Acquisition and Performance of Sports Skills provides students with the theoretical and practical background that is necessary for an understanding of the basics of skill acquisition and performance. This understanding is founded on the student's existing knowledge of sport and leads into the subject, using a student centred, problem-solving approach. The first half of the book examines the nature of sports performance and the second skill acquisition. There is a debate among researchers into psychomotor learning: the ecological versus the cognitive approach. Because this book is aimed clearly at students taking a first course in the subject the author includes examples from both schools of thought thus ensuring a balanced approach. looks at skill acquisition firmly within the context of sports performance takes students' practical experience as a starting point then clearly explains the underlying theories presents both cognitive and ecological approaches to the subject to give a balanced view excellent pedagogy including problem-solving tasks, practical experiments and revision notes at the end of chapters Written by an author with many years teaching, research and practical coaching experience, Acquisition and Performance of Sport Skills proves invaluable for students of sport and exercise science taking a first course in skill acquisition, motor learning and/or motor control. This is the second title to appear in the Wiley SportTexts Series that aims to provide textbooks covering the key disciplines within the academic study of sport.

Acquisition and Performance of Sports Skills providesstudents with the theoretical and practical background that isnecessary for an understanding of the basics of skill acquisitionand performance. This understanding is founded on the student'sexisting knowledge of sport and leads into the subject, using astudent centred, problem-solving approach. The first half of thebook examines the nature of sports performance and the second skillacquisition. There is a debate among researchers into psychomotorlearning: the ecological versus the cognitive approach. Becausethis book is aimed clearly at students taking a first course in thesubject the author includes examples from both schools of thoughtthus ensuring a balanced approach.* looks at skill acquisition firmly within the context of sportsperformance* takes students' practical experience as a starting point thenclearly explains the underlying theories* presents both cognitive and ecological approaches to thesubject to give a balanced view* excellent pedagogy including problem-solving tasks, practicalexperiments and revision notes at the end of chaptersWritten by an author with many years teaching, research andpractical coaching experience, Acquisition and Performance ofSport Skills proves invaluable for students of sport andexercise science taking a first course in skill acquisition, motorlearning and/or motor control.This is the second title to appear in the WileySportTexts Series that aims to provide textbookscovering the key disciplines within the academic study ofsport.

Series Preface.Prologue.1. Skill, Ability and Performance.2. Perception.3. Decision Making.4. Reaction Time.5. Anticipation.6. Memory.7. Motor Control.8. Learning.9. Practice.10. Arousal and Performance.11. Conclusion.Appendix 1. Writing an Academic Paper.Appendix 2. Glossary of Terms Used by EcologicalPsychologists.Appendix 3. Test Your Knowledge Answers.References.Index..