Coaching is a central issue in sport at all levels. The insightful analysis presented within the book is practice-orientated, exploring the language of the coaching process in order to define the role of the coach and to better understand the relationship between the coach and the sports performer. Covering key issues of the coaching process and presenting new material on topics such as, the historical and international context of the development of sports coaching, participation and performance coaching modes, modeling the coaching process, and coaching 'style' and 'philosophy'. The book draws together the existing sports coaching literature for the first time, setting it against important new conceptual developments, and promises to have a profound influence on the nature of our coach education programs.