The COVID-19 has resulted in a shift away from classroom to online meetings, training and learning. But can we learn a sport via ZOOM, or any other online tools? The answer is simple - we cannot. We can learn all the theories, concepts, drills, tips and game rules of a sport, but you can’t say you have learnt the sport until you’ve physically grabbed the ball, racket or club to practise, to play in the game or even competition.
Take golf as an example, you can learn from all the great video tutorials of how to make a perfect swing, how the club angle affects the backspin, how to keep your cheek down while turning your shoulder… but will they help you get your ball out of a bunker or hit a good approach shot? Nope. You will need to get your club, step on the driving range (or stimulator) and practise with dozens and dozens of balls before you master the skills you just watched online.
The same applies to learning a new skill in your life or work. You can go join a virtual workshop, read a book or apply for an online class, but whether you’ve acquired a certain skill will depend on if you have ‘practised’ it in real life. So for those who’ve invested time and effort in virtual or online learning of sport skills, remember to put them into practice, storing them in your ‘hard disk’ - otherwise, it’d be erased as easily as R.A.M.