Psychology of Coaching, by Jack Richards, attempts to provide the coach with a practical guide for helping athletes to help themselves. It does not deal with the development of talent, but rather concentrates on the emotional and attitudinal aspects of athletic performance. In some instances, the advice is based on psychological research. In others, where research is minimal or non-existent, the suggestions are based on many hours of clinical observations and coaching experience. While the science of the psychology of sport has become more sophisticated, many questions remain unanswered. Hopefully, as a result of ideas expressed in this book, the coach will become more sensitive to individual needs and differences, not only in the athletes, but in teams as well, and will acquire, in the process, the flexibility to handle these differences.
What's inside:
Chapter 1: Philosophy of Coaching
Chapter 2: Coaches and Their Personality
Chapter 3: The Athlete and Their Personality
Chapter 4: Levels of Coaching
Chapter 5: Communication
Chapter 6: Team Cohesion
Chapter 7: Motivation
Chapter 8: Selection of a Team—Potential Strengths and Weaknesses
Chapter 9: Discipline
Chapter 10: Teaching Techniques in Athletics
Chapter 11: Recruiting
Chapter 12: Outside Influences on the Athlete
Chapter 13: The Superstar
Chapter 14: Substitutes
Chapter 15: The Coach’s Relationship With Other Staff Members
Chapter 16: The Psychological Role of Trainers and Equipment Managers
Chapter 17: Volunteers
Chapter 18: Understanding Officials
Chapter 19: Momentum in Athletics
Chapter 20: Psychological Scouting
Chapter 21: Helping the Athlete Reach Their Full Potential
What others are saying:
Every successful coach is aware of the importance of the mental aspect of sport. Jack Richards’ book Psychology of Coaching provides a spot-on overview of the basic concepts and techniques of how coaches can develop the psychological skills that their athletes need.
-John Levra
Author
Retired NFL Coach
The connection between sports performance and mental training is very well-known in the coaching community. Psychology of Coaching reviews what mental training has to offer and outlines precisely what coaches can do to achieve its numerous benefits.
-Darren Gurney
Assistant Baseball Coach, Lehman College
Author, Baseball Smarts: 100 Questions to Measure Your Baseball IQ
This book is exhaustive in content, leaving very little else to discuss when it comes to the Psychology of Coaching.
-“Peanut” Harms
Head Track and Field Coach, El Dorado High School (CA)
California Coach of the Year in 2018 for Boys and Girls Cross Country
This is a revised edition of the book that started an entire new discipline. Generations of coaches, athletes, and sports psychologists have benefited from Jack Richards’ pioneering work.
-William Shannon
Director, Fan & Staff Experience, Auburn University
Former State Champion High School Basketball Coach (CA
