Customer Reviews

Successful Coaching - 3rd Edition

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is THE best coaching book for beginner to intermediate coaches I have EVER read. I think so highly of this book that I feel all coaches should be handed a copy as soon as they sign up for a coaching job. This is the book that basically made me the coach I am today. When I first began coaching high school hockey, I sought coaching education in all the books I could find. But for a beginning coach, many of these books fell short with the simple fact that new coaches need to learn from the bottom up. This book not only remembers to teach you all aspects of coaching you will need to get started in coaching but hits on a lot of the aspects that you may not even have considered. This is the first book I read that hits upon the idea that coaching is more that X's and O's. Many coaching books fail to realize that organization is the key to successful coaching. Practice and season planning are covered in a way that a new coach can begin planning their season immediately. Physical conditioning planning and teaching plans are covered in a way that no matter what the sport is that you are coaching, you can apply the lessons taught. From how to make up your season outline to how to set and reach your team objectives are covered to the point where you can gain the confidence you need to succeed. But also covered are things such as how to avoid legal problems, how to deal with parents and how and when to run meetings with both parents and players. These are the very details that most hockey or coaching books seem to leave out. And these are the very things that all new coaches need to get information on BEFORE they begin. And after coaching for four years on the high school level, I have needed ALL of the information I gained from this book. I can not recommend this book enough. EVERY COACH IN EVERY SPORT SHOULD OWN IT.

This book is THE book for anyone aspiring to coach. If you have the desire to coach but lack the knowledge, buy this book now! It can be a bit dry at times, but so can coaching. The bottom line is that it teaches a lot of things and teaches them well.

One minor quibble is the book's hasty dismissal of command-style coaching. I think Martens is a little harsh in that regard. But, that's a nit-pick. The book is outstanding.

This book is beyond just sports coaching. While the emphasis is on coaching the school age athlete, there is a lot of great material on motivation, teamwork, planning, execution and psychology that apply to the business world as well.

The material covered in 5 units includes:
* Principles of Coaching
* Principles of Behavior
* Principles of Teaching
* Principles of Physical Training - including nutrition
* Principles of Management

The book is an easy read, and great for any parent getting into coaching, anyone who coaches athletics, or even a business manager looking for an edge. A good read.

Pros:
- lots of topics
- chapters are well-categorized and information within them make sense
- good for any sport (though it does have somewhat of a basketball lean)
- lots of good info-graphics, tables, checklists, pictures, etc so you are not just reading listlessly
- good information for all levels of coaching
- the list goes on and on - this is quite possibly the best book I have bought from Amazon so far

Cons:
- Big (over 500 pages)
- Would like to see more info in the "practice as games (paraphrase)" section
- Some information in the supplement breakdown is contrary to the information I am familiar with

** Added Bonus **
Apparently this book is also the curriculum for a college course, so whether you are just thinking about buying it and want more information, or you already own it and want a "quick reference" there is a very good support site here:
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I have read several books on coaching, and this is by far, the most comprehensive. It is easy to read and quite informative. Covers areas including self-assessment, tactical and technical coaching, practices, psychology, communication (with players, officials, even assistant coaches!), staff management, and even record keeping!

Tremendous acquisition for any serious coach, very good details on how to know your athletes for better performance.

This item arrived in the condition the seller said it would. Fast and reliable service. Very Pleased.

When you coach any particular sport, are you fearful of sending improper messages to your players? Do you feel that your players respect you as a coach? Can you say the right thing to your players to help motivate them to achieve success in the sport they play? Do you need a book to explain how to do all of the above? If so, this is the book to get.

The book showed up in time it's a good product and so far only has minimal writing in it. Over all I am satisfied with my purchase.

Everything went smoothly. It arrived on time and was everything the description said it wold be. I was very satisfied.

Great book for future and current coaches as well as sports related majors, from exercise science to sports management! Very informative and interesting. Price is affordable for the book and is well worth it.