The “Face” of Coach Development: A Systematic Review of the Role of the Coach Developer

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the peer-reviewed literature on the role of the coach developer (CD). Three questions guided this review: (a) who is the CD, (b) what do they do, and (c) how do they do it? Using five electronic databases—SPORTDiscus, ERIC, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Scopus—a total of 595 articles were initially found with 42 identified as appropriate for inclusion following PRISMA guidelines. A further 11 were added, via the screening of reference lists and during the process of writing, to total 53 articles. Data analysis comprised of content analysis to describe and identify gaps in the research, and reflexive thematic analysis to facilitate the analysis of the findings from the included studies. Content analysis findings show an increase in researching this role and a breadth of methodology and theoretical frameworks being employed. Utilising reflexive thematic analysis, seven themes were generated to understand the who, what, and how of the CD. Findings suggest a diverse and contextualised appreciation of the various roles the CD undertakes as encompassed by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) umbrella term definition. The discussion reveals the complexity of the role as CDs navigate who they are, what they do, and how they do it. Recommendations are made for future research to mediate knowledge gaps and move towards alignment and understanding of this key figure.

Who Coaches the Coaches? Exploring the Biographies of Novice Athletics Coach Education Tutors

“…Coach developers have received increased global attention in the last five years (Jones et al, 2023), due to recognition that this workforce is significant within sport governing bodies and the coach learning landscape (Stodter et al, 2021). On an occupational level, coach developers fulfil a number of key roles in providing learning and development opportunities for coaches operating at all levels from participation at grassroots to elite performance.…”

“…Formal coach education has sought to professionalise coaching (Duffy et al, 2011), resulting in attempts to better define and develop the coach developer role (see International Council for Coaching Excellence [ICCE], 2014). In a recent systematic review of coach developer research, Jones et al (2023) recommend that researchers seek to understand who the coach developer is and how they become coach developers. The umbrella term of coach developer¹ encapsulates several functional roles, recognised through professional standards within coach development (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity [CIMSPA], 2020).…”

“…Due to limited research with the coach education workforce, there is a need to explore the state of expertise of novice tutors and the potential development within their territories of expertise via exploring shared biographies. This research addresses Jones et al's (2023) recommendation that providing more detailed explanations of CDs' backgrounds and contexts is critical to enable understanding, evaluation, and application of research.…”

“…Coaches' life stories and learning experiences are complex and fascinating (Jones et al, 2004) and representing them through narratives is an under-utilised resource that may condense complexity and offer insight into practice, learning, and dynamic expertise (Watts & Cushion, 2017;Gearity et al, 2013). Jones et al (2023) reviewed a growing yet insufficient body of literature surrounding coach developers making many recommendations for future research that include who the coach developer is and what key stakeholders look for when recruiting or training them. Our research aimed to explore shared biographical events of novice tutors in the context of formal coach education within a sport national governing body through the use of a narrative approach that foregrounds tutors' voices as a starting point in evidencing the development of expertise (Abraham, 2016).…”

The Head Coach as a Coach Developer: A Coach Education Case Study inside a World Champion Futsal Team

“…Specifically, CDs are recognized as informed experts in coaching practice, skilled facilitators of coaches' learning, and educators responsible for mentoring and challenging their peers through a wide range of structured activities [13,14]. As portrayed in the recent systematic review of Jones et al [15], the studies focusing on CDs have investigated who CDs are, what they do, and how they do it. However, such investigations have been conducted inside formal coach education programs designed to train novice coaches, such as those in [16][17][18].…”