Coaching Better Every Season

I met Wade at a USOC coach education seminar, and was immediately impressed by his knowledge of what it takes to coach at a championship level. His cycle for continuous excellence and many of his other insights and recommendations ring true to my experience and teachings throughout my career. Coaching Better Every Season has just become more possible for any coach who reads and applies the wisdom and best practices found in this book. Anson DorranceHead Coach of University of North Carolina Womens Soccer Team, 22-Time NCAA National Champions The best sport programs have a solid plan for success and follow that winning formula consistently each year. Coaching Better Every Season is a blueprint for building just such a structure for success that coaches can apply and adapt to their specific sport and personnel. Wade Gilberts season-by-season guide is a great tool for any coach who is willing to ask What can I improve? and who is then willing to take the steps to do so. At YSU our motto is Macte virtute, a Latin phrase that commands us to increase excellence. With Wades book, you can do just that. Jim TresselPresident of Youngstown State University and Five-Time National Champion Football Coach I first heard Wade speak about quality coaching at the Hockey Hall of Fame. The message he shared that day, summarized in this impressive book, is a proven approach to building better athletes and programs. I highly recommend coaches at all levels of sport read this book and apply Wades strategies in their coaching. Greg SchellCoordinator of Hockey Development for Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club Now 47 years into my coaching journey, I am still looking for ways to improve my coaching. I just wish Coaching Better Every Season had been available earlier in my career. It is an invaluable resource filled with key concepts, proven strategies, innovative ideas, and insightful examples for addressing the philosophical underpinnings, the seasonal process, and effective day-to-day applications in coaching. Throughout the book are recommended strategies for improving coaching effectiveness via a careful blend of art and science. Read and use this book, and youll be a better coach. Vern GambettaFounder of GAIN (Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network) and Coach/Consultant to NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Collegiate, National, and Olympic teams Dr. Gilbert is widely recognized as a leader in coach education. His guidance for coachesnot just coaching theory but also applied practical adviceallows us to be more effective in what we do. Ken MartelTechnical Director of USA Hockey If you are satisfied with your quality of coaching, Wade Gilberts book, Coaching Better Every Season, is not for you. However, if you are like my former coach John Wooden, who improved his coaching every year until his retirement, this book will be most valuable, as it will provide a roadmap for your passionate pursuit of perfection. Swen NaterAuthor and Former UCLA, NBA, and ABA Basketball Player Coaching Better Every Season iss a book is for all coaches truly committed to being better at their craft. Wades insights have provided me the guidance I need to stay focused on the things that really matter for coaching and performance improvement at the highest level. His approach and strategies have real-world, practical application for coaches around the world at all levels, from youth sport to those at the Olympic and national team level. Cameron Kiosoglous, PhDUS Rowing National Team Coach Coaching Better Every Season is a must read for any coach at any level seeking to build a championship program, positive team culture, and lasting tradition. It is a book you will want to continually refer to as a coachs guide throughout each season. Jeffrey Huber, PhDIndiana University, Big Ten, NCAA, USA, USOC Coach of the Year; 13-Time USA Diving National Coach of the Year

Wade Gilbert, PhD, is an award-winning professor in the department of kinesiology at California State University at Fresno. Dr. Gilbert holds degrees in physical education, human kinetics, and education and has taught and studied coaching at the University of Ottawa (Canada), UCLA, and Fresno State. He has more than 20 years of experience in conducting applied research with coaches around the world spanning all competitive levels, from youth leagues to the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. He is widely published and is frequently invited to speak at national and international events. Gilbert is a coach education advisor to USA Football and a regular contributor to coaching seminars for Olympic and national team coaches in the United States and Canada. In addition, Gilbert is editor in chief of the International Sport Coaching Journal, published by Human Kinetics in conjunction with SHAPE America and the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE). As Human Kinetics coach education advisor, The Coach Doc writes articles and conducts webinars on a variety of coaching issues. Gilbert lives in Clovis, California.

Part I Preseason: Envision Chapter 1 Define Purpose and Core Values Chapter 2 Connect Values to a Philosophy Chapter 3 Set Target Outcomes Chapter 4 Build Trust and Cohesion Part II In-Season: Enact Chapter 5 Develop Athletic Talent and Skill Chapter 6 Optimize Athletes Learning Chapter 7 Design Quality Practices Chapter 8 Ensure Precompetition Readiness Chapter 9 Coach Effectively on Game Day Part III End of Season: Evaluate Chapter 10 Design and Implement a Program Evaluation System Chapter 11 Recognize and Build on Strengths Part IV Off-Season: Enhance Chapter 12 Close Performance Gaps Chapter 13 Collaborate and Learn Chapter 14 Recharge and Ignite Closing Repeating Success