ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the challenges and opportunities the electronic and digital technology presents to coaches and how the software and hardware can be utilised by coaches to maximise coaching impact, behaviour change, and performance. From a coaching perspective, UK Coaching have conducted research exploring coaches’ preferences against the increasingly connected social picture. For professional athletes social media can provide a strategic way to break news, more assertively manage self-presentation, and interact with supporters. There are many different formats, platforms, and applications that offer a social media function though these can broadly be combined into the following broad groups: blogging, social networks, messaging services, team messaging tools, podcasting, video calling/conferencing, and video sharing sites. Text messaging offers coaches a fantastic way to communicate quickly and remotely with their athletes. A number of tools have been developed to foster better communication between athletes, coaches, and parents/guardians.
