Mastery Approach to Coaching
An Educational Program for Youth Sport Coaches
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How can coaches increase their effectiveness? In answering this question, Drs. Frank Smoll and Ronald Smith conducted over 25 years of research on coaching behaviors and their effects on young athletes. A sport psychology training program for coaches was developed and tested in this research. The program, which is known as the Mastery Approach to Coaching, is the only scientifically validated coaching-education workshop that has been shown to have the following outcomes:
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Fosters positive coach-athlete relations and greater mutual respect
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Increases the amount of fun that athletes experience
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Creates greater team cohesion and a more supportive athletic setting
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Promotes higher mastery-oriented achievement goals in sports and in school
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Increases athletes’ self-esteem
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Reduces performance-destroying anxiety and fear of failure
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Decreases athlete dropout rates from approximately 30% to 5%
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Produces equally positive effects on boys and girls teams
In acknowledging its scientific merit, the research was honored as one of the top 100 science-technology contributions in the history of the University of Washington in a volume entitled Pathbreakers: A Century of Excellence in Science & Technology at the University of Washington.
Where Have Mastery Approach to Coaching Workshops Been Presented?
More than 25,000 youth sport coaches have participated in some 500 workshops in the United States and Canada. Workshops have been presented to volunteer coaches in a variety of sport-specific organizations (e.g., Little League Baseball, Washington Youth Soccer, Minnesota Hockey) and multi-sport organizations (e.g., Catholic Youth Organization, Boys and Girls Clubs, community recreation departments). The program has also been offered as in-service training for PE teachers and coaches in public school districts.
What is the Mastery Approach to Coaching Self-Instruction Program?
The Mastery Approach to Coaching workshop has been transformed into a self-instruction program, consisting of a DVD and a companion manual. The 66-minute DVD presents video-recorded segments of a live workshop that incorporates several educational procedures (lecture, dynamic interaction, modeling, and role playing). It is specifically designed to teach the mastery-oriented principles with the aid of animated coach-athlete cartoons, photos, and embedded videos. The self-instruction program also includes a coaching manual, the content of which is linked to the DVD. This provides a fully-integrated instructional package.
Mastery Approach to Coaching DVD Content Outline
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Introduction
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Objectives of Youth Sports
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Orientation to the Psychology of Coaching
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Achievement in Sports and in Life
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Mastery Climate Research Results
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A Healthy Philosophy of Winning
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Behavioral Guidelines for Youth Sport Coaches
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The “Reinforcement Power” of Coaches
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Reacting to Mistakes
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Maintaining Order and Discipline
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Dealing With Violations of Team Rules
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Getting Positive Things to Happen
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Creating a Good Learning Atmosphere
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Self-Awareness
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Relations With Parents
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Coaching Your Child
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Concluding Message