Sports psychology Books

Book Synopsis′The Roger Federer, the Steffi Graf, the Usain Bolt of all books about the psychology of sport, packed with insight and wisdom’ - Brian Viner, Sports writer and author of Pelé, Ali, Lillee, and Me This is the first textbook to explore and explain the contribution of social groups and social identity to all aspects of sports and exercise — from leadership, motivation and communication to mental health, teamwork, and fan behaviour. In the context of increasing recognition of the importance of group processes for athletic performance, engagement in exercise and the business of sport, this book offers a new way of understanding, researching and practicing sport and exercise psychology Written by an international team of researchers at the cutting edge of efforts to apply social identity principles to the world of sport and exercise, this will be an essential resource for students, teachers and practitioners who are keen to be at the forefront of thinking and practice. Trade ReviewComing up with new ways of thinking about the psychology of sport and exercise is a challenge that we should all embrace and be excited about. Social identity research provides an opportunity for us to do just this. This volume provides fascinating insights across a number of different areas which resonate strongly with my own professional journey within high-performance sport. Its currency lies in its ability to articulate a current and authentic approach which has been overlooked in the literature. This will be a game changer. -- Ian Mitchell, PhDI have loved sport all my life and written about it for much of my career. I didn’t think I could ever see it anew, from a fresh perspective. But this fascinating, compelling book has enabled me to do just that, giving a truly valuable insight not just into how sportsmen and women tick, but also into what drives and shapes the multitudes who lionise them. -- Brian VinerThis first-rate volume offers a new and comprehensive approach to sport. The social identity analysis it presents systematizes a wide range of topics and disparate findings under a single theoretical umbrella. This will re-invigorate thinking and provide a guiding light for creative research and practice across many fields. An amazing must-read text that speaks powerfully to the crucial role of social identity in all facets of sport. -- Nyla R BranscombeSport and exercise psychology likes its theories. Unfortunately, though, we have been a little too narrow in developing, studying and applying these. For this reason, I’m delighted to see social identity theorising given such extensive and accessible coverage in this masterful book. Through their focus on individuals as group members situated and acting within the social contexts of sport and exercise, the authors really move the field forward. This is vital if we are to properly understand and harness people’s involvement in this increasingly important domain. -- Stuart BiddleLeans toward being a recruitment drive for future research with each chapter listing areas for future consideration. It is this contributory yet collaborative tone that sets this book apart from the pack and adds something special to the sport and exercise psychology space. -- Toby Richards and Dr Sean Figgins * The Psychologist *Providing the clearest framework to date on how best to utilise social identity approaches to sport and exercise, the book opens up a communication channel for scholars trained in sport and exercise and social psychologists to develop unique collaborations to further test social identity approaches, in as real-world a context as one could get. -- Dr Gareth Hall * The Psychologist *Table of ContentsSection 1: Introduction Chapter 1: Towards a new psychology of sport and exercise - Filip Boen, Katrien Fransen & S. Alexander Haslam Chapter 2: The social identity approach to sport and exercise psychology - S. Alexander Haslam, Katrien Fransen, Filip Boen & Stephen Reicher Section 2: Performance Chapter 3: Leadership - Niklas K. Steffens, Katrien Fransen & S. Alexander Haslam Chapter 4: Communication - Kim Peters Chapter 5: Teamwork and group performance - Matthew J. Slater, Will Thomas & Andrew L. Evans Chapter 6: Motivation - Katharine H. Greenaway, Sindhuja Sankaran, Svenja A. Wolf & Jardine Mitchell Chapter 7: Cognition and performance - Jessica Salvatore, Sindhuja Sankaran & DaZané Cole Chapter 8: Attribution - Pete Coffee, Patti Parker, Ross Murray & Simon Kawycz Chapter 9: Emotion and emotion regulation - Svenja A. Wolf, Amit Goldenberg & Mickaël Campo Section 3: Participation Chapter 10: Physical activity - Mark Stevens, Tegan Cruwys, Tim Rees, S. Alexander Haslam, Filip Boen & Katrien Fransen Chapter 11: Group-based physical activity participation - Mark R. Beauchamp & Joseph J. O’Rourke Chapter 12: Youth development - Mark W. Bruner, Luc J. Martin, M. Blair Evans & Alex J. Benson Chapter 13: Team identity development - Jamie B. Barker, S. Alexander Haslam, Katrien Fransen, Matthew J. Slater, Craig White & Niels Mertens Section 4: Physical and Psychological Health Chapter 14: Social support - Christopher Hartley, S. Alexander Haslam, Tim Rees & Pete Coffee Chapter 15: Mental health and resilience - Tegan Cruwys, Mark Stevens, Catherine Haslam, S. Alexander Haslam & Lisa Olive Chapter 16: Career transitions - Lisa M. O’Halloran & Catherine Haslam Section 5: Partisanship Chapter 17: Fan behaviour and loyalty - Filip Boen, Daniel L. Wann, Iouri Bernache-Assollant, S. Alexander Haslam & Katrien Fransen Chapter 18: Crowd behaviour and hooliganism - Clifford Stott Section 6: Politics Chapter 19: Comparing the social identity approach with self-determination theory - Michael J. Platow & Diana M. Grace Chapter 20: The political psychology of sport - Stephen D. Reicher, Meredith Schertzinger & Fergus Neville

