Books Every Coach Should have.

A few things have come up recently which got me thinking. The first thing leads into the second so bear with me. I have started working with more pre-team and compulsory gymnasts which has put me in contact with a lot more compulsory coaches through out the State and Region. The one thing I have noticed is that by and large they are an incredibly energetic group. They are so eager to learn from anyone. My question is- Are we taking the time to teach them? Are we giving them direction or are we letting them reinvent the wheel? Many people have seen my lecture, COACHES AS EDUCATORS  I am in the process of turning it into a book. The bottom line is that we must continually educate ourselves and those less experienced coaches in our gyms. I know I will revisit these issues and this blog more extensively.

All education starts with a good philosophy. From both the teacher and student. To form your own philosophy you need experience. You need to be willing to make mistakes but also learn from the mistakes of others. Here are a few books where you can learn from the experience of others. Some of these books may be difficult to get but are worthwhile. This is surely an incomplete list. Please e-mail me with your recommendations- CONTACT.

•  Championship Gymnastics. Gerald George
• Modern Women’s Gymnastics. Bill Sands.
• Gymnastics- How to Create Champions.   Leonid Arkaiv, Nikolai Schilin.
• Sacred Hoops- Phil Jackson.
• Peak Performance. Charles Garfield, Hal Z. Bennett.
• The Vision of a Champion.  Anson Dorrance.
• Zen Lessons- The Art of Leadership- translated by Thomas Clearly.
• It’s Not About The Bike- Lance Armstrong.
• Psychology and Gymnastics. The Ultimate Guide for Coaches, Gymnasts and Parents. Drs. Sue and Joseph Massimo
• And if none of those work I highly recommend: A BARTENDERS GUIDE TO COCKTAILS