ABSTRACT

Have you ever wondered how athletes learn and make use of the feedback they are given by their coach, or how a coach could make his or her feedback more effective for athletes?

Psychology in Sports Coaching has been written specifically for students studying coaching who want to improve their understanding of incorporating psychology into coaching practice. As such, it provides information on how coaches establish the psychological needs of athletes in order for them to provide psychological interventions, such as mental imagery, mental toughness training and coping effectiveness training.

This book also provides the reader with information on enhancing the awareness of athletes and the relationships that occur between the coach and the athlete. It explains how coaches can coach children, adolescents, adults and athletes with learning disabilities. These groups of athletes have different learning styles, are motivated by different factors and prefer instructions to be administered differently. So, it is important that coaches tailor their coaching based on the athlete they coach, as this has the potential to enhance the performance and enjoyment of the players that are being coached.

Essential reading for all students of sports coaching and sport psychology, and for practising sports coaches, this book will help develop and extend coaching expertise.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part |2 pages

Part I Identifying the psychological needs of athletes

part |2 pages

Part II How to help athletes Mental skills training

chapter 3|12 pages

Mental imagery

chapter 4|12 pages

Mental toughness training

chapter 5|11 pages

Maximising sport confidence

chapter 6|12 pages

Coping effectiveness training

chapter 7|7 pages

Choking prevention training

chapter 8|12 pages

The injured athlete

part |2 pages

Part III Facilitating awareness

chapter 9|9 pages

Goal setting

chapter 10|9 pages

Performance profiling

part |2 pages

Part IV Coaching different populations

chapter 11|12 pages

Coaching children

chapter 12|13 pages

Coaching adolescents

chapter 13|10 pages

Coaching adults

chapter 14|13 pages

Coaching athletes with learning disabilities

part |2 pages

Part V Relationships and support

chapter 15|9 pages

The coach–athlete relationship

chapter 16|10 pages

Understanding and building team cohesion

chapter 17|7 pages

Providing social support

part |2 pages

Part VI Concluding thoughts