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Book Synopsis"That is part of what I like in chess: it is psychological warfare at the board." Magnus Carlsen during an interview with the BBC, March 2013 In chess, more than in any other game, battles are won and lost in the mind. US National Master William Stewart is convinced that a positive attitude is crucial if you want to develop and achieve success as a chess player, and in this book he focuses on the vital subject of chess psychology. All the key areas of chess are covered here. Stewart highlights the principles of successful opening play and outlines an easy-to-learn starting repertoire. He also examines positional play, defensive resilience, typical mistakes and how to avoid them, tournament strategy, clock management, how to study chess and much more besides. This book is packed with tips and practical advice for beginners and intermediate players, and anyone wishing to improve their mental approach to chess. *An essential guide to chess psychology *Covers opening, middlegame and endgame play *Ideal for beginners and intermediate playersTrade ReviewThis is a very interesting book containing some very pertinent advice. It is, at least, an attempt to do something different within the chess self-improvement genre, and I believe the target audience will genuinely start to think about their approach to chess in new ways after reading this work. - CHESS Magazine

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive and accessible text on exercise and sport psychology for students on sport science/sport and exercise science degrees. It adopts an integrated, thematic approach and covers all the required theory, concepts and research, accompanied by case studies to illustrate the applied nature of the material being covered. The book is split into two major sections, covering exercise psychology and sport psychology, and each chapter supports students as they progress from clear introductory material to more advanced discussions.Trade Review′Clear definitions of scientific concepts are presented throughout and highlighted together with discussions relating to strengths and limitations. In addition, conflicting research is presented and reflected upon. The learning activities challenge the reader′s way of thinking and problematizing around both method and content. Other valuable educational approaches are case studies, which make the text more interesting and facilitate a deeper learning approach, as well as suggested further reading for students who want more information and depth....To conclude Sport and Exercise Psychology is well worth reading. As a reader you will find the content slightly different from the mainstream sport and exercise psychology literature and with a strong focus on critical reflection....Is especially well suited for the reader that has a genuine interest in understanding the science behind sport and exercise psychology′ Sofia Bunke Department of Psychology, Lund UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction to sport and exercise psychology Part 1: Exercise psychology Physical inactivity: effects and determinants Physical inactivity: the role of the self Becoming active: models and motives Changing and maintaining physical activity Being active: negative effects Being active: harmful effects Part 2: Sport psychology Training for competition: individual factors Training for competition: social factors Coping with competition pressure Coping with adversity: injury and burnout Achieving peak performance and excellence in competition Putting it all together: applying sport psychology Answers to Learning Actvities

