Sport Books

Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisToday, more than 68 million children and adolescents participate in sport programs in the United States. Yet despite the growth and popularity of highly-organized athletic competition, controversy still swirls around the role that adults, particularly coaches, play in the world of youth sports. Coaches not only occupy a critical leadership position in the athletic setting, but their influence can extend into other areas of life as well. Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches is a practical how-to guide that helps coaches use their leadership role to achieve optimal benefits for young athletes, both on and off the field/court.It is designed to help coaches create rewarding experiences for young athletes and provides specific behavioral guidelines that have proven to have positive, and lasting, effects. The authors address a wide range of everyday concerns including motivation, stress reduction, psychological skills, relations with parents, legal responsibilities, and other areas of importanTrade ReviewAs 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 in Sport Psychology for Youth Coaches in 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 InstituteThis 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 coachSmith 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 FoundationSport Psychology for Youth Coaches: Developing Champions in Sport and Life is 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, INDr. 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 Coaches is 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 VirginiaSport Psychology for Youth Coaches: Developing Champions in Sports and Life crystallizes 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 CollegeSmith 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, MAA 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 UniversityThis 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, UKTable of ContentsPart I. Developing a Coaching Philosophy 1. Athletic Competition for Children and Adolescents: Why Youth Sports? 2. Sport Models and Goals: Kids Are Not Professionals! Part II. Becoming a Better Coach 3. Coaching Roles and Relationships: Influencing Young Athletes’ Lives 4. The Mastery Approach to Coaching: Applying Sport Psychology 5. Communication and Self-Awareness: Skills for Improving Coaching Effectiveness Part III. Performance Enhancement Skills for Young Athletes 6. Goal Setting: Charting the Road to Success 7. Athletic Stress: Teaching Coping Skills to Young Athletes 8. Mental Imagery: Using the Mind to Program the Body Part IV. Coaching Challenges and How to Deal With Them 9. Working Effectively With “Problem Athletes:” Turning Problems Into Opportunities 10. Coach-Parent Relationships: A Vital Link in Successful Youth Sport Experiences 11. What to Do If . . . Bibliography Index About the Authors

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Book SynopsisIn this book, author Gabe Oppenheim examines the rise and fall of boxing in Philadelphia, and how it often mirrored the city’s own narrative arc. Throughout, Oppenheim weaves together cultural history, urban studies, and biographical sketches of Philadelphia fighters such as Jimmy Young, Meldrick “The Kid” Taylor, Teon Kennedy, and Mike Jones.Trade ReviewOppenheim sifts through the grit, the black eyes, and the corruption to present a candid, loving look at a sport that has been so historically important in this town that there is a breed known as ‘The Philly Fighter.’ * The Philadelphia Inquirer *After the quality of prose and the depth of admiration the author feels for his subjects, commitment is what resonates most about this book. To write a book like this about lesser-known figures in a lesser city requires much, much more than would a book about Joe Frazier and Bernard Hopkin's favorite Philly cheesesteak spot of Oscar De La Hova's escape from East Los Angeles. . . .Oppenheim's book will be deservedly considered one of the last good books written about [boxing]. * 15 Rounds *Boxing in Philadelphia makes for a good read because it is a voyage of discovery. Many of the boxers scrutinized are relatively unknown fighters who had to scrap and bully and live out a precarious existence in which life was all about struggle and survival (the book’s subtittle). . . .Oppenheim’s book has an earthy, genuine, leather, sweat-and-swat feel to it. This man is passionate about boxing and has the rare gift of seeing himself, and his vision, as it really is. . . .As a fan of boxing, this writer enjoyed studying Oppenheim’s methodology. * Journal of Sport History *Anyone familiar with or interested in the Philly fight game will enjoy a fast-paced read that can be picked up and put down at will. Researchers exploring the history of sport in Philadelphia or comparable urban centers may find some valuable sources or stories on any given page of Boxing in Philadelphia. . . .Oppenheimer’s book might resonate with college-level teachers because it is, ultimately, his own narrative—and it looks a lot like the kind we see on campus every year. His story is about a bright-eyed student away from home who takes some risks, finds new interests, and applies it to the pursuit of his desired career with an admirable passion. Many of us enjoy watching our students grow and mature from their first semester through their walk across the stage at Commencement, and many teachers probably share my particular affinity not just for the smartest or most successful ones but for those that found a real passion—and it does not matter for what—during their short time with us. Boxing in Philadelphia features Oppenheimer prominently and in fact charts his own journey as a researcher and writer, blending his Muckraker impulse with a New Journalism approach while appropriating the stylistic devices from Beats and Gonzo writers. . . .[Throughout the book] there is evidence of growth, learning, and unquestionable passion. * Sport in American History *Boxing in Philadelphia:Tales of Struggle and Survival provides an amusing and thought-provoking look into the history of the inherent masculine and rough boxing culture of Philadelphia. Simultaneously Oppenheim’s book can be read as real life stories of social class and social exclusion in sport. If either of these two prospects entice you, you should absolutely pick up Oppenheim’s boxing book. In doing so, expect an easy and enjoyable read. * Sport in History *I found it enlightening and personal and valuable and smart and fresh. -- Larry Merchant, former HBO Boxing commentator, New York Post columnist, and Philadelphia Daily News editorThe book captured the unique feel of the Philadelphia boxing experience… the mystique that is Philadelphia boxing. It is too good not to be read by boxing enthusiasts. -- Chuck Hasson, boxing historian, author of Philadelphia’s Boxing Heritage: 1876-1976I read this with the gathering sense of nodding my head, and say everywhere to myself in the figurative margins: yes. -- Paul Hendrickson, best-selling author of Hemingway’s Boat, National Book Critics Circle Award WinnerTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part I: Victims of Their Own Momentum Chapter 1: The Young Chapter 2: The Workers Chapter 3: The Kid Chapter 4: The Dead Part II: New Day Rising Chapter 5: The Worksites Chapter 6: The New Old Scene Chapter 7: The Young Kids Chapter 8: The Alive Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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