Enhancing the provision of coach education: the recommendations of UK coaching practitioners

Abstract

Background: Coach education has been identified as a key vehicle for raising the standard of coaching practice. However, the existing body of literature suggests that coach education has had a limited impact on the learning and development of coaching practitioners. In this respect, it has been contended that coach educations ills might be partially attributed to the 'top-down' approach of its design and delivery. While numerous theoretically informed pedagogies have been suggested as a means of overcoming some of the coach educations problems, there has been limited exploration of how coach learners feel that the provision of coach education might be enhanced. Purpose: To build on a limited body of research that has attempted to source coaches' views about how the provision of coach education might better facilitate their learning and development of practice. In doing so, it was hoped that the findings of this study would provide empirically based insights that would invoke critical reflection and discussion in relation to how the field prepares and develops coaching practitioners. Participants: Ninety (82 male and 8 female) coaches from eight sports participated in this study. The participant coaches practiced across a range of levels and averaged 23 years of coaching experience. Research design: A combination of qualitative methods were utilised to gather both breadth and depth of data. Data collection: A total of 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and 74 open-ended questionnaires were completed and returned. Data analysis: The interview and questionnaire data were collectively subjected to inductive content analysis. Findings: It was discovered that the coaches desire to become better practitioners shaped their evaluation of, and recommendations for, the provision of coach education. The participants suggested that relevant and usable course content should be delivered through pedagogical approaches that actively involve the course learners. The coaches urged coach educators to provide a range of learning resources and mentoring opportunities. It was also suggested that further thought should be given to the appropriateness of course venues and costs associated with the attendance of continuing professional development. The findings of this study were considered in relation to relevant explanatory theory.

A little less conversation; a little more (relational) action please. A fictional dialogue of integrating theory into coaching practice

“…The wider remit here being that coach education programmes should reduce the focus on the descriptive, tactical, technical and biosocial aspects of the sport (Piggott, 2012), and instead adopt non-linear pedagogical principles to learning (Chow et al, 2006). In effect, overcoming 'knowledge-deficits' recognising that there are widespread concerns about the education of coaches in the UK where the 'one size fits all' approach stands accused of being largely ineffective in creating a theoretically literate coaching workforce (Nelson, Cushion & Potrac, 2012;Piggott, 2015;Cushion & Hull, 2013).…”

“…The impact of coach education has received significant attention from the academic community in recent years (for example see: Cushion & Hull, 2013;Nelson, Cushion & Potrac, 2012; Piggott, 2015; Cushion, Armour & Jones, 2003;Mallett, Trudel, Lyle & Rynne, 2009; Bush, Silk, Andrews & Lauder, 2013). Multiple criticisms have come to the fore, but in the main, it has been noted that attempts to provide sufficient learning opportunities in large scale coaching programmes through accumulating hours in practice, is at best considered dated (Piggott, 2012; Morgan, Jones, Gilbourne & Llewellyn, 2013).…”

“…The wider remit here being that coach education programmes should reduce the focus on the descriptive, tactical, technical and biosocial aspects of the sport (Piggott, 2012), and instead adopt non-linear pedagogical principles to learning (Chow et al, 2006). In effect, overcoming 'knowledge-deficits' recognising that there are widespread concerns about the education of coaches in the UK where the 'one size fits all' approach stands accused of being largely ineffective in creating a theoretically literate coaching workforce (Nelson, Cushion & Potrac, 2012; Piggott, 2015; Cushion & Hull, 2013).Considerations of coaching expertise have therefore been suggested to correlate with a masterful application of variance relating to constraint manipulation leading to more relevant learning experiences that can accelerate a player's expert performance (Davids et al, 2012). Although conceding that when coaches are acculturated and confronted with the 'nitty-gritty' of coaching, theoretical reference points may become somewhat blurred (Jones et al, 2004).…”

Anti-doping education for coaches: Qualitative insights from national and international sporting and anti-doping organisations

“…Stakeholder 11 agreed that cost was important, saying, "I find it difficult when, if we make it compulsory for a coach to be part of, that they have to pay it themselves." Findings from the coaching-related research field have shown that cost deters coaches from engaging with education opportunities, particularly if the coaches do not highly value the content (Nelson, Cushion, & Potrac, 2013). As a potential solution, a number of stakeholders viewed developing their own programme as more cost-effective.…”

The Open Society and coach education: a philosophical agenda for policy reform and future sociological research

“…Such findings are echoed with amateur coaches in Canada (Lemyre et al 2007) and Portugal (Mesquita et al 2010) and are further supported by a common posture in the literature that dismisses formal learning as rigid, out-dated and largely irrelevant to coach development (cf. Cassidy et al 2006;Roberts 2010;Chesterfield et al 2010;Nash and Sproule 2011;Nelson et al 2012). …”