Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best

Stephen Rollnick, PhD, is Honorary Distinguished Professor in the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. He is cofounder of motivational interviewing, with a career in clinical psychology and academia that focused on how to improve conversations about change, and helped to create the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (https://motivationalinterviewing.org). He has worked in diverse fields, with special interests in mental health and long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Rollnick has published widely in scientific journals and has written many books on helping people to change behavior. He is coauthor (with William R. Miller) of the classic work Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, now in its third edition. He has traveled worldwide to train practitioners in many settings and cultures, and now works as a trainer and consultant in healthcare and sports. His website is www.stephenrollnick.com.Jonathan Fader, PhD, a clinical and performance psychologist, is cofounder of Union Square Practice, a mental health center, and SportStrata, a performance coaching group, both in New York City. He regularly works with professional athletes in Major League Baseball and the National Football League, and spent 11 combined years with the New York Mets and the New York Giants. Dr. Fader also works with performing artists, entrepreneurs, businesses, schools, health care professionals, and first responders, and speaks to groups on the topics of motivation, improving performance, stress reduction, improved communication, and team building. He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. His website is www.jonathanfader.com.Jeff Breckon, PhD, is a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist and member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Based in Sheffield, United Kingdom, he provides MI training to organizations across the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America; has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles; and presents internationally on the role of MI in sport, exercise, and health contexts. Dr Breckon has worked clinically in sport and health contexts since 1992. His main area of interest is the role of MI in building a therapeutic alliance between practitioners and clients. He has played cricket in India and South Africa and played and coached volleyball and soccer in the United Kingdom and United States.Theresa B. Moyers, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Mexico, where she conducts research on treatments for addictive behaviors, with a focus on motivational interviewing (MI). Her primary interests are identifying the active ingredients of MI as well optimal methods for disseminating it in addictions settings. Dr. Moyers has published more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and has presented on MI and addictions treatment in 16 countries. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. In addition to her academic pursuits, she trains and competes with her border collie in the sport of dog agility.

• I. Motivational Interviewing1. A Different Approach2. Mindset3. Method4. Skills5. Affirming6. Rolling with Athlete Resistance to ChangeII. Toolbox7. Connecting Rapidly8. Lifting Motivation: Three Strategies9. Setting Goals and Making Plans10. Giving Advice and FeedbackIII. Around the Field11. Teamwork 1: Developing Social Skills12. Teamwork 2: Making Decisions as a Unit13. Changing Behavior and Lifestyle14. Coaching in Poor Communities, with Rob Maitra15. Connecting and Culture ChangeIV. MI Playbook1. Coaching Mastery. A Guide for Parents, Fellow Coaches, and Support Staff2. Relationships: The Foundation of Masterful Coaching3. Empathy: Becoming a Better Coach4. Overview of Motivational Interviewing5. MI Mindset6. Learning MI7. Useful Questions8. Listening: Getting the Basics Right9. Summaries10. Teamwork 1: Improving Social Skills11. Teamwork 2: Making Decisions as a UnitAppendix: ResourcesReferences

"The information age offers endless possibilities that can help teams and organizations succeed. But we can never forget the importance of connecting as people and building a winning culture of communication, trust, and teamwork. I appreciate the insights of Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best, and its focus on the motivational power of a common purpose.”--Hall of Famer Joe Torre, four-time World Series champion manager of the New York Yankees and MLB’s Chief Baseball Officer"This book provides a brilliant approach to relationship coaching that will resonate with coaches and today's generation of athletes, allowing both to reach new levels of performance and quality of experience."--Kathy Delaney-Smith, all-time winningest Ivy League basketball coach, Women's Basketball, Harvard University“To help athletes reach their potential, I try to understand their personalities, see what makes them tick, and ultimately find their ‘drivers.’ Using MI would definitely help this process. Anyone who aspires to be as good a coach as he or she can possibly be should read this book.”--Matthew Maynard, MBE, Head Coach, Glamorgan County Cricket Club, United Kingdom"I know where I will be heading the next time I am struggling to make that initial key communication breakthrough with a player! If you wish to build quicker relationships with your athletes, and deliver those vital corrections without causing resistance, buy this book!"--Matt Wells, First Team Coach, Fulham Football Club, United Kingdom"This book provides insight and instruction on how to use MI to help my athletes determine their own course of action and become the performers they want to be."--Matt Rhule, Head Coach, Carolina Panthers"MI can enable coaches and psychologists to unlock the solutions that lie just beneath the surface of everyday challenges. I highly recommend this book."--Michael Gervais, PhD, sport psychologist; cofounder, Compete to Create"Read this book and read it again. Fill it with notes in the margins and use it as a guide for 'being your best' as a coach. Your athletes will thank you for it!"--Steve Rainbolt, Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, Wichita State University"The ideas, skills, and strategies presented in this book are so applicable in everyday life that it would be easy to underestimate their transformative power. The book is a treasure trove….Essential reading for coaches, senior leaders, and executives in sport."--James Vaughan, MPhil, Head of Football and Coaching Psychology, AIK Football Club, Sweden; cofounder, Player Development Project"Having spent 15 years as a college soccer coach, I can only imagine the type of coach I could have been had I known about MI--and used it.”--Ben Freakley, MS, Head of Mental Performance, Toronto Blue Jays-