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Book SynopsisFeatures interviews with Graeme Fowler (England cricketer), Nigel Owens (Welsh International Rugby Union referee), Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (Paralympian), Kieren Emery (GB lightweight rower), Mark Enright (jockey), Michelle Bergstrand (British cyclo-cross champion), Luke Stoltman (five-times Scotland’s Strongest Man), Jack Rutter (Paralympian and England cerebral palsy football captain), and Ruth Walczak (GB Lightweight Rower). The demands of the high-performance athlete are huge, with many celebrated for their achievements, and put on a pedestal for admired personality traits such as discipline, sacrifice, commitment, and focus. This book seeks to explore the celebrated traits of the high-performance athlete and, by doing so, to increase awareness of the vulnerability that such traits also present. Through discussion with professional sports people and presentation of their own personal stories the book explores obsessionality, masochism, and focus, and how these characteristics can enhance performance on the field yet hinder life off it and may even develop into clinically diagnosable mental health difficulties. In psychology, assessments are based on statistical phenomena; the title Skewed to the Right is based on the ‘bell curve’ that is shown through a graph whereby the majority sit in the middle with a few clusters at either on of the extremes. The suggestion is that elite athletes are ‘skewed to the right’ on a number of key traits that put them between the ‘general’ population and those with a clinical diagnosis. The book opens with an exploration of weight-restricted sport and how making weight is achieved through practices that become culturally acceptable in the sporting world yet would be seen to be classified as clinically diagnosable eating disorders in the medical world. It then moves on to personality traits that help and hinder – those skewed to the right: masochism, obsessionality, and focus. Part 3 looks at one trait skewed to the left – acceptance – that many sportspeople struggle with. The book closes with a section exploring points of vulnerability for all athletes and ends with a look at where we can go from here. The aim of the book is to increase social awareness of the reality of life for the successful high-performance athlete and the challenging dynamics that exist in sporting culture today. It will be of interest to psychologists, psychotherapists, trainees, and anyone with an interest in sporting culture.Trade ReviewThere has always been a fascination with what makes an elite performing sportsperson, but few have taken a deep look into what the cost of that might be. Dr Amy Izycky tackles this discussion with amazing detail and insight but also with sensitivity. If you are interested in truly understanding elite performance in sport then this is a book you must read. -- Luke Sutton, former professional cricketer and now high profile sports agentThat what makes a person exceptional in sport can also be their ultimate weakness. Dr Amy Izycky has cleverly combined storytelling alongside a more scientific narrative, based in theory. Bringing this all-important phenomenon home to us all, in such an interesting way. -- Dr Zoe Williams, former Gladiator, GP, and television presenterSkewed to the Right. Even the title of this book captured my imagination and has been well thought out. As a medical doctor working in several sports over several decades, I have been confronted as a “front line“ health worker to address many of the issues that Dr Amy Izycky has highlighted in her excellent work. The text has been eloquently put forward in this highly readable and informative book. The mental health and welfare issues of so many of our athletes are brushed under the carpet and as a society we have yet to seriously open up and address the harm that has been and is being done. Just like the government paper Duty of Care by Tanni Grey-Thompson, Skewed to the Right should be a compulsory text for any person working in sport who genuinely wishes to face up to the challenge of mental health. Amy Izycky addresses areas of controversy head on and this refreshing and necessary approach underlines that such issues should not be controversial because as a society we should be addressing them as mainstream concerns. Then we may be able to adopt good practice and truly demonstrate a duty of care. I for one will be a better practitioner for reading this highly informative, well-structured book. I believe that many more people who have been exposed to the idiosyncrasies and questionable practice in elite sport, will say the same. -- Dr Bryan English, current Head of Medicine, Leicester City Football Club; previous Chief Medical Officer at Middlesbrough AFC, Chelsea FC, The Lawn Tennis Association, and UK AthleticsDr Amy Izycky delivers an informative and really interesting insight into the psychology of mental health within professional sports. Skewed to the Right is a MUST-have handbook to anyone involved in sports. Often overlooked within the industry in the pursuit of elite performance, mental health is brought to the forefront and explored in detail that really hits home and gets you thinking. The case studies and discussions she provides not only encourage you to understand the various mental health issues that occur but also allow you to identify and highlight when you may be tipping over or, as the title states, “skewing to the right” in your own life. -- The Mulligan Brothers, Inspirational Change documentary makers‘An exploration of the liminal space where sporting achievement and mental ill health are uncomfortable bedfellows, this book feels long overdue. [...] Izycky asks difficult questions, explores paradoxes, isn’t afraid to draw a conclusion where it’s warranted but is equally comfortable to sit with not-knowing. She writes with clarity, explaining key concepts and addressing issues that appertain far beyond the sports field alone.’ -- Nick Campion, Therapy Today, March 2022Table of ContentsAbout the author Acknowledgements Introduction Where it all began Part I Weight-restricted sport 1. Rowing with Kieren Emery, GB lightweight rower 2. Horseracing with Mark Enright, jockey Part II Skewed to the right: personality traits that help and hinder 3. Masochism with Michelle Bergstrand, British cyclo-cross champion 4. Obsessionality with Luke Stoltman, five-times Scotland’s Strongest Man and World’s Strongest Man competitor 5. Focus with Graeme Fowler, England cricketer Part III Skewed to the left? 6. Acceptance with Nigel Owens, Welsh international rugby union referee Part IV Vulnerability 7. Injury and retirement with Jack Rutter, Paralympian and England cerebral palsy football captain Conclusion 8. Where do we go from here? with Ruth Walczak, GB lightweight rower, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympian Index

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Book SynopsisDo you grapple with the relentless demands of your leadership role? Are you struggling to balance your teamâ s wellbeing with delivering results? Contemporary workplace cultures often shackle employees to a culture of ceaseless high performance and productivity. This results in lacklustre productivity, diminished creativity and a shattered workforce. In contrast elite sports have honed time-tested strategies for sustaining peak performance, consistency, and getting results without exhaustion. This practical and illuminating guide offers a fresh perspective on leadership, unleashing an empowering, harmonious approach thatâ s inspired by elite sportsâ proven disciplines. Karen Meager and John McLachlan draw from extensive research and their deep understanding of leadership behaviours to provide you with a playbook for adapting elite sportsâ winning techniques to your own team or organisation. Discover how to apply the incredible rhythm of the rest, practice, perform cycle and explore how it can revolutionise your teamâ s productivity, performance and wellbeing.

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Book SynopsisClose soccer matches and tight title fights are rarely decided by players' technical skills or their coaches' tactical measures. The most significant impetus comes from an area that is often mentioned but difficult to grasp: mental strength, personality, and team cohesion after special victories. Using current scientific knowledge and illustrated by many examples, this book describes the mental and cognitive processes that determine victory and defeat in soccer. Several interviews with well-known soccer coaches, managers and former players complement these findings from psychology and sport science.It deals with phenomena such as the home field advantage, creativity on the field, extreme emotional situations, the limits of visual perception, group dynamics and modern leadership. Well-known myths (e.g. Don't let the player who has been fouled shoot the penalty) will be discussed and debunked. Every soccer enthusiast should read this book in order to understand which phenomena can genuinely be game-changing and which ones cannot.Table of ContentsFaith and Knowledge.- Art and Intelligence.- Friends and Enemies.- Power and Powerlessness.- Illusion and Reality.- Red Light and Yellow Fever.- Perception and Deception.- Pressure and Failure.- Harmony and Drama.- Risk and Side Effects.

