Understanding Sports Coaching: The Social, Cultural and Pedagogical Foundations of Coaching Practice

by Cassidy, Tania

• ISBN13: 9780415307406
• ISBN10: 0415307406
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-03
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This innovative introduction to the theory and practice of sports coaching emphasizes the social context of training, developing, and managing athletes. The book argues that although coaches commonly employ techniques such as feedback, reflection, and a variety in instructional models and learning styles, most do so implicitly and without fully understanding the complex interplay between coach, player, content, and social context. By defining learning as a social practice rather than a simple transmission of facts, the book aims to deepen the coach's understanding of the coaching process, to help coaches systematically develop their programs and to get the best out of their athletes.

Author Biography

Paul Potrac is a Lecturer in Sports Coaching, at the University of Otago, New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xi
Introduction	1	(10)
Vignette: how it all started	2	(2)
The aims of the book	4	(1)
Why is the book needed?	5	(1)
Current practice and the value of reflection	6	(2)
Who is the book for?	8	(1)
How is the book organized?	9	(1)
Postscript	10	(1)
SECTION ONE: THE COACH	11	(54)
Chapter One Reflection	13	(13)
Introduction	13	(2)
What is reflection?	15	(2)
Why is it useful to become a reflective coach?	17	(1)
Becoming a reflective coach: issues to consider	18	(6)
Concluding thoughts	24	(2)
Chapter Two Coaching methods	26	(12)
Introduction	26	(1)
The relationship between coaching and teaching	27	(2)
An overview of methods	29	(4)
Taking a circumspect view of methods	33	(4)
Concluding thoughts	37	(1)
Chapter Three Providing feedback to athletes	38	(8)
Introduction	38	(2)
Providing verbal feedback...it's not that straightforward	40	(4)
Intrinsic feedback	44	(1)
Concluding thoughts	44	(2)
Chapter Four Quality in coaching	46	(7)
Introduction	46	(1)
A good coach	47	(1)
An effective coach	47	(1)
Quality in coaching	48	(2)
Why bother with the notion of quality?	50	(2)
Concluding thoughts	52	(1)
Chapter Five Developing a coaching philosophy	53	(10)
Introduction	53	(2)
What is a coaching philosophy and why do coaches need to develop one?	55	(1)
Problematizing coaching philosophies	56	(3)
Developing functional, flexible philosophies	59	(3)
Concluding thoughts	62	(1)
End of Section One: Tasks	63	(2)
SECTION TWO: THE ATHLETES	65	(56)
Chapter Six Understanding the learning process	67	(15)
Introduction	67	(2)
Vignette 1: coaching the U21s	69	(2)
Multiple orientations to learning	71	(6)
Vignette 2: unwinding after the training session	77	(1)
Consequences for the learner	78	(3)
Concluding thoughts	81	(1)
Chapter Seven 'Developing' athletes	82	(8)
Introduction	82	(1)
Developmentalism -what is it?	82	(2)
What does development do?	84	(4)
Doing development differently	88	(1)
Concluding thoughts	89	(1)
Chapter Eight Understanding athletes' motivation	90	(16)
Introduction	90	(2)
What is motivation?	92	(1)
Theories of motivation	93	(5)
Exploring the social nature of athlete motivation	98	(6)
Concluding thoughts	104	(2)
Chapter Nine Understanding athletes' identities	106	(12)
Introduction	106	(1)
What is identity?	107	(1)
Gendered identity	108	(3)
Sexualized identity	111	(4)
Ethnic identity	115	(2)
Concluding thoughts	117	(1)
End of Section Two: Task	118	(3)
SECTION THREE: COACHING CONTENT	121	(28)
Chapter Ten Examining coaches' content knowledge	123	(7)
Introduction	123	(1)
What is content knowledge?	124	(1)
Additional things to consider when thinking about content knowledge	125	(3)
(Re)thinking coaches' knowledge	128	(1)
Concluding thoughts	129	(1)
Chapter Eleven Assessing athletes' understanding	130	(9)
Introduction	130	(2)
The purposes of assessment (Why?)	132	(1)
Forms of assessment (When?)	132	(2)
Meaningful and authentic forms of assessment (How?)	134	(4)
Concluding thoughts	138	(1)
Chapter Twelve Coaching athletes with a disability: exploring issues of content	139	(7)
Introduction	139	(1)
Viewing athletes with a disability	140	(2)
Integrating athletes with and without a disability	142	(3)
Concluding thoughts	145	(1)
End of Section Three: Tasks	146	(3)
SECTION FOUR: THE COACHING CONTEXT	149	(44)
Chapter Thirteen The discourses of coaching	151	(11)
Introduction	151	(1)
What is discourse?	152	(1)
Why study discourse in the coaching context?	152	(2)
The dominant discourse of `coaching science': performance, rationality and a hierarchical coach-athlete relationship	154	(2)
The effect of power-dominated discourse on athletes	156	(3)
An alternative coaching discourse	159	(1)
Concluding thoughts	160	(2)
Chapter Fourteen Coaching ethics	162	(12)
Introduction	162	(2)
Ethical codes and ethical issues in coaching	164	(2)
Problematizing ethics: moving toward virtues-based conduct (McNamee 1998)	166	(4)
Personalizing coaches' ethical behaviour	170	(3)
Concluding thoughts	173	(1)
Chapter Fifteen Coaching holistically: why do it and how can we frame it?	174	(7)
Introduction	174	(1)
The traditional model of multi-disciplinary coaching and coach education	175	(2)
The case for coaching holistically	177	(2)
Conceptualizing a holistic approach	179	(2)
Chapter Sixteen Coaching holistically: a way forward for coach education	181	(9)
Introduction	181	(2)
A critical task-based approach	183	(1)
A narrative approach	184	(2)
A problem-based learning (PBL) strategy	186	(1)
A mentorship scheme	187	(2)
Concluding thoughts	189	(1)
End of Section Four: Tasks	190	(3)
Bibliography	193	(16)
Index	209