Sports Science 8-4_final


Editorial

EMOTIONAL CONTROL
In the Leading Article, Ashley Stirling explore coaches’ reflection on their previous use of
emotionally abusive practices in the coach-athlete relationship. From in-depth, semi-
structured interviews with nine national- / international-level coaches, the author found that
coaches may be well-intentioned in their use of emotionally abusive coaching practices but
unaware of the harmful effects of these practices. The author recommends that prevention
efforts should aim to enhance the “emotional control and coping resources of the coach” (p.
635). 

On the matter of emotional control, the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden
comes to mind. Wooden stated, “You cannot function physically or mentally unless your
emotions are under control” [1, p. 183]. Dr. Don Adams, who for a time was Wooden’s
physician has stated:

In his earlier days, when he really didn’t have the success he had, we used to have
the basketball games in the old men’s gym. He used to get a little wild. He was a
little less under control with his emotions. He’d yell at the players a bit, but he never
used a foul word, “Gosh darn it!” is his strongest statement. He used to really get
after the players. I suppose this is youth and his new position. There was really a
change after he got better control of his assistants. I remember a few times when I
was really surprised because he was sort of the model Hoosier, and he had some
pretty rough, but not foul, language, chewing (players) up and down. He changed
with time and experience. [2, p. 310].

THE TRANSITION FROM ANCHORED TO STANDARD PUTTER
In the Special Section on Golf, Mark Guadagnoli and Justin Aylsworth use the first author’s
Challenge Point Framework for Motor Learning to propose a specific method for transferring
from the anchored to standard putter in golf. The context of this study is the decision by R&A
Rules Limited (The R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) to prohibit – from
January 1, 2016 - anchoring the club in making a golf stroke through adoption of Rule 14-
1b of the Rules of Golf:

In adopting Rule 14-1b, the USGA and The R&A have concluded that freely
swinging the entire club is integral to maintaining the traditions of the game and
preserving golf as an enjoyable game of skill and challenge. The essence of the
traditional method of golf stroke involves the player swinging the club with both the
club and the gripping hands being held away from the body. The player’s challenge
is to direct and control the movement of the entire club in making the stroke. … The
concept of intentionally immobilizing one end of the golf club against the body, in
a manner equivalent to creating a physical attachment point to use as a fixed
fulcrum or pivot point around which the club can be swung, is a substantial
departure from the traditional understanding of the golf swing. [3, p. 8-9]

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Volume 8 · Number 4 · 2013 iii



Although no more than approximately 4% of all golfers in all golfers in both the USA and
Europe are currently using anchored putting [3, p. 23], the technique has been used
successfully by the winners of recent major championships (including this year’s US Masters
champion, Adam Scott).

REFERENCES
1. Wooden, J. and Jamison, S., Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court,

Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL, 1997.

2. Johnson, N., The John Wooden Pyramid of Success: The Biography, Oral History, Philosophy and Ultimate
Guide to Life, Leadership, Friendship and Love of the Greatest Coach in the History of Sports, Rev. 2nd edn.,
Cool Titles, Los Angeles, CA, 2004.

3. USGA and The R&A, Explanation of Decision to Adopt Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf, 21 May, 2013,
http://www.usga.org/uploadedFiles/USGAHome/rules/Explanation%20Draft%20-%20May%2017
%20Revision%20-%20FINAL.pdf

Simon Jenkins (Leeds Metropolitan University, UK)

iv Editorial