Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Critical introduction ... - Routledge

Foreword
I have had a lifelong love affair with books and it is always a special thrill to open the
pages of a new one. The pleasure is all the greater when the book is one I have been
eagerly awaiting, the second edition of Aidan Moran’s excellent textbook, Sport and
Exercise Psychology: A Critical Introduction. And the delight is beyond compare
when I know that I am one of the very first to read the words within. It has been a
special thrill to preview this book and write this Foreword.
I teach sport psychology at Western Connecticut State University and it is a
popular class, filling up weeks in advance. I like to think that the students are keen to
receive my words of wisdom every year but I know that a lot of the credit for the good
reputation of the course goes to Aidan Moran. I have been using this book as my
course textbook since the first edition appeared and it is well liked by all the students,
many of whom are competitive athletes at the college or local level. The book appeals
to students because it is a pleasure to read – written in clear, straightforward language
and organized with the needs of student learners in mind. Perhaps because his own
special area of expertise is attention, Aidan Moran captures your attention immediately
in each chapter with the fascinating quotes he finds from the world of sports.
Hearing about psychological issues from the star athletes and coaches themselves gets
students engaged in sport psychology from the get-go, and that attention is sustained
with numerous interesting real-life examples throughout each chapter. What could be
more relevant to student readers than watching the heart-stopping penalty shootouts
in the 2011 Women’s World Cup games between the United States and Brazil and
Japan and then reading the compelling analysis Why do top players miss penalty kicks?
in Box 3.5? Or, after watching a grunt-filled grand slam final between Maria
Sharapova and Petra Kvitova, reading and discussing Box 3.3 on Thinking critically
about … grunting in tennis: what a racket! I love using these creative examples as the
basis for informed debates in our classes, and the students learn much more when they
can relate to examples they have seen and experienced.
Student learning is front and centre in the organization and presentation of
each chapter. Even the subheadings within chapters get students thinking, asking
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