Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches

Two seasoned sport psychologists help coaches understand the psychology of young athletes and provide guidelines for winning strategies that benefit athletes in sports and life. They cover issues like motivation, leadership behavior, values, life skills development and other topics, enabling coaches to have a lasting positive influence on youth.

Ronald E. Smith, Frank L. Smoll

Part I. Developing a Coaching Philosophy 1. Athletic Competition for Children and Adolescents: Why Youth Sports? 2. Sport Models and Goals: Kids Are Not Professionals! Part II. Becoming a Better Coach 3. Coaching Roles and Relationships: Influencing Young Athletes' Lives 4. The Mastery Approach to Coaching: Applying Sport Psychology 5. Communication and Self-Awareness: Skills for Improving Coaching Effectiveness Part III. Performance Enhancement Skills for Young Athletes 6. Goal Setting: Charting the Road to Success 7. Athletic Stress: Teaching Coping Skills to Young Athletes 8. Mental Imagery: Using the Mind to Program the Body Part IV. Coaching Challenges and How to Deal With Them 9. Working Effectively With "Problem Athletes:" Turning Problems Into Opportunities 10. Coach-Parent Relationships: A Vital Link in Successful Youth Sport Experiences 11. What to Do If . . . Bibliography Index About the Authors