The facilitation of learning is a central feature of coaches’ and coach educators’ work. Coaching students and practitioners are, as a result, being expected to give increasing levels of thought towards how they might help to develop the knowledge and practical skills of others. Learning in Sports Coaching provides a comprehensive introduction to a diverse range of classic, critical, and contemporary theories of learning, education, and social interaction and their potential application to sports coaching. Each chapter is broadly divided into two sections. The first section introduces a key thinker and the fundamental tenets of his or her scholarly endeavours and theorising. The second considers how the theorist’s work might influence how we understand and attempt to promote learning in coaching and coach education settings. By design this book seeks to promote theoretical connoisseurship and to encourage its readers to reflect critically on their beliefs about learning and its facilitation. This is an essential text for any pedagogical course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.

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.

Sports coaching is a social activity. At its heart lies a complex interaction between coach and athlete played out within the context of sport, itself a socio-culturally defined set of practices. In this ground-breaking book, leading international coaching scholars and coaches argue that an understanding of sociology and social theory can help us better grasp the interactive nature of coaching and consequently assist in demystifying the mythical ‘art’ of the activity. The Sociology of Sports Coaching establishes an alternative conceptual framework from which to explore sports coaching. It firstly introduces the work of key social theorists, such as Foucault, Goffman and Bourdieu among others, before highlighting the principal themes that link the study of sociology and sports coaching, such as power, interaction, and knowledge and learning. The book also outlines and develops the connections between theory and practice by placing the work of each selected social theorist alongside contemporary views on that work from a current practicing coach. This is the first book to present a critical sociological perspective of sports coaching and, as such, it represents an important step forward in the professionalization of the discipline. It is essential reading for any serious student of sports coaching or the sociology of sport, and for any reflective practitioner looking to become a better coach.

Sports Coaching: The Basics is an engaging and provocative introduction to sports coaching which combines coaches’ views and experiences of their work with discussions and topical issues that feature in this fast-growing field. In doing so, coaches are placed at the centre of the discussions relating to philosophical, historical, sociological, psychological and pedagogical interpretations of contemporary practice. Consequently, the book prompts questions such as: What is coaching? What does it mean to be a coach? How do coaches influence athletes/players? How do coaches learn? What is it like to be a coach? In considering these questions, readers are encouraged to reflect upon their experiences of coaching and to start conversations with others about coaches’ work. Therefore, the book is of use for coaches, those interested in studying sports coaching, and coach educators or facilitators of coach learning initiatives.

In Coach Education Essentials, renowned coach educators and professionals present the key elements of quality coaching and how to cultivate it. This resource is for everyone invested in advancing the abilities and actions of coaches through effective educational and developmental experiences.

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.

Practical Sports Coaching is a thorough and engaging guide for all sports coaching students and practitioners. Drawing on real-life case studies and examples, the book is designed to develop practical coaching skills and provides readers with the methods and tools they need to become an expert coach. Structured around all facets of the coaching process, the text comprehensively covers topics such as: preparation for coaching mentoring the philosophy of coaching direct intervention coaching methods the use of modern technology. The book’s practical approach allows the reader to consider common challenges faced by coaches, suggesting solutions to performance concerns and preparing students for the realities of professional sports coaching. A companion website containing presentation slides and useful weblinks makes the book a complete resource for students and lecturers alike. Practical Sports Coaching helps to bridge the gap between theory and practical coaching skills, and is an essential text for coaching students looking to deepen their understanding of sports coaching and experienced coaches developing their own practical skills.

The concept of positive pedagogy has transformed the way we understand learning and coaching in sport. Presenting examples of positive pedagogy in action, this book is the first to apply its basic principles to individual sports such as swimming, athletics, gymnastics and karate. Using the game based approach (GBA) (an athlete-centred, inquiry-based method that involves game-like activities), this book demonstrates how positive pedagogy can be successfully employed across a range of sports and levels of performance, while also providing insight into coaches’ experiences of this approach. Divided into three sections that focus on the development, characteristics and applications of positive pedagogy, it fills a gap in coaching literature by extending the latest developments of GBA to activities beyond team sports. It pioneers a way of coaching that is both efficient in improving performance and effective in promoting positive experiences of learning across all ages and abilities. Positive Pedagogy for Sport Coaching: Athlete-centred coaching for individual sports is invaluable reading for all sports coaching students as well as any practising coach or physical education teacher looking for inspiration.