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Book: Successful Coaching, Third Edition
Authors: Rainer Martens
Publishing Company: Human Kinetic
Pages: 509
Book Reviewer: Scott Melville, Eastern Washington University
Price: $29.95

Many of you may be familiar with the earlier editions of Successful Coaching. The book has served as the text for The American Sports Education Program's (ASEP) "Coaching Principles Course". It has been the best-selling general coaching book ever published (more than 500,000 copies sold). I have been associated with ASEP ever since its inception back in the 70s and this past month once again went through instructor recertification . Although I always liked and used the practical, research based ideas of the first and second editions, this new edition far exceeds them. It is a completely new book, updated and greatly expanded (more than doubled in length. Successful Coaching is an in-depth introduction to the coaching profession and integrates the latest sport science research with practical knowledge acquired by highly experienced coaches. There are new sections on sportsmanship, coaching diverse athletes, managing athletes' behavior, preventing and addressing drug and alcohol abuse, and coaching using the games approach. Also new are specific guidelines on sexual harassment, sexual relations, and homosexuality in sport, making it the first book to offer written guidelines that address these issues.

Successful Coaching, Third Edition, was reviewed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE) and complies with the NASPE National Standards for Sport Coaches and the NCACE Guidelines for Accreditation for Coaching Education. I believe that this should be the one coaching book that every high school and serious club coach should have, study and used as a reference. It is not just about Xs and Os and winning games. It's about coaching young people to become both successful athletes and successful human beings.

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