Successful Coaching has helped more than a million coaches—aspiring, new, and seasoned coaches alike—develop and expand their knowledge of coaching to provide the best, most fulfilling sport experience for their athletes. In the revised fifth edition, author and sport psychologist Rainer Martens is joined by coauthor Robin Vealey, longtime professor of sport psychology at Miami University (Ohio). Together they bring to the text their knowledge and proficiency, gleaned from decades of personal experiences as coaches, athletes, and educators. Successful Coaching will help you think critically about your approach to coaching and develop the skills and wisdom to fulfill your many responsibilities as coach: Identify your coaching philosophy and coaching objectives Build relationships with players and staff and promote teamwork Nurture positive decision making and sportsmanship to develop more mature individuals Coach athletes of diverse backgrounds, characteristics, interests, and abilities Teach and practice sport skills and strategies using the games approach Train, condition, and fuel athletes using sound principles and methods Organize and guide your team and sport program Manage relationships with administrators, officials, parents, and media Minimize risk and meet your legal duties as a coach The fifth edition of Successful Coaching has been carefully revised in accordance with recommendations of the National Standards for Sport Coaches. Updates and additions include the latest scientific research in physical training and nutrition, plus best practices, guidelines, and insights from successful coaches addressing today’s foremost topics of concern: Mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and disordered eating Race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in youth sport Sexual harassment and abuse Motivation, corrective discipline, and burnout Alcohol consumption, drug use, and vaping Chapters are punctuated with supplemental content to underscore key concepts. Current insights, innovations, and quotes from recognized coaches demonstrate how to overcome common and challenging coaching situations. Coaching Yourself sidebars and end-of-chapter Questions for Reflection challenge you to think critically about your own coaching style and how to apply key principles in real coaching situations. Sample coaching forms that can be modified for personal use are provided online. Written by coaches for coaches, Successful Coaching is a practical, readable, and useful resource that you’ll refer to throughout the season and cherish more than your playbook. Successful Coaching is the text for Human Kinetics’ Coaching Principles course. Coaching Principles is recognized by numerous state high school and athletic directors’ associations, school districts, national governing bodies, and other sport organizations as meeting coaching education and certification requirements. In addition, hundreds of colleges and universities have adopted Coaching Principles for graduate and undergraduate coaching programs. Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all print books.

Although the physical and psychological benefits of youth participating in sport are evident, the increasing professionalization and specialization of youth sport, primarily by coaches and parents, are changing the culture of youth sport and causing it to erode the ideal mantra: "It's all about the kids." In Best Practice for Youth Sport, readers will gain an appreciation of an array of issues regarding youth sport. This research-based text is presented in a practical manner, with examples from current events that foster readers' interest and class discussion. The content is based on the principle of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), which can be defined as engaging in decisions, behaviors, and policies that meet the physical, psychological, and social needs of children and youth based on their ages and maturational levels. This groundbreaking resource covers a breadth of topics, including bone development, burnout, gender and racial stereotypes, injuries, motor behavior, and parental pressures. Written by Robin S. Vealey and Melissa A. Chase, the 16 chapters of Best Practice for Youth Sport are divided into four parts. Part I, Youth Sport Basics, provides readers with the fundamental knowledge and background related to the history, evolution, and organization of youth sport. Part II, Maturation and Readiness for Youth Sport Participants, is the core of understanding how and why youth sport is different from adult sport. This part details why it is important to know when youth are ready to learn and compete. Part III, Intensity of Participation in Youth Sport, examines the appropriateness of physical and psychological intensity at various developmental stages and the potential ramifications of overtraining, overspecialization, overstress, and overuse. The text concludes with part IV, Social Considerations in Youth Sport, which examines how youth sport coaches and parents can help create a supportive social environment so that children can maximize the enjoyment and benefits from youth sport. In addition to 14 appendixes, activities, glossaries, study questions, and other resources that appear in Best Practice for Youth Sport, the textbook is enhanced with instructor ancillaries: a test package, image bank, and instructor guide that features a syllabus, additional study questions and learning activities, tips on teaching difficult concepts, and additional readings and resources. These specialized resources ensure that instructors will be ready for each class session with engaging materials. Best Practice for Youth Sport provides readers with knowledge of sport science concerning youth sport and engages them through the use of anecdotes, activities, case studies, and practical strategies. Armed with the knowledge from this text, students, coaches, parents, administrators, and others will be able to become active agents of social change in structuring and enhancing youth sport programs to meet the unique developmental needs of children, making the programs athlete centered rather than adult centered so that they truly are all about the kids.