PhD Mary Fenerty Schumann
Coaching today’s athletes is a challenging and demanding job but one ripe with opportunity. A coach’s impact on young athletes’ lives can be considerable. In Game-Changing Coach, author Dr. Mary Fenerty Schumann shares valuable insights for coaches who want to help their athletes and teams move toward peak performance. She presents anecdotes, briefly reviews relevant research, and, most importantly, gives ideas and techniques on how best to work with athletes and teams. Tackling such topics as communication, motivation, positive coaching, and goal setting, she encourages coaches to follow certain practices when building teams that work well together. The chapters on self-efficacy and growth versus fixed mind-set add new perspective to teaching athletes constructive thinking. Additionally, she describes specific ways of intervening to help athletes deal with anxiety, slumps, and choking.Current issues such as dealing with parents, the use of technology, and academic performance are also discussed. She explores the use of mindfulness as a tool to help coaches teach present-moment focus. Schumann’s breadth of knowledge comes from her work with Division I athletic teams, her experience teaching sport psychology, and her work as a clinical and sport psychologist. Offering practical tips and techniques, Game-Changing Coach gives fresh ideas for new coaches and encourages experienced coaches to try different things.