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Book SynopsisMindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness Acceptance Commitment (MAC) are gaining momentum with sport psychology practitioners who work to support elite athletes. These acceptance-based, or third wave, cognitive behavioral approaches in sport psychology highlight that thought suppression and control techniques can trigger a metacognitive scanning process, and that excessive cognitive activity and task-irrelevant focus (self-focused attention such as trying to change thoughts) disrupts performance. Using this perspective, the aim of sport psychology interventions is not to help the athletes engage in the futile task of managing and controlling internal life. Rather, it suggests that sport psychology practitioners should work to increase athletes' willingness to accept negative thoughts and emotions in pursuit of valued ends. Key aspects of such interventions include: teaching athletes to open up andTable of Contents1. Mindfulness and Acceptance Approaches: Do They Have a Place in Elite Sport?Kristoffer Henriksen, Peter Haberl, Amy Baltzell, Jakob Hansen, Daniel Birrer, and Carsten Hvid LarsenSection I: How to Work with the Key Processes of Mindfulness and Acceptance in Elite Sport2. Helping Athletes Make Good Decisions through The Sport Lifeline and Functional AnalysisGustaf Reinebo, Kristoffer Henriksen and Tobias Lundgren3. Helping Athletes Clarify their Values and Become Grounded in Their Sport Venture Carsten Hvid Larsen, Gustaf Reinebo and Tobias Lundgren4. Helping Athletes be Present when Performing under PressureJakob Hansen and Peter Haberl5. Helping Athletes Defuse and Accept: Thoughts and Emotions Are Not the EnemiesDaniel Birrer, Greg Diment, and Olivier Schmid 6. Helping Athletes Commit to Action: Cold Feet, Crying Babies, and Early Morning Training Mark W. Aoyagi and Jessica D. BartleySection II: Applied Cases, Good Examples and Consultant Struggles7. Losing Motivation, Career Termination, Reboot and an Olympic Medal: Working with a Swimmer in the Year Leading up to the Olympics Carsten Hvid Larsen and Kristoffer Henriksen8. Mindful of a New Role: An ACT Based Sport Psychology Course for CoachesSøren Svane Hoyer, Astrid Becker-Larsen, Jakob Hansen and Kristoffer Henriksen9. Keeping your Eyes Closed and on the Ball: Mindfulness in Professional Sports in the United StatesMark W. Aoyagi and Jonathan Fader10. ACT for Adolescent Athletes: A Case Study with a Young Basketball Player Kristel Kiens and Carsten Hvid Larsen 11. Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement in Action: A Case Study with an Elite Football Academy Amy L. Spencer, Keith A. Kaufman, Carol R. Glass, and Timothy R. Pineau12. Caught in the Trap of Trying to Repeat Success. Sport Psychology Support for the Swedish Men’s Handball Team in the Rio de Janeiro OlympicsJohan Ekengren13. Mindfulness-training in Professional SoccerAnders Meland14. Nature as a Source to Gain Perspective and Experience Awe Anne Marte Pensgaard15. Self-Compassion in Sport for Courage and PerformanceAmy Baltzell, Philip Röthlin and Göran Kenttä16. When Disaster Hits: Helping the Injured Athlete to Accept and RefocusJohn Baranoff and Renee Appaneal17. East meets West: Mindfulness Intervention in Hong Kong Elite Sport SettingHin Yue LI (Henry) and Ning SU18. Taking our own Medicine: The Mindful Sport Psychology Practitioner in High Pressure EventsKristoffer Henriksen, Carsten Hvid Larsen, and Jakob Hansen

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Book SynopsisThe phenomenal international number one bestseller with exclusive interviews with Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, The Jersey is the definitive story behind the greatest sports team on the planet.‘Extremely well written. Compelling, accurate, insightful and brilliant in the way it captures the New Zealand way’ – John Hart, former All Blacks coach.With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world?Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than forty years, was given exclusive access to all the key figures in New Zealand rugby as he set out to understand the secrets behind the All Blacks success. Peter talked at length with ninety people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick.The Jersey goes to the heart of the All Blacks success. It is also an epic story of not just a rugby team but a nation, whose identities are inextricably linked.

