Psychology of Coaching

CN641 - Psychology of Coaching

Credits: 3

This graduate-level course examines the psychological foundations of effective coaching across sport and other high-performance domains. Grounded in the scientist-practitioner model, the course focuses on how coaches influence individual and team functioning through leadership, communication, decision-making, and culture development. Students analyze key frameworks related to leadership styles, group dynamics, team cohesion, motivation, and collective efficacy, as well as the psychological processes that shape coach-athlete (and coach-performer) relationships. Emphasis is placed on assessing coaching behaviors and their impact on performance, well-being, and development across diverse performance environments.

The course examines the role of the mental performance consultant in working with coaches, including coach education, consultation, and systems-level intervention. Students develop skills in analyzing team and organizational dynamics and applying strategies to support effective coaching practices. Ethical considerations, such as professional boundaries, power dynamics, and athlete welfare, are integrated throughout, with attention to adhering to an ethical scope of practice. Experiential learning - including case analysis, applied projects, and role-play - supports the development of practical consulting and communication skills for working effectively with coaches and teams. This course prepares students to engage coaches as key stakeholders and to contribute to the development of healthy, effective, and high-performing performance systems, in alignment with CMPC pathways.