Description
Every successful sports coach knows that good teaching and social practices are just as important as expertise in sports skills and tactics. Now in a fully revised and updated fourth edition, and introducing a new author team, Understanding Sports Coaching introduces theories and practices while exploring pedagogical, social and cultural concepts underpinning good sports coaching practice.
Broken into four sections, Understanding Sports Coaching examines the complex interplay between coach, athlete, coaching programme and social context, and encourages coaches to develop an open and reflective approach to their own coaching practice. It covers key aspects of coaching theories and practice, including important and emerging topics, such as:
• leadership
• athlete learning
• emotion in coaching
• culture as meaning making
• quality in coaching
• talent identification and development
• philosophy and sports coaching
Understanding Sports Coaching also includes a full range of practical exercises and extended case studies designed to encourage coaches to critically reflect upon their own coaching strategies, their interpersonal skills and important issues in contemporary sports coaching. This is an essential textbook for any degree-level course in sports coaching, and for any professional coach looking to develop their coaching expertise.
Table of Contents
Setting the Scene
1 Introduction
2 Reflection
SECTION I
The Context of Coaching
3 Culture and Meaning-Making in Sports Coaching
4 Coaching as a Micropolitical Activity
5 The Professionalisation of Sports Coaching
SECTION II
The Coach
6 Philosophy and Sports Coaching
7 Quality in Coaching
8 Leadership
9 The Coach as a Social Performer
SECTION III
The Athletes
10 Athlete Learning
11 Emotions and Athlete Learning
12 Development and Talent Identification
SECTION IV
Knowledge
13 Assessment, Knowledge and Ability
14 Discourse and the (Re)Production of Coaching Knowledge
