The Sports Coach as Educator

Teaching athletes to improve their performance is the essence of sports coaching. In response to new government-led initiatives to invest in and develop coaching, this book is the first introduction to pedagogical theory for coaching. Bringing helpful insights from educational theory to bear on coaching practice, The Sports Coach as Educator expands and enriches the role of the coach and allows professionals to approach their work in new and inventive ways. Exploring the nature of coaching, this text covers: - educational concepts in coaching - coaching, teaching and leadership - athletes' learning - coaching communities and the social process - reflective practice - mentoring - developing expert coaches.

Robyn L. Jones is a Professor in the School of Sport, Physical education and Recreation at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.

Section 1: Introduction: Coaching as an Educational Enterprise 1. How Can Educational Concepts Inform Sports Coaching? 2. Coaching as an Educational Relationship 3. Coaching as Teaching: New Acknowledgements in Practice Section 2: Reconceptualising the Role of the Coach 4. The Coach as a 'More Capable Other' 5. The Coach as Orchestrator 6. First among Equals: Shared Leadership in the Coaching Context 7. Athlete Learning Within a Community of Practice: Is There a Role for the Coach? Section 3: Reconceptualising Coach Education 8. Cultivating Coaches' Communities of Practice 9. The Coach as a Reflective Practitioner 10. Mentoring: Harnessing the Power of Experience 11. Developing Expert Coaching