Suggested Education Resources
Explore resources recommended by members of the Accredited Coach community.
Coaching Better Every Season
Maximise the development of your athletes and team throughout the year. Coaching Better Every Season: A Year-Round System for Athlete Development and Program Success presents a blueprint for such success, detailing proven coaching methods and practices in preseason, in-season, postseason, and off-season.
“This is the essential guide for coaches. Wade Gilbert is a brilliant researcher in the coaching field, and I purchased this book after attending one of his talks at University. I highly recommend it to anyone currently working in coaching or considering a future in the profession.
What stands out is its practical approach, offering actionable strategies that coaches can implement immediately. It’s not just theory—each chapter is packed with real-world examples and detailed advice that can be adapted to any sport or level.
I couldn’t recommend this book more highly.”
The Resilient Young Athlete
Being in the highly competitive world of youth sports can be challenging, causing young athletes to grapple with confidence and anxiety issues, impacting performance and self-belief. But there's hope!
“The Resilient Young Athlete” steps into the arena with one goal in mind: To equip you with everything it takes to develop an unbeatable mindset and unlock a world of limitless potential.
“This book is an absolute must-read for coaches, parents, and young athletes alike. It offers an in-depth look into the psychological side of sport, presenting practical strategies to develop resilience, focus, and a winning mindset.
One of the highlights is its straightforward approach to complex ideas, making them accessible for athletes of all ages. The chapter on visualisation techniques is particularly useful, providing clear steps to implement this powerful tool in everyday training and competition.
What makes this book stand out is the real-life insights from professional athletes who have mastered these skills. Their stories add authenticity and inspire young athletes to apply these methods in their own journeys.”
Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes
Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes: Science and Application offers an evidence-based introduction to the theory and practice of strength and conditioning for young athletes. Fully revised and updated, this second edition draws on leading research to offer a holistic approach to training centred on the concept of long-term athletic development and the welfare of the young athlete.
“The theoretical concepts are balanced with practical applications, offering a solid foundation for understanding how to structure effective, safe, and age-appropriate training programs.
While the book is packed with detailed information, some readers may find certain sections dense, particularly if they are looking for quick, hands-on tips rather than in-depth analysis. Nevertheless, the depth and breadth of content make it a valuable resource for coaches, educators, and anyone committed to fostering long-term athletic development in young athletes.”
The Science of Running
There is a science to running, and now you can learn about it too! Whether you are new to running, or have conquered a few marathons in your time, this runner's guide will show you how to train efficiently, find a suitable running regime, and master the art of running for life. Includes training programs, 30 key exercises, anatomy and common injuries, a detailed breakdown of the running technical model.
“This book is an absolute gem for runners of all levels, from beginners to seasoned marathoners. Napier expertly blends scientific research with practical advice, making this book a must-have for anyone serious about improving their running technique, preventing injuries, and optimising performance.
The author has a PhD and cleary approaches running from a ‘science’ perspective, but the most notable feature about this book is the design - it’s colourful and absolutely jam-packed with diagrams. Definitely one you’ll want to purchase a physical copy of rather than the audiobook format!”
Stretching Anatomy: Your Guide to Improving Flexibility and Strength
This resource includes illustrations of 79 stretches cover all major joint areas of the body from the feet to the neck. Each stretch includes step-by-step instructions on how to perform the stretch, the names of the muscles stretched, and a Stretch Notes section detailing the procedures and benefits of every exercise as well as safety considerations and variations for increasing or decreasing difficulty.
“Stretching Anatomy is an excellent guide for anyone interested in know more about different ways mobility can be improved. The book’s really visually engaging (the illustrations are incredibly well done) and the step-by-step instructions make it accessible and easy to follow. It offers a wide range of stretches targeting all major joints, which is fantastic for creating a well-rounded routine. The inclusion of running-specific stretches and programs for daily mobility is also a nice touch. No specific information about programs for jumpers or throwers though, so that might be an issue for some coaches.
The only other drawback is I feel like you could probably find most of these stretches online - but it’s nice to have them all wrapped up in one book I can take onto the track anyway.”
The Science of Strength Training
The first section - human physiology - introduces you to the wonder that is skeletal muscle and the mechanisms that underpin strength training's demands on the body. It will help you understand how muscles work and grow, and how the resistance work stimulates muscles to develop strength and size.
The second section - strength exercises - is devoted to a comprehensive collection of strength training exercises to perform, along with many variations.
“This book offers a solid foundation for strength training, blending science and practical advice. As a track and field coach, I found the detailed explanations of muscle actions and the variety of exercises quite useful, especially the adaptations for home training. The artwork is impressive and really help in understanding muscle engagement, which is great for refining technique. The flexible workout programs are a nice touch, accommodating different fitness levels and goals. While some information might be more suited to beginners, there's enough depth for experienced athletes and coaches to appreciate the physiological insights. A worthwhile read for those wanting to deepen their knowledge of strength training, both in and out of the gym.”
Growth, Maturation, Physical Activity, and Sport
Growth, Maturation, Physical Activity, and Sport, Third Edition, is uniquely focused on the biological growth and maturation of children and adolescents in relation to physical performance (both physical activity and sport). Written by a true legend in the field, Robert M. Malina, this latest edition features new content exploring the characteristics of youth sports, associated benefits and risks, and efforts aimed at talent development.
“I’ve got the Second Edition copy, so I’m not too sure what’s new in the Third Edition… but I can’t recommend this resource enough.
I work mostly with Little Aths aged athletes, and I’ve based my whole program on the recommendations made here... Provides a clear structure for how training should evolve from U5 right through to U17”