Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches: Developing Champions in Sports and Life
As a professional baseball coach for over three decades the reader might find it odd that I would endorse a book on youth coaching and sports. That would be a mistake. The gifted athletes I work with have many of the anxieties and problems found in youth players. What Ron Smith and Frank Smoll have done is organize a comprehensive manuscript that helps coaches at all levels create an atmosphere that allows success. Immediate and future success. I ask that youth coaches devour this book for the nuggets it contains. Ron Smith introduced and mentored me in many of the concepts inSport Psychology for Youth Coachesin the early 90’s as a young pitching coach with the Houston Astros organization. Thank you Ron for that and helping put on paper the ideals of coaching I utilize today.(Brent Strom, pitching coordinator, St. Louis Cardinals, Strom Baseball Institute)This important book, written by two "pros" in the field of sport psychology, has the capacity to help anyone be a better coach and a better parent.(Dick Bennett, former high school and NCAA Division I basketball coach)Smith and Smoll are two of the nation’s top social scientists studying coaching and youth sports, and they have been collaborating for decades. In this book, their rich scientific work comes to life through clear writing and a multitude of positive ideas for keeping youth sports in perspective and all kids engaged. Their welcomed message is to minimize young people feeling like failures by emphasizing effort, persistence, and improvement. This is a must-read for coaches, teachers, parents, and other adults who work with children and youth.(Robert C. Granger, Ed.D., president, William T. Grant Foundation)Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches: Developing Champions in Sport and Lifeis a MUST read for any youth sport administrator, coach, or parent! Ron and Frank have once again contributed invaluable research, recommendations, and guidelines for the youth sport participant to have an optimal sporting experience. As a psychologist that has worked with collegiate and elite athletes for over 20 years, I have found that the most successful and happiest high level athletes have experienced many of the positive relationships that are discussed in this book. In my opinion, this book should be required reading for any adult (parent, coach, administrator) involved with kids in sport.(Chris Carr, Ph.D, HSPP, sport & performance psychologist, St. Vincent Sports Performance, Indianapolis, IN)Dr. Smith and Dr. Smoll are synonymous with in-depth research and applied sport psychology strategies for young athletes, youth coaches, and parents.Sport Psychology for Youth Coachesis based upon more than 35 years of their research and applied experience. The authors bring to the reader a broad range of necessary topics that are easily understood, easy to implement, and relevant for coaches. Based upon their research, Smith and Smoll clearly illustrate a myriad of issues and challenges facing youth sport, but they also provide user friendly and research based solutions for these challenges. Although the title of this book implies a target audience of youth coaches, this valuable information applies to athletes and coaches at all levels of sport and life. If you are a coach or you have sons and daughters in sport, this book is a must read!(Jim Bauman, sport psychologist, University of Virginia)Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches: Developing Champions in Sports and Lifecrystallizes more than three decades of cutting-edge scientific research and applied work in youth sport by two of the field’s most distinguished professionals. Written in an engaging, practical style and sprinkled liberally with quotes from legendary sports figures, the book draws heavily on the expertise and experience of the authors and provides readers with concrete, step-by-step guidelines to improve themselves as coaches and help young athletes maximize their performance and enjoyment in sport.(Britton W. Brewer, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Springfield College)Smith and Smoll are the ‘go-to’ guys for youth sport coaches, and this easy-to-read book is a distillation of their many years of research, teaching, doing, and writing concerning best practices. Read it and hit all the bases running!(Kate F. Hays, Ph.D., C.Psych., CC-AASP, director, The Performing Edge, Toronto, past president, American Psychological Association’s Division of Exercise & Sport Psychology,)Finally! A user friendly book for coaches focused on the mental side of the game that is the real deal- written by top experts in the field. Ron Smith and Frank Smoll have made it easier for coaches at all levels to work on the mental side of the game, incorporating the best coaching research, science, and practical tips into their sport programs.(Judy Van Raalte, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, MA)A must read for any parent or coach involved in youth sports. Drawing on 30 years of experience as leading experts in the field, Ron Smith and Frank Smoll have put together a practical and informative leadership book that helps adults maximize the personal growth and development of young athletes while teaching psychological skills that foster a healthy perspective about winning, personal improvement, and controlling the emotional side of sport.(David Yukelson, Ph.D., past president and fellow, Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), director of sport psychology services, Morgan Center for Student-Athletes, Penn State University)This book is a must for all youth sports coaches. Whether you are a novice or experienced coach, the information and behavioural guidelines contained in this book will help you provide a more positive experience for you athletes and engage more effectively with problem parents. Having spent more than four decades studying the effects of coaching behaviour in youth sports and delivering coach and parent education workshops, Professors Ronald Smith and Frank Smoll have discovered and tested the coaching practices that best promote success both on and off the sports field. Coaches who follow the principles described in this book have been shown to produce athletes who enjoy sports more, have greater respect for the coach, possess higher levels of self-esteem and adaptive motivation, and are less anxious and less likely to drop out of sports.(Sean Cumming, senior lecturer in sport and exercise sciences, University of Bath, UK)