New ‘one-stop guide’ for sports coaches released

Ashley Gill, Course Director of Postgraduate Study in Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University, has edited a fully revised third edition of the Routledge’s popular Foundations of Sports Coaching textbook which was last published in 2014.

The focus of this contemporary edition is to bridge the gap between practical sports coaching delivery and the conceptual theories that underpin a sports coach’s practice. The textbook provides a wealth of real-world examples and case studies from a wide range of sports to help coaches understand how to apply key concepts and theories to their practice.

Ashley said: “This is a developing area and there is more demand for trained sports coaches than ever before. The book is a one-stop guide for any aspiring coach or student who wants to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills surrounding sports coaching.

“It’s been seven years since the last version was published so the book needed bringing up-to-date. The vast majority has been re-written to make sure it includes the latest research and that every chapter is supported by current literature.”

Staffordshire University offers a range of Sport and Exercise degrees and Ashley leads the Football and Performance Coaching course. He was also instrumental in establishing a new two-year FdSc Coaching in the Community (Football) course delivered in partnership with Stoke City’s Community Trust.

Featuring six contributors, the book draws on Ashley’s own experiences of working in a range of contexts, from community to performance-level sport, over the last 20 years.

The guide focuses on pedagogical practice and how to provide specialist support for a range of demographics, from children to people with specific disabilities.

“There are lots of different aspects to it such as creating a good learning environment when coaching, how we adapt coaching for different participants and reflecting upon your practice. Participation and performance sports are just as important as each other and anybody interested in coaching sport at any level will be able to use this text to facilitate their practice.”

Ashley added: “As we emerge from the pandemic, it is more important than ever that we encourage people of all ages and from all backgrounds to get active again and participate in sport. Behind every local sports group or professional athlete is a coach, and this book will help readers understand how to bring out the best in others and to make sport accessible and enjoyable for everyone.”

Foundations of Sports Coaching: Applying Theory to Practice is available to buy now.

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