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Book SynopsisSAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training examines what it takes to be as mentally fit as a special forces soldier. The book explains why it is equally important to focus on stress management and mental discipline as it is to concentrate on push-ups, sit-ups and other physical exercises. Using simple steps, the book shows the reader how they can build up their endurance over a matter of weeks and months, and how their quality of life will benefit. SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training demonstrates how you can gain the psychological edge over your opponent, as well as ready yourself for critical challenges ahead. Whether you are competing in unarmed combat sports, running a marathon or just looking to get ahead, SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training will have helpful and practical advice for you. The book includes a number of military training programmes designed to assess a trainee’s fitness for the arduous life of a combat soldier, as well as chapters on leadership, battle tactics, escape and survival techniques, and improving intelligence and concentration. SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training is an essential guide to testing and improving mental agility and resilience in the modern combat environment. Table of Contents1. Will to Survive 2. Handling Combat Stress 3. Recruitment and Training 4. Intelligence and Concentration 5. Building a Team Mind 6. Leadership 7. Battle Tactics 1: Handling Major Manoeuvres 8. Battle Tactics 2: Counter-insurgency 9. Detention, Escape, Survival 10. Peacekeeping and Diplomacy 11. Future Wars

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Book SynopsisFinally! There is A Mental Toughness Book For Young Athletes!Moses and Troy Horne here. Your mental toughness guides! If you are reading this you probably have a young athlete who struggles with in-game stress and maybe even sports performance anxiety. That is why this version was mostly written by Moses. As of the time of the writing of this book Moses Horne is a 15-year-old elite athlete who can talk directly about the triumphs and struggles of working towards being mentally tough. This is the only book that I know of with input from an actual young athlete.My name is Troy Horne. I''m his dad. I am here to help the parents understand how to help their kiddos navigate this mental toughness journey. For more on that make sure that you pick up the Parent''s guide version of this book - Mental Toughness for Young Athletes: Eight Proven 5-Minute Mindset Exercises For Kids And Teens In Competitive Sports (Parent''s Guide) It''s super necessary. We know

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Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times bestseller that has all America talking—with a new afterword on expanding your range—as seen on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, Morning Joe, CBS This Morning, and more. “The most important business—and parenting—book of the year.” —Forbes “Urgent and important. . . an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance.” —Daniel H. Pink  Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year AwardPlenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Gareth Southgate's secret weapon' - Guardian'A copy of Eastwood's new book, Belonging, was given to every England player when they reported for duty at the European Championships' - TelegraphIn BELONGING Owen Eastwood reveals, for the first time, the ethos that has made him one of the most in-demand Performance Coaches in the world. Drawing on his own Maori ancestry, Owen weaves together insights from homo sapiens' evolutionary story and our collective wisdom. He shines a light on where these powerful ideas are applied around the world in high-performing settings encompassing sport, business, the arts and military.Whakapapa is a Maori idea which embodies our universal human need to belong. It represents a powerful spiritual belief - that each of us is part of an unbroken and unbreakable chain of people who share a sacred identity. Owen places this concept at the core of his methods to maximise a team's performance.Aspects of Owen's unique approach include: finding your identity story; defining a shared purpose; visioning future success; sharing ownership with others; understanding the 'silent dance' that plays out in groups; setting the conditions to unleash talent; and converting our diversity into a competitive advantage.Whakapapa. You belong here.'How Maori belief is driving the England team to seize the moment' - Sunday Telegraph'Belonging is a must-read for anyone interested in building a long term high-performing team' - Stuart Lancaster'One of the wisest books about winning you'll ever read... Powerful lessons beautifully expressed' - James Kerr'Owen's work and outlook really resonate with me. His philosophy has real depth and value. [It's] so of the moment - at just the right time, at just the right place, with just the right message' - Simon Mundie'Belonging reminds of us of who we really are and what is most important' Kieran ReadTrade ReviewGareth Southgate's secret weapon * Guardian *A copy of Eastwood's new book, Belonging, was given to every England player when they reported for duty at the European Championships * Telegraph *How Maori belief is driving the England team to seize the moment * Sunday Telegraph *Belonging is a must-read for anyone interested in building a long term high-performing team * Stuart Lancaster *One of the wisest books about winning you'll ever read... Powerful lessons beautifully expressed * James Kerr *Owen's work and outlook really resonate with me. His philosophy has real depth and value. [It's] so of the moment - at just the right time, at just the right place, with just the right message * Simon Mundie *

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Book SynopsisWhether in basketball, football, or MMA, athletes talk trash to each other-and sometimes to fans-like it's their job. And in some ways, it is: sports only matter if we decide to care about them. And insulting your opponent, or playing the heel, is probably the fastest route to making someone care. Talking smack is as old as the bible; it's perhaps the original sport.But until now, there's never been a book about it.In this lively, often hilarious history, Rafi Kohan interviews some of the world's top competitors-on the petty rivalries and mind games that fuel them. He talks to point guards and soccer strikers, cricketers and insult comedians, forming a theory along the way about the surprising and influential role that name-calling plays in our world.Brilliantly original and wide-ranging, Trash Talk is a book for sports fans, culture mavens, or anyone looking to get an edge.

