Coaching for Performance: Realising the Olympic Dream

Sarah Lee is Subject Leader of Applied Sport Science, University West of England, Hartpury, UK and an elite netball coach.Martin Dixon is a Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Professional Development, Staffordshire University, UK and UEFA-licensed football coach.Tony Ghaye is a positive psychologist and Director, Reflective Learning-International, Gloucester, UK.

• 1. Realising the Olympic dream – bring on the alchemists 2. Coaching for performance: an interview with Olympic diving coach, Andy Banks 3. Coaching for performance: reflections of Olympic diving coach, Andy Banks 4. Reflection and the art of coaching: fostering high-performance in Olympic Ski Cross 5. ‘One door closes, a next door opens up somewhere’: the learning of one Olympic synchronised swimmer 6. Stories of success: Cultural narratives and personal stories of elite and professional athletes 7. Thought Piece: Realising the Olympic dream: vision, support and challenge 8. Developing rapid high-pressure team decision-making skills. The integration of slow deliberate reflective learning within the competitive performance environment: A case study of elite netball 9. Reflections on a dream: towards an understanding of factors Olympic coaches attribute to their success 10. Sacrifice: the lonely Olympic road 11. ‘Multi-directional management’: exploring the challenges of performance in the World Class Programme environment 12. Politics, power & the podium: coaching for Paralympic performance 13. Thought Piece: The political process of constructing a sustainable London Olympics sport legacy: three years on