema Example (The World of Football): “A team has 11 players, you have to score goals and respect rules such as red and yellow cards.”
Mental Model Example (My World in Football): “I am a right back, my mission is to close spaces, intercept passes and launch diagonal runs in attack.”
This approach allows each player to internalize specific concepts that directly affect their performance and decision-making on the field.
Neuroscience and Visualization in Training
The Pons Method employs mirror neurons and visualization as key tools to strengthen these mental schemas. Mirror neurons are activated when a player observes and replicates movements of others, facilitating learning by observation. Through videos and simulations of plays, players absorb tactical patterns and sequences of movements that they then apply automatically during the match.
Mirror Methodology: Players watch plays of professional teams and repeat their movements, allowing the information to be recorded in their LTM through practice and repetition.
Sequential Learning Processes and Automation
The Pons Method integrates a sequential learning process, which goes from the analytical (individual technique) to the global (collective play). First, specific exercises are worked on and then combined into real game situations, encouraging the creation of automated patterns (offensive and defensive automation).
Example: Quick passing and pressure after losing the ball are trained separately, and then combined into transition exercises to automate these responses in game situations.
Empathy and Emotional Connection
Another pillar of the Pons Method is empathy and emotional connection within the team. Group cohesion is strengthened through non-verbal communication and emotional understanding, making it easier for players to align themselves in the same game model.
Benefit: Players understand each other better on the field, anticipating movements and reacting with greater synchronization.
Fundamental Principles in Teaching
The Pons Method emphasizes the importance of being a great teacher. Coaches direct players’ attention to relevant information, balancing the complexity of the teachings and providing constant feedback.
Directive Feedback: Precise and clear, it guides the player towards the correct action.
Non-Directive Feedback: Stimulates reflection and the development of critical thinking in the player.
Results and Advantages of the Pons Method
The Pons Method has proven to be effective in diverse cultures and football contexts, from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to Thailand. Its versatility and adaptable approach allow it to be implemented in both youth teams and professional clubs, optimizing performance and enhancing the player’s comprehensive development.
Conclusion:
The Pons Method does not just teach tactics, it transforms the way players think, feel and react on the field. By helping players build complex and deeply rooted mental schemes, it prepares teams to face any challenge, achieving sustained growth and superior performance in modern football.
