Coaching adventure sports is part of the core work of many adventure educators but has been largely neglected in the adventure studies literature. This is the first book to link contemporary sports coaching science with adventure sports practice. It examines the unique set of challenges faced by adventure sports coaches, such as the dynamic natural environment and the requirement to train athletes to levels of high performance outside of traditional structures of competition, and explores both key theory and best practice.
The book covers key topics such as:
Skill acquisition and skill development
Models of learning and teaching
Performance analysis
Tactics and decision-making
Training principles
Mental skills techniques
Goal setting and progression
Risk management
Each chapter contains applied examples from a range of adventure sports, including mountaineering, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, surfing, and winter sport, as well as practical coaching techniques and a guide to further reading. Written by a team of authors with wide experience of coaching, teaching, researching and high performance participation in adventure sports, this book is invaluable reading for any student or practitioner with an interest in adventure, outdoor education, sports coaching or lifestyle sport.