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Book SynopsisThere is a looming existential crisis for competitive sport. We are witnessing a waning trust in the integrity of sport at all levels that stems from the win-at-all-costs culture that has become so pervasive, worldwide. Doping, fraud, corruption and inhumane high-performance systems as well as worrying levels of dropout, burnout and mental health problems among athletes, all points to the fact that sport has lost track of its true meaning and is increasingly out of touch with its core values. What is needed is a powerful counterpoint to this results-focussed culture, one which goes far deeper than the superficial realm of wins, losses, medals and fame, and that provides a roadmap for athletes to discover deeper meaning and achieve more in their sporting lives. The True Athlete Philosophy is that counterpoint. This is an approach that harnesses the best of sport - the persistent drive for excellence, constant innovation, unmatched opportunities for personal development - and puts it firmly in service of the participants and society as a whole. Sport can be a tremendous tool for unlocking potential and thriving in life, but currently it is not coming close to delivering on that promise. Drawing on a combination of ancient wisdom and modern psychology, The True Athlete Philosophy explores how athletes can harness their lived experience of sport to contribute to a healthy, meaningful and fulfilled life and be of greater benefit to their community.Table of ContentsPart 1. Introducing the True Athlete Philosophy 1. The Burning Platform What Use is a Philosophical Framework? Introducing the True Athlete Philosophy Higher Purpose of Sport Definition of a True Athlete Part 2. The Virtues of the True Athlete Philosophy 2. Treat yourself and others with compassion 3. Live with integrity 4. Acknowledge and embrace responsibility for your own journey and that of your community 5. Grow your awareness in the present moment and of what truly matters in life Part 3. Mental-Emotional Strategies and Practices for Cultivating the True Athlete Virtues 6. Introduction and Mindfulness Meditation 7. The Athlete Identity -Knowing your core values and how to live them -Embrace vulnerability 8. The Stoic Approach -The controllables - preparation, effort, attitude -Acceptance and defusion -Gratitude 9. Love and Connection -Developing self-compassion -Love vs fear reframing -The power of nature connectedness 10. Reflection and Conclusion -Reflection -Create a personal motto, credo or oath -Final Thoughts

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Book SynopsisThis is Your Brain on Sports is the book for sports fans searching for a deeper understanding of the games they watch and the people who play them.  Sports Illustrated executive editor and bestselling author L. Jon Wertheim teams up with Tufts psychologist Sam Sommers to take readers on a wild ride into the inner world of sports.  Through the prism of behavioral economics, neuroscience, and psychology, they reveal the hidden influences and surprising cues that inspire and derail us—on the field and in the stands—and by extension, in corporate board rooms, office settings, and our daily lives.  In this irresistible narrative romp, Wertheim and Sommers usher us from professional football to the NBA to Grand Slam tennis, from the psychology of athletes self-handicapping their performance in the boxing ring or the World Series, to an explanation of why even the glimpse of a finish line can lift us beyond ordinary physical limits.  They explore why Tom Brady and other starting NFL quarterbacks all seem to look like fashion models; why fans of teams like the Cubs, Mets, and any franchise from Cleveland love rooting for a loser; why the best players make the worst coaches; why hockey goons (and fans) would rather fight at home than on the road; and why the arena t-shirt cannon has something to teach us about human nature.  In short, this book is an entertaining and thought-provoking journey into how psychology and behavioral science collide with the universe of wins-and-losses, coaching changes, underdogs, and rivalry games.— Boston Globe, Best Books of 2016, Sports

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Book SynopsisAt the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Great Britain ranked thirty-sixth in the medals table, finishing below countries like Algeria, Belgium and Kazakhstan. It was their worst ever record, a dismal performance labelled a national disgrace. But then something happened. In Sydney in 2000 and then Athens in 2004, Team GB achieved a much more respectable tenth place. By 2016, in Rio, they finished second, above China and Russia, with sixty-seven medals. How have they so convincingly reversed their fortunes?In Game Changers we meet the coaches and sports scientists who rethink how sport is analysed and understood, how athletes train and perform under pressure. In Liverpool in the 1980s, a motley group - a mathematician, a physiologist, a psychologist and a former Olympic basketball player - began to pioneer new ways of tracking performance. Over the decades that followed, performance analysis came of age, becoming an essential component of any elite team, from English Premier Le

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Book SynopsisSport psychology is the scientific study of people and their behaviours in sport contexts and the practical application of that knowledge. Sport psychologists identify principles and guidelines that professionals can use to help adults and children participate in and benefit from sport and exercise activities in both team and individual environments. Sport psychologists have two objectives in mind: (a) to understand how psychological factors affect an individual''s physical performance and (b) to understand how participation in sport and exercise affects a person''s psychological development, health and well-being. This important book gathers the latest research from around the globe in the study of this dynamic field and highlights such topics as: gender role conflict among female rugby players, stress in young athletes, sport and spirituality, supplementation in bodybuilding, performing under pressure, measuring sport spectators'' coping strategies, and others.

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Book SynopsisSport psychology is the study of a person''s behaviour in sport. It is also a specialisation within the brain psychology and kinesiology that seeks to understand psychological/mental factors that affect performance in sports, physical activity, and exercise and apply these to enhance individual and team performance. This book presents current research in the study of sport psychology including such topics as the social and environmental influences on athletic motivation; superstitious beliefs on athlete''s cognitive and affective responses; socio-psychological risk among at-risk student athletes; and mental toughness in sports.

