Case Studies in Sport Coaching and Development

Case Studies in Sport Coaching and Development: Practice Meets Theory is a new textbook that serves as a resource for coach developers and educators to generate dialogue about how to further integrate evidence into practice by supporting the development of critical thinking and reflection as it relates to the real problems of practice in sport coaching. Grounded in a case study framework, this textbook incorporates rich descriptions of real events as an approach to exploring the problems of practice in coaching. It includes multiple approaches to problems that are largely contextually specific, and it includes the corresponding literature to allow for a deeper exploration of the connection between theory and practice. The book's seven sections explore key themes, such as building environments, relationships among people involved in coaching, coaching philosophy, and long-term goals. Each chapter includes questions for further discussion. Case Studies in Sport Coaching and Development is a key textbook for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of sport coaching, sport coaching development and education as well as practicing sport coaches, coach developers, and organizations.

Christine Nash, PhD, is a Professor at the University of Edinburgh, where she currently leads the Applied Coaching Research Group, researching coaching expertise. She was a national coach within the sport of swimming and currently works with several sporting organizations worldwide, e.g., the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), the US Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE), and the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Melissa Thompson, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Southern Mississippi (USA), where she teaches courses in sport psychology and sport coaching. She is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology.

Section 1: Setting the Visions and Strategy in Sport Coaching. 1. Aligning Philosophy within a Hierarchy: Developing Assistant Coaches. 2. Parental Roles, Racial Dynamics, and Coaching Volleyball in the US South. Section 2: Shape the Environment. 3. Building a Winning Youth Olympic Hockey Team - The Role of Strategic Player Selection and Coaching. 4. Navigating Motivation with the Talented and Committed Athlete. 5. Creating Inclusive Sport Environments. Section 3: Building Relationships. 6. Role Ambiguity and Work-Life Balance: The Real Pressures of Coaching. 7. Micropolitics in Coaching. 8. Supporting the Leadership Skills of Football Coaches to Meet the Demands of the Women's Professional Game. Section 4: Conducting Practices and Preparing for Competition. 9. Complexity of Planning Long-Term Athlete Development in Brazilian Football: A Systems Thinking Approach. 10. A Shift in Pedagogy: A Games-Based Approach to Football (Soccer) Training. Section 5: Read and React to the Field. 11. The Power of Unity: Team Dynamics in Judo. 12. Calm Voice in the Chaos: Building a Long-Term Tactical Model for Scottish Hockey. Section 6: Learn and Reflect. 13. Small Actions, Big Implications: Ethics and Integrity in Sport Coaching. 14. There Are No Easy Questions Because There Are No Easy Answers! Section 7: Cases in Coach Development. 15. Fixing the Leaky Pipeline: Australian Women in High-Performance Coaching. 16. Coach Development as Adventure and Exploration: One Coach's Account of their Experiences in and the Possibilities of a Project-Led Approach to Learning. 17. There Is So Much Complexity, Can We Say Anything Definitively? Navigating Complexity in Coaching and Coach Development.