A Guide To Mentoring Sports Coaches

The application of the theoretical underpinnings of coaching to practice is a central concern in sport. How should academic research seek to inform applied practice, and how should practising coaches integrate research into their professional activities? Sports Coaching: A Theoretical and Practical Guide is the first book to truly integrate academic research on sports coaching with an assessment of and recommendations for applied practice. With every chapter written by a coaching researcher and a practising coach, the book clearly and concisely introduces the academic evidence base and discusses how and why theory should be integrated into practice. Made up of sections on coaching practice, coach education and development, the use of sport science support and coaching special populations, the book constitutes a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of sports coaching. Chapters are clearly and consistently structured, allowing students and coaches opportunity to gain a firm understanding of the core theoretical principles of sports coaching and the ways in which they can guide practice. The book is a vital resource for any sports coaching student, researcher or practitioner to develop their evidence-informed practice.

Learning to Mentor in Sports Coaching is an innovative, user-friendly, practical and theoretical guide for educating sports coaches as mentors. It is the first book to employ design thinking techniques to develop a new approach to mentor education in sports coaching. Providing theoretical grounding in mentoring conversations, design thinking and case study research, the book centres on a series of redesigned mentoring conversations between some of the world’s leading sports coaching experts, coach educators, mentors and mentees. It covers topics such as: supporting novice volunteer coaches’ learning the learning needs of novice volunteer coaches and novice professional coaches professional communities of learning in coaching the impact of coaching behaviours on learning environments autonomy-supportive learning environments coaching children, young people and adults Closing with a critique of the sports coach mentor as design thinker, Learning to Mentor in Sports Coaching is important reading for any upper-level student or researcher working in sports coaching, sports pedagogy or youth sport, and any coach looking to integrate sound mentoring theory into their professional practice.

Mentoring is a core element of any successful teacher education or coach education programme, with evidence suggesting that teachers and coaches who are mentored early in their careers are more likely to become effective practitioners. Physical education and sports coaching share important pedagogical, practical and cultural terrain, and mentoring has become a vital tool with which to develop confidence, self-reflection and problem-solving abilities in trainee and early career PE teachers and sports coaches. This is the first book to introduce key theory and best practice in mentoring, for mentors and mentees, focusing on the particular challenges and opportunities in physical education and sports coaching. Written by a team of international experts with extensive practical experience of mentoring in PE and coaching, the book clearly explains what mentoring is, how it should work, and how an understanding of socio-cultural factors can form the foundation of good mentoring practice. The book explores practical issues in mentoring in physical education, including pre-service and newly qualified teachers, and in coach education, including mentoring in high performance sport and the role of national governing bodies. Each chapter includes real mentoring stories, practical guidance and definitions of key terms, and a ‘pedagogy toolbox’ brings together the most important themes and techniques for easy reference. This is a hugely useful book for all teacher and coach education degree programmes, for any practising teacher or coach involved in mentoring, and for schools, clubs, sports organisations or NGBs looking to develop mentoring schemes.

Making mentors: a guide to establishing a successful mentoring program.

In the world of strength and conditioning, learning how to move others-not just physically, but also psychologically and emotionally-is paramount to getting the most out of them. People are the ultimate performance variable, and understanding how to effectively blend knowledge of proper training with the nuances of human behavior is integral to helping athletes achieve their ultimate goals. Unfortunately, while much attention has been given to the science of physical training, little attention has been given to the science of communication. Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In bridges this gap. Readers learn the foundational principles of improving relationships, enhancing engagement, and gaining the trust of athletes through targeted communication. And, every bit as important, readers also learn concrete strategies to apply these principles in day-to-day coaching situations they will inevitably encounter. The result is a game-changing book that sets the stage for coaches to create a culture of success not only within sport, but also beyond. Conscious Coaching is a movement and its time has come.

In To Be a Better Coach: A Guide for the Youth Sport Coach and Coach Developer, Pete Van Mullem and Lori Gano-Overway combine hands-on experience and comprehensive research to offer coaches and coach developers concrete, practical suggestions to improve coaching performance in youth sports. To Be a Better Coach shares common and best practices in coaching, such as providing a safe sport environment, engaging in ethical practices, creating a positive and inclusive environment, building relationships with all stakeholders, and developing leadership and motivational skills. Each chapter explains the skills and guidelines needed to develop as a youth coach in that specific area, followed by examples of real-world scenarios from practicing coaches. In addition, each chapter includes useful resources and practical strategies for the development of coaches. With the continued rise in youth sports, the need for trained and qualified coaches is growing. Using an applied approach, To Be a Better Coach is a needed guide for youth sport coaches and coach developers working in community youth sport programs, interscholastic sport, and private youth sport organizations.

This book develops an "athlete-centred approach" to sports coaching, which allows athletes to take ownership of their learning, strengthening their ability to retain key skills and to make effective decisions during competition.