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Book SynopsisThe present compilation marks the fifth consecutive year that Athletic Insight has teamed with Nova Science on the development of a compendium of writings from the journal. This year''s contributions feature a series of international scholars from Canada, the United States, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Norway, and Israel. Upon review of these submissions, one also finds an interesting turn on the part of the journal -- that over half of the submissions are from outside of North America. More broadly speaking, submissions were received from five continents, excluding the Arctic and Antarctica. Dissect the submissions further and you will recognise several senior authors within these submissions, including Ronnie Lidor, Craig Wrisberg, Diane Gill, David Lavallee, Theodore Butryn, Tatiana Ryba, and several more. Personally, I am quite excited by the series of authors and diversity in topic matter found in this compendium. I dare say that this year''s compendium is the strongest offered by Athletic Insight to date. On behalf of the publisher and the editorial staff, I hope you enjoy the chapters that follow. What follows is a brief review of the contributions found in this compendium and then the accepted publications from 2013. Robert Schinke, Ed.D., Editor of Athletic Insight Canada Research Chair in Multicultural Sport and Physical Activity.

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Book SynopsisThe Greek philosopher Aristotle first suggested the earth could be divided into types of climatic zones, based on their distance from the equator. The region nearest the equator was termed the Torrid Zone and was considered uninhabitable. However, almost half of the world''s population now live, exercise and regularly compete in this Torrid Zone, which in modern times, we recognise as the tropics. This book is the first text to report the mechanisms, interventions, implications and practical considerations of sport, exercise and physical activity in the tropics. Tropical conditions impose a unique blend of challenges to human physical performance and these areas are thoroughly interrogated in this monograph. Pertinent commentaries of physiology, behaviour, sports and physical activity considerations in hot, humid, tropical conditions are provided. These are additionally supported by peer-reviewed cutting edge research articles to maximise performance in the tropics.

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Book SynopsisI welcome you to the 2014 accepted writings of Athletic Insight. The ordering of papers does not match with the sequence in which they were released. Rather, I chose to do something a little different in this, my final year as Editor and Chief of Athletic Insight. What the reader finds in this most recent compendium of Athletic Insight writings is nineteen papers, beginning with the most recently accepted as parts of the Autumn, 2014 edition of the journal. Afterward, I reordered the remaining accepted papers so that they made the whole of the book more coherent to the readership. Briefly, there were a significant number of papers submitted to Athletic Insight from India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Sweden, Norway, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Several of these papers were screened out even before they were sent out to editorial board members or guest reviewers for a thorough peer evaluation. Those that were deemed acceptable were then farmed out to scholars well versed in the various topics submitted to the journal. The topics submitted spanned coaching, motor learning and sport psychology intersections, youth sport, elite amateur sport, professional sport, cultural sport psychology, and various aspects relating to exercise psychology. This diversity in subject matter confirms what I have always known that Athletic Insight is inclusive and open to a breadth of topics, critical scholarship, and emerging and contentious issues pertinent today within the sphere of sport and exercise psychology.

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Book SynopsisThis is an interactive manual organised in six sections: beating the players you hate to play, dealing with pressure, handling the things that you can''t control, enjoying doubles, managing when your game falls apart, and staying in the game. Each section is filled with detailed chapters full of interactive tips and drills that lead the player through self-evaluation and the development of on-court strategies for a better game. This book is designed to help a player identify his or her talents and then take advantage of those skills to win more matches. All players who read the book will benefit from the dual psychologist/coach perspective and will find themselves building confidence, improving focus, managing anxiety, and increasing motivation, attributes that are the key to winning more matches.

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Book SynopsisWant to be a better gymnast? Want the mental skills needed to stay focused and the physical skills to maximise your success? Then this is the guide to improving your performance potential. Co-authors Karen D Cogan, sport psychologist and Peter Vidmar, Olympic Gold Medalist -- have combined their experience and expertise to create a teaching guide for aspiring gymnasts of all ages. Many gymnasts have the physical attributes, but often lack the mental skills needed for peak performance level. In this book, Olympians Shannon Miller, Amanda Borden, Jaycie Phelps, Kerri Strug, and Tim Daggett discuss how they used mental skills to become champions.

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Book SynopsisIf you have ever watched a champion make that impossible three-point shot in the game''s final seconds, you know that mental skills are absolutely critical to all-around success, on and off the court. No one understands this better than coaching legend Dale Brown and renowned sport consultant Dr Kevin Burke, the co-authors of this book. Together, they share their expertise and techniques to bring the mental aspect of the game under every player''s control. They stress preparation, practice, and performance in attaining these vital psychological skills: Concentration; Teamwork; Relaxation; Confidence; Strong Ethics and Fair Play. This book gives players the tools to improve their mental game plan; a way for coaches to teach successful psychology techniques; and a way for parents to be supportive and involved in a player''s development.

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Book SynopsisThe landscape of cultural sport psychology research is relatively unchartered and this book is one of the first to guide readers in the emergent field. The contributing authors are recognised world-wide as leading experts in their respective areas of research. The chapters in this collection examine the impact of the turn to culture on sport and exercise psychology and offer new directions in the theory and practice of psychological research in the field.

