From Practice to Competition: A Coach's Guide for Designing Training Sessions to Improve the Transfer of Learning

Practice may arguably be the most important predictive factor of athlete success in sport. As such, designing and conducting effective practice sessions should be an essential element of coach education and development efforts.

In From Practice to Competition: A Coach's Guide for Designing Training Sessions to Improve the Transfer of Learning, Gibson Darden and Sandra Wilson provide practical, research-based recommendations for coaches to help them get the most out of their athletes at every practice. Easily transferrable across a variety of sports, this guide explores and applies “transfer of learning” concepts that coaches can use to better design and structure their training sessions. When implemented, these techniques yield greater positive transfer of their practices to the game.

Featuring sample scenarios, real-world examples, potential difficulties, and helpful tips for each of the key “transfer of learning” concepts, this book is the perfect guide to help coaches answer the important question of “Will it transfer?” when designing and conducting each and every practice session.

Gibson Darden is professor of motor behavior at Coastal Carolina University. Dr. Darden has taught courses in motor learning, motor development, sport psychology, youth sport, and coaching education at four different universities. He has served on several national task forces to establish best practice standards and assessment in teacher, sport, and coaching education. A former collegiate athlete, he has coached at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. Darden has authored over 30 publications and conducted more than 35 presentations related to practice and motor skill learning.

Sandra Wilson is an associate professor of kinesiology at Coastal Carolina University. Dr. Wilson has taught courses in coaching education, sport psychology, youth sport, physical education, and motor learning. She has more than 25 years of experience training, supervising, and mentoring pre-professional coaches and teachers at three different universities. A former collegiate All-American field hockey athlete, Dr. Wilson is an accreditation portfolio reviewer for the National Council for Accreditation for Coaching Education. She has authored over 15 publications and conducted over 60 presentations related to teaching and learning sport skills.