Developing Sports Expertise

 ‘Developing Sports Expertise’ is a collection of essays aimed at undergraduate sports degree students.  It is edited by three of the world’s foremost scientists in the field of skill acquisition and it’s contributors are also the leading academics in the subject. The peer reviewed, academic approach of the book is of great valuable in an area dominated by pseudo-science and anecdote. It helps to shed light on how expertise is actually developed.

Chapter by chapter it covers topics such as skill acquisition, the recognition of talent, pathways to develop talent, coach development, organisation of practice and psychology. The book’s approach to challenging some of the universal truths of sports coaching, bring up several challenges for the modern day coach. Among others, the Long Term Athlete Development and 10,000 hour rule are questioned, new areas of research are proposed and better models suggested.

Though the tone of the book is academic, it is still written in a style that makes it accessible to a wide audience. At the end of each chapter a high level coach offers their own view on how the contents of the chapter have been applied in their own coaching.  It is this input that is of great help in enabling coaches apply the research to their coaching sessions. Eddie Jones’ contribution at the end of the first chapter is particularly enlightening, helping to evaluate different coaching activities and the importance of ‘deliberate play’.

Overall, this is a superb summary of the latest science in skill development. It is thought provoking and essential reading for every coach, drawing together a large number of concepts. The challenge for us as coaches is to put the science into practice.