The Psychology of Sports Coaching ― Research and Practice

This is the first book to offer a comprehensive review of current research in the psychology of sports coaching. It provides detailed, critical appraisals of the key psychological concepts behind the practice of sports coaching and engages with contemporary debates in this field. Organised around three main themes, it discusses factors affecting the coaching environment; methods for enhancing coach performance; and how to put theory into practice through coaching work.

Written by an international team of researchers and practitioners at the cutting edge of psychology and coaching, each chapter introduces a key concept, defines key terms, provides a comprehensive literature review, and considers implications for future research and applied practice. Encompassing the latest developments in the field, it addresses topics such as:

• the theory behind effective coaching

• creating performance environments

• promoting psychological well-being

• developing resilience through coaching

• transformational leadership and the role of the coach.

The Psychology of Sports Coaching: Research and Practice is an indispensable resource for sport psychologists and sports coaches, and is essential reading for all students and academics researching sport psychology.

Richard Thelwell is Head of Department for Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, UK. Richard has amassed a portfolio of over 70 peer-reviewed publications including edited book chapters, international journal publications and international conference papers. His current research interests lie within the area of coach psychology and in particular the themes of stress, emotion, coping and performance, psychological skills and behaviour change, and expectation effects. Richard also has a vested research interest in professional practice factors in applied sport psychology and is a Registered Psychologist of the Health and Care Professions Council. He also serves on the Editorial Board for theInternational Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, the International Journal of Sport Psychology, and is Associate Editor for Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Chris Harwood is a Reader in Applied Sport Psychology and Sport Psychology Research Group Leader at Loughborough University, UK. He is a Registered Psychologist of the Health and Care Professions Council, a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society and High Performance Sport Accredited (Psychology) Practitioner with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). His research and teaching interests lie mainly in the psychological aspects of youth sport and athlete development with a particular focus on the psychology of parenting and coaching. He is also interested in professional practice factors in applied sport psychology

Iain Greenlees is a Reader in Sport Psychology at the University of Chichester, UK. He is a Registered Psychologist of the Health and Care Professions Council and a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. His research and teaching interests lie mainly in the psychological factors underpinning performance in sport and coaching settings. He is also interested in the efficacy of interventions in applied sport psychology. Iain is a former Associate Editor forThe Sport and Exercise Psychology Review and he also now serves as an Editorial Board Member forThe International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology