The ‘Lieutenants’ of Coaching: How Materiality Shapes Coach Developers’ Practices

One might assume that sport coaches are experts in coaching relationally as they do, after all, have to consider how their lieutenants work together in any given practice. If true, then coach developers, who coach the coaches, might be thought of as superior experts in relational provision. If also true, then a relational inquiry into coach education programmes is necessary for conceptualising learning. But previous conceptualisations of learning have neither considered relational analyses nor viewed learning as something that is not derivative from the coach. In this article, I examine how materials participate in and the ways materiality shapes two coach developers’ practices. Methodologically, I draw inspiration from actor-network theory, which is a sociomaterial approach that focuses on the relations of humans and nonhumans in practices. Methods include the ‘interview to the double’ ( Nicolini 2009 ), followed by observations during two level one coach education programmes: children and youth. Two vignettes of cones and the CD-ROM describe how social and material relations come together and shape coach developers’ practices in surprising and unexpected ways. The coach developers grappled with their ‘educator’ role so that coaches were better prepared to articulate the materiality of practices. Based on my analysis, I conclude by making a case for a material engagement with coach development.

Exploring the Decision Making Processes of Early Career Strength and Conditioning Coaches

The role of Strength and Conditioning coaches within sporting environments is growing in importance and more attention is being directed towards acknowledging the characteristics and decision making processes of these coaches. To date, most of the research has been with experienced coaches thus created a need to better understand those coaches at the early stages of their career. The present study utilised Applied Cognitive Task Analysis to elicit knowledge from eight strength and conditioning coaches with less than three years full time experience. Methods applied identified that less experienced strength and conditioning coaches operate in predominately stable conditions and feel comfortable delivering within this stability. Interviews revealed early career coaches to prioritise movement qualities and rely on previously acquired theoretical knowledge to make predetermined decisions on training content and responses within environments. A final theme generated demonstrated that connections with athletes were important for coaches to feel confident within their role. Implications for future coach development materials exploring the use of metacognition and its associated components of planning, monitoring and evaluation discussed.

Post-match video-based feedback: A longitudinal work-based coach development program stimulating changes in coaches’ knowledge and understanding

The literature regarding formal coach education and development highlights issues of transference of usable knowledge to the real-world context. This study sought to engage coaches from a Spanish football academy in a longitudinal work-based coach development program (CDP) focused on the delivery of post-match feedback. The CDP was delivered over a 23-month period through collaboration between a sport pedagogue researcher-practitioner, the Academy Management Team, and an experienced research team. The study adopted a case study design, utilizing a multiple method data collection strategy that occurred in several stages: 1) Systematic observations (Sep–Dec 2018) and 2) debrief (Jan 2019), where baseline coach behaviors and underpinning knowledge were recorded; 3) a workshop and a directed task (Mar 2019), encouraging coaches to apply new knowledge; 4) a directed task 2 and reflective interview (Apr/May 2019), facilitating coaches’ reflection on their past deliveries and rationalization and planning of their forthcoming sessions’ delivery and 5) a consolidation interview (Apr 2020), capturing knowledge stabilization. Qualitative data suggest that there was an increased understanding in the adoption of behaviors including corrective feedback, silence, questioning, and player participation throughout the CDP. In addition, coaches’ self-reflection found acceptance of their coaching delivery or a disconnect between their desired and actual behaviors during the delivery of video-based feedback. This study provides a preliminary framework for further implementation and exploration in developing coaches’ knowledge and understanding of delivering post-match video-based feedback.

PRESENT AND FUTURE OF COACH DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

The field of sport coach development has changed considerably in the last decades and everything indicates that, in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world (VUCA world), many other changes will take place. It seems increasingly likely that ways will have to be found to harmonize on-the-job learning with the formal coach education programs from which qualifications are derived. In an attempt to analyze the present and to address some directions for the future of sport coach development research and practice, this insight paper presents the summary of a series of conversations with one of the researchers who has greatly influenced the development of sport coaches over the past 30 years, Professor Pierre Trudel.

Learner-centered teaching in a Higher Education course: a case study with a recognized researcher in Sports Coaching

Sport coaching researchers have provided generous recommendations on the importance of developing coach education programs based on learner-centered teaching (LCT) principles. However, empirical studies are rare, and without concrete examples, administrators and instructors will be reluctant to adopt this approach. In this case study, we used Weimer’s (2002, 2013) five dimensions of LCT to analyze (a) the perspective of a recognized researcher in the LCT coach development field, (b) his course plan and delivery strategy, and (c) the students’ perceptions of this course. A qualitative approach was used and included different tools to collect the data. The first two authors attended all the lessons, participated in all the learning activities, and took notes in a reflective journal. At the end of the semester, they conducted a semi-structured interview to get the instructor’s perspective on the LCT approach. Finally, an e-mail was sent to the students to collect their perceptions. The data were analyzed and interpreted using concept mapping, and Weimer’s five dimensions. The results showed that (a) most of the LCT dimensions were respected in the planning and delivery of the course, (b) there were times when the instructor felt uncomfortable playing a less important role, and (c) most students had positive learning experiences, although some have been taken out of their comfort zone with this new teaching approach. The article ends with a reflection on the recent impact of COVID-19 on education in Higher Education (HE).

Coaches’ internal model of the tennis serve technique: Knowing or understanding?

The understanding of coaches’ knowledge plays a critical role in coach development. This study aimed to examine the internal models of expert and novice tennis coaches and to identify the key distinguishing characteristics between levels. Data was captured by in-depth interviews and analysed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The results revealed that the internal model consisted of seven components including the “functionality” component that has not been reported previously. A significant difference was detected only in three components of the internal model: “reasoning chains”, “concepts” and “key flexion points”. The findings led to the conclusion that the main attribute of tennis coaching expertise is not pure technical knowledge but rather the perception of technique as a whole movement and the ability to understand the connection between technical elements. The findings provide a valuable contribution to tennis coach development as it can be applied in coach education to facilitate novice coach development processes.

Coach Development: Practical Recommendations for Interscholastic Sport

In the United States, interscholastic sport coach development occurs at the national, regional, and local levels, through higher education institutions, coaching associations, governing bodies of sport, and coach developers. Although each coach development pathway employs similar instructional methods, delivery formats, and often seeks the same outcome (i.e., certification or degree), each is unique in how they educate interscholastic coaches. Research studies on coach development have examined how interscholastic coaches learn, what they need to know, and what they need to know how to do. Furthermore, research studies in sport coaching have examined the role of a coach developer in facilitating, mentoring, and guiding coach development activities. Therefore, guided by the literature on coach development, the role of the interscholastic sport administrator as a coach developer, and insight gleaned from an exploratory descriptive study on interscholastic sport coaches, this best practices paper offers three steps the interscholastic sport administrator can implement in practice to provide ongoing coach development.