Cue

A cue is a concise prompt, a word, phrase, or signal, that a coach uses to direct an athlete's attention toward a specific aspect of performance. Cues are often distinguished by focus: an internal cue points to the body ('squeeze your glutes'), while an external cue points to the effect or environment ('drive the floor away'). Research in motor learning frequently finds external cues effective for skill execution, though the best choice depends on the athlete and task.

Good cues are brief and memorable so they can be applied in the moment without overloading the athlete with information. They may be verbal, visual, or tactile, and are a core tool of coaching communication alongside feedback. A coaching cue is unrelated to the cue used in billiards or snooker, which is a piece of equipment.