KINES 497A - Psychology of Coaching Summer, 2005 (June 29, 2004 - August 10, 2004) Time/Classroom:
Monday-Friday (12:45 pm – 2:00 pm), 10 Life Sciences Building
Instructor:
David Yukelson, Ph.D., Coordinator of Sport Psychology Services, MASCSA, 301 MBNA Career Services Building, (865-0407), y39@psu.edu
Course Objectives 1) To acquire an understanding and appreciation of the major issues that impact the Psychology of Coaching (e.g., from coach, athlete, and team perspective). 2) To explore the philosophy and foundational beliefs of successful coaches, and to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to help formulate your own coaching philosophy. 3) To explore ways to build a motivated, committed, and cohesive team. 4) To make application of principles and theory from Sport Psychology to the science of coaching, with particular emphasis on motivation, leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, and mental skills training for performance enhancement. 5) To learn about the personal and psychological skills necessary to be an effective coach.
Required Texts: Janssen, J., and Dale, G. (2002). The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches. Winning the Mental Game: Cary, NC Other supplemental readings will be provided.
Optional Texts: Janssen, J. (1999). Championship Team Building. Winning the Mental Game: Cary, North Carolina. Packer, B. (1996). Why We Win. Masters Press: Chicago, IL. Krzyzewski, M., and Phillips, D. (2000). Leading with the Heart. Warner Books: New York, NY Wooden, J. (2005). Wooden on Leadership. McGraw Hill: New York, NY
Grading and Evaluation: Coaching Philosophy Assignment 10 % Coach Interview 15 % Book Review 15 % Comprehensive Examination 30 % Term Paper 30 % Note: class attendance and participation is expected. More than two unexcused class absences could result in lowering of your final grade. Coach interview - pick a coach (youth sport, high school, college, even strength coach) and assess from that person information about their coaching philosophy (e.g., foundational beliefs, people/situations that have shaped their philosophy), “psychological issues” they deal with (e.g., motivation, discipline, parents), strategies they use to get athletes prepared for competition, perhaps a reflection on how things have changed over the years. Be creative, put yourself in their shoes, probe, analyze, then summarize and give me your impressions (particular weight on this assignment will be your concluding comments and summary at the end). Book Review – There are many great books on leadership in sport or business written by coaches or CEO’s that have practical significance to this course. Find a book of interest and write a 3-5-page critique, discussing key concepts and making application to the psychology of coaching. Term Paper – The theme of the assignment is from “Theory to Practice”. Hence, I expect you to do a thorough review of the literature, followed by application of what you learned from your research applied to real life coaching or athletic situations. For instance, if you were coaching your own team, how would you go about motivating your athletes? What would be your style of leadership? What would you do to build team chemistry and leadership from within the team? What mental skills would you incorporate and why? Support your arguments with relevant research, then elaborate on how you would build a successful, cohesive program and team. Note: minimal Internet referencing will be accepted so go to the library!
COURSE OUTLINE Introduction • • • • •
Psychology of Sport Applied to Coaching Motivation and Personal Incentives for Being a Coach The Many Roles Associated With Being A Coach Inspiring Athletes to Reach for Their Best Cultivating Character: An important responsibility of every coach
Developing A Coaching Philosophy: The Foundation for Successful Coaching • • • • • •
Understanding and Developing your own Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophies of Great Coaches: Wooden, Lombardi, Walsh, Paterno, Krzyzewski, Jackson Contemporary Issues that impact the psychology of coaching and your coaching philosophy Guest lectures and lessons learned from Penn State Coaches Coaching for Mental Excellence: It Does Matter Whether you Win or Lose Coaching Philosophy Checklist
Leadership and its Impact on Athlete and Team Motivation • • • • • •
Theories of Leadership (Sport and Business) Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches (Janssen and Dale, 2002) Transformational Leadership and Reciprocal Influence Individual Differences and Contextual Variables: Person (X) Situation Model of Motivation Communicating with your Athletes: It is the Most Important Thing You Do! Creating a High Performance Environment: Vision, Support, Challenge
Factors that Influence Athlete Motivation • • • • •
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Goals, purposeful actions, pride, passion, commitment, accountability What happens when athletes are not as Committed as You? The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Theory: When coaches expectations become reality Direct and Indirect Methods of Motivation Anxiety and it’s impact on athletes motivation and confidence Stress and Burn Out: Handling multiple demands and the Emotional Side of Coaching
Championship Team Building: How to Build A Motivated, Committed, and Cohesive Team • • • • • • • •
Understanding Group Process and factors that influence Team Dynamics/Team Chemistry Lane4’s Cup Model (Create, Unite, Perform): Team Building, Teamwork, Team Effectiveness Getting everyone to commit to a common goal Forging Cohesiveness: Developing group chemistry and synergistic teamwork Collective Efficacy: Team Confidence and Team expectations for success Enhancing Coach-Athlete/Athlete-Athlete Relationships Developing Leadership from Within the Team Coaching Staff Development
Mental Skills Training for Performance Enhancement • • • • • • •
The Psychology of Performance Excellence Teaching Athletes to Assume Responsibility for Their Mental Game Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance (what is it like when your athletes are in the zone) Mental Preparation Strategies (goal setting, visualization and performance planning, positive expectations and positive self-talk, concentration and mental toughness) Mental Readiness: Getting Athletes to Perform with Confidence, Intensity, Full Focus, and Composure Self-Regulation Skills: Helping Athletes Manage the High Energy of Competition Effectively Integrating and Implementing a Mental Skills Training Program With Your Team