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Trade Review...an exciting, thought-provoking look at human excellence in sport and performance and worthwhile to read. * PsycCRITIQUES, June 2013 *This is a useful resource on key issues and insights in sport and performance psychology. As the first volume in the series to examine research and practice related to the psychology of excellent performance, this book is a unique contribution to the field. Domains such as dance, music, theatre, business, executive coaching, the military, and education are discussed in the context of psychology of performance excellence. Because of the breadth and depth of its information, this book is most suitable for graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in sport and performance psychology. * Doody's Notes, Jan 2013 *I urge readers to get a copy of this valuable book... ... a pioneering work in a new field, and its editor and 70 contributors have provided us with information and original research not available anywhere [else]. * Biz India, June 2013 *This handbook is an invaluable reference work for anyone interested in the science of performance excellence, be they graduate students, researchers, coaches or professionals. * Psychology Learning and Teaching, August 2013 *Table of ContentsPreface ; Part One: The Nature and Scope of Sport and Performance Psychology ; 1. History of Sport and Performance Psychology ; Alan S. Kornspan ; 2. The Psychology of Performance in Sport and Other Domains ; Kate F. Hays ; 3. Sport and Performance Psychology: Ethical Issues ; Doug Hankes ; 4. The Role of Superior Performance Intelligence in Sustained Success ; Graham Jones ; 5. Performance Psychology in the Performing Arts ; Sanna M. Nordin-Bates ; Part Two: Individual Psychological Processes in Performance ; 6. Concentration: Attention and Performance ; Aidan Moran ; 7. Conscious and Unconscious Awareness in Learning and Performance ; Rich Masters ; 8. Emotional Regulation and Performance ; Marc V. Jones ; 9. Anxiety: Attention, the Brain, the Body, and Performance ; Mark R. Wilson ; 10. Cognitions: Self-Talk and Performance ; Yiannis Theodorakis, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, and Nikos Zourbanos ; 11. The Role of Imagery in Performance ; Jennifer Cumming and Sarah E. Williams ; 12. Motivation: Self-Determination Theory and Performance in Sport ; Martyn Standage ; 13. Modeling and Performance ; Penny McCullagh, Barbi Law, and Diane Ste-Marie ; 14. Efficacy Beliefs and Human Performance: From Independent Action to Interpersonal Functioning ; Mark R. Beauchamp, Ben Jackson, and Katie L. Morton ; 15. Perfectionism and Performance ; Joachim Stoeber ; Part Three: Social Psychological Processes in Performance ; 16. Teamwork and Performance ; Albert V. Carron, Luc Martin, and Todd Loughead ; 17. Leadership and Manifestations of Sport ; Packianathan Chelladurai ; 18. The Psychology of Coaching ; Daniel Gould ; 19. Moral Behavior in Sport ; Maria Kavussanu ; 20. Gender, Identity, and Sport ; Emily A. Roper ; 21. Relationships and Sport and Performance ; Sam Carr ; 22. Culture/Ethnicity and Performance ; Anthony P. Kontos ; Part Four: Human Development and Performance ; 23. A Developmental Approach to Sport Expertise ; Jean Cote and Bruce Abernathy ; 24. Training for Life: Optimizing Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity ; Maureen R. Weiss, Lindsay E. Kipp, and Nicole D. Bolter ; 25. Talent Development: The Role of the Family ; Chris G. Harwood, Julie P. Douglas, and Antoinette M. Minniti ; 26. Expert Masters Sport Performers: Perspectives on Age-Related Processes, Mechanisms, and Motives ; Bradley W. Young and Nikola Medic ; 27. Transitions: Ending Active Involvement in Sports and Other Competitive Endeavors ; Albert J. Petitpas, Taunya Marie Tinsley, and Amy S. Walker ; Part Five: Interventions in Sport and Performance Psychology ; 28. Counseling Performers in Distress ; Zella E. Moore ; 29. Appearance- and Performance-Enhancing Drug Use ; Thomas B. Hildebrandt, Eleanna Varangis, and Justine K. Lai ; 30. Burnout: A Darker Side to Performance ; Kate I. Goodger and Martin I. Jones ; 31. The Body and Performance ; William B. Strean and Joseph P. Mills ; 32. Injury and Performance ; John Heil and Leslie Podlog ; 33. Pain and Performance ; John Heil and Leslie Podlog ; 34. Eating Disorders in Sport ; Trent A. Petrie and Christy Greenleaf ; 35. Physical Activity Interventions ; Stuart J. H. Biddle and Trish Gorely ; 36. The Role of the Sport and Performance Psychologist with the Coach and Team: Implications for Performance Counseling ; Christopher M. Carr ; 37. The Performance Coach ; Dave Collins and Sara Kamin ; 38. Optimal Performance: Elite Level Performance in "The Zone" ; Robert Harmison and Kathleen V. Casto ; 39. Supervision and Mindfulness in Sport and Performance Psychology ; Mark Andersen ; Part Six: Future Directions ; 40. Sport and Performance Psychology: A Look Ahead ; Kirsten Peterson, Charles Brown, Sean McCann, and Shane M. Murphy

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