Successful Coaching

By Rainer Martens and Robin S. Vealey

Book Overview

As America's best-selling coaching text, Successful Coaching has helped over a million coaches develop their coaching philosophies; improve their communication, teaching, and management skills; and understand their responsibilities as a coach. The updated fourth edition of Successful Coaching offers students as well as new and veteran coaches a comprehensive guide to every aspect of coaching. Written by Rainer Martens, a respected and renowned sport psychologist, longtime coach, and lifelong competitive athlete, Successful Coaching, Fourth Edition , details the principles, knowledge, and skills that will help coaches build a foundation for their decisions and actions. Working through the text, coaches will define their philosophy, identify their objectives, and determine their coaching style. Next, coaches will learn how to become skilled communicators and motivators by applying psychological principles and recommendations for positive management of athletes' behavior. Knowing the skills required for each sport is as important as knowing how to teach and shape those skills. With Successful Coaching , coaches will become more effective instructors as they learn the games approach to teaching technical and tactical skills, a proven method of helping athletes become smart tactical players of their sports. Successful Coaching also discusses the team management responsibilities of the coach and details how to manage relationships with athletes, other coaches, administrators, medical personnel, officials, parents, and the media. Also addressed are the legal responsibilities of a coach and strategies for reducing risk. Readers will find the latest research in the fields of physical training and nutrition, including new information on creatine, energy drinks, caffeine, and hydration. Successful Coaching also provides a straightforward discussion of drug abuse among athletes, offering all-new content on methamphetamines, prescription drug abuse, and drug-testing recommendations. Sidebars provide focused insights on a range of coaching topics and offer personal encouragement and advice for coaches throughout the season. In addition, quotes from well-known coaches provide perspective on what it takes to be a successful coach. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter encourage readers to think critically about the content and apply it to their own current or future coaching situations. Written by a coach for coaches, Successful Coaching blends the latest research and accepted practices in the sport sciences with practical advice from seasoned coaching veterans. Successful Coaching helps readers think critically about their motivation for being a coach and establish a coaching philosophy and style that pave the way for a fulfilling sport experience for coaches and their athletes. The fourth edition of Successful Coaching has been carefully revised to meet or exceed the guidelines of the National Council for Accreditation for Coaching Education and the recommendations of the National Standards for Sport Coaches. Successful Coaching is the primary text for the Coaching Principles online or classroom course offered by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP). Coaching Principles is a part of ASEP's Bronze Level coaching certification, a three-step certification involving coursework essential for coaching any sport, teaching sport first aid, and conveying advanced sport-specific knowledge.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1450400515
• ISBN13: 9781450400510
• Release Date: February 2012
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 456 Pages
• Weight: 2.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.4" x 10.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Useful Beyond Sports

This book is beyond just sports coaching. While the emphasis is on coaching the school age athlete, there is a lot of great material on motivation, teamwork, planning, execution and psychology that apply to the business world as well. The material covered in 5 units includes: * Principles of Coaching * Principles of Behavior * Principles of Teaching * Principles of Physical Training - including nutrition * Principles of Management The book is an easy read, and great for any parent getting into coaching, anyone who coaches athletics, or even a business manager looking for an edge. A good read.

Sucecessful Coaching

I was very satisfied with the product that I received. The book was in great condition as promised and I received it in a fashionably manor.

The Premier Coaching Text

This book is THE book for anyone aspiring to coach. If you have the desire to coach but lack the knowledge, buy this book now! It can be a bit dry at times, but so can coaching. The bottom line is that it teaches a lot of things and teaches them well. One minor quibble is the book's hasty dismissal of command-style coaching. I think Martens is a little harsh in that regard. But, that's a nit-pick. The book is outstanding.

This book is a MUST for all aspiring coaches.

When you coach any particular sport, are you fearful of sending improper messages to your players? Do you feel that your players respect you as a coach? Can you say the right thing to your players to help motivate them to achieve success in the sport they play? Do you need a book to explain how to do all of the above? If so, this is the book to get.

A Must for All New Coaches in any Sport

This is THE best coaching book for beginner to intermediate coaches I have EVER read. I think so highly of this book that I feel all coaches should be handed a copy as soon as they sign up for a coaching job. This is the book that basically made me the coach I am today. When I first began coaching high school hockey, I sought coaching education in all the books I could find. But for a beginning coach, many of these books fell short with the simple fact that new coaches need to learn from the bottom up. This book not only remembers to teach you all aspects of coaching you will need to get started in coaching but hits on a lot of the aspects that you may not even have considered. This is the first book I read that hits upon the idea that coaching is more that X's and O's. Many coaching books fail to realize that organization is the key to successful coaching. Practice and season planning are covered in a way that a new coach can begin planning their season immediately. Physical conditioning planning and teaching plans are covered in a way that no matter what the sport is that you are coaching, you can apply the lessons taught. From how to make up your season outline to how to set and reach your team objectives are covered to the point where you can gain the confidence you need to succeed. But also covered are things such as how to avoid legal problems, how to deal with parents and how and when to run meetings with both parents and players. These are the very details that most hockey or coaching books seem to leave out. And these are the very things that all new coaches need to get information on BEFORE they begin. And after coaching for four years on the high school level, I have needed ALL of the information I gained from this book. I can not recommend this book enough. EVERY COACH IN EVERY SPORT SHOULD OWN IT.