Exploring the Everyday Realities of Coach

Education:A Case Study of a FA Level 2

Coach Education CourseMr Ashley Allanson

Dr Lee Nelson and Dr Paul Potrac

University of Hull

Department of Sport, Health & Exercise Science

Coaches play an important role in maximising athletic learning, development and experience.

(Cassidy et al., 2004)

Increasing importance attached to coach education.(Cassidy et al., 2006; Cushion et al., 2003)

Significant investment into and re-development of the FA coach education programme.

(Football Development Department Discussion Document for Coaching 2008-2012)

Paucity of published research into FA coach education programmes.

(Chesterfield et al., 2010)

Introduction

Empirical coaching studies have provided a ‘snapshot’ of football coaches’ perceptions of coach education programmes.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to work in the

ways the coach educators want

you to.

Can’t put it into practice. If you can’t put it into

practice, the whole process is really wasted and

that’s the problem.

All coaches came out

knowing and doing the same things because

that is what you passed at.

Chesterfield et al. (2010)

Hope Powell in Jones et al.

(2004)

Coach Perceptions

Steve Harrison in Jones et al. (2004)

Gold standard: One size ‘fits all’.

(Abraham & Collins, 1998)

“Straightforward, bio-scientific, unproblematic process”.(Cushion & Jones, 2006; Potrac et al., 2002, p. 188)

‘Clean’ and ‘rationalistic’ programmes that fail to consider the HUMAN COMPLEXITY involved within coaching.

(Cassidy et al., 2004; Jones et al., 2004)

Academic Critique

Coaching scholars have offered a range of theoretically informed alternative pedagogical approaches.

‘Knowledge-for-Action’ (Jones & Wallace, 2005)

‘Solutions’

Problem-based

(Jones & Turner, 2006)

Issue-based

(Trudel & Gilbert, 2006)

Mentoring (Cushion, 2006)

Reflection (Knowles et al.,

2006)

Communities of

Practice(Culver & Trudel,

2006)

“Offer a more secure foundation on which knowledge-for action projects could build to yield more realistic practical

guidance and, ultimately, greater sporting success”(Jones & Wallace, 2005, p. 123)

‘Knowledge-for-Understanding’ (Jones &

Wallace, 2005)

Social Complexity Surrounding Coaching

Impression Manageme

nt

Discourse Micro-

politics

PowerSocialisation Experiences

Messy Realities of a Level 2 Course?

The defenders

should press high up the

pitch

Does he really expect me to apply this within a

school setting?

I totally agree

What about if

they have a quick striker?

I only get 7 players

training every week, how can I apply

this session?

I wouldn’t coach it that

way. My players

would be bored

I’m not convinced

this is meeting

everyone's needs???

The Coach Educators’ Perspective (?)

Previous experience

s as a coach

educator.

Own and others:Beliefs,

Philosophies,Expectations,Behaviours.

IMPACT

What do they do?

How do they do it?

Why do they do the things in the way that they do?

How do they experience their role?

The Coach Learners’ Perspective (?)

Previous experiences

as an athlete and an academy

coach.

Beliefs,Philosophies,Expectations,Behaviours,

Values.

Previous experiences

as a community

coach.

Beliefs,Philosophies,Expectations,Behaviours,

Values.

Academy Coach Community Coach

IMPACT IMPACT

How do they experience the content, delivery and assessment?

Why do they respond in the ways that they do?

How does it impact upon their understanding practice?

Summary

Increased recognition towards the importance of coach education.

Criticisms of coach education have driven ‘knowledge-for-action’.

Need for ‘knowledge-for-understanding’ of coach education:

- Describe the contextual realities of coach education courses.

- Consider how ‘life histories’ shape coach educators’ and coach learners’ experiences, perceptions, engagement and practices.

Any Questions???

Abrahams, A., & Collins, D. (1998). Examining and extending research in coach development. Quest, 50, 59-79.

Cassidy, T., Jones, R., & Potrac, P. (2004). Understanding Sports Coaching: The Social, Cultural and Pedagogical Foundations of Coaching Practice. New York, NY: Routledge.

Cassidy, T., Potrac, P., & McKenzie, A. (2006). Evaluating and reflecting upon a coach education initiative: The CoDe of rugby. The Sport Psychologist, 20, 145-161.

Chesterfield, G., Potrac, P., & Jones, R. (2010). Studentship and impression management in an advanced soccer coach education award. Sport, Education and Society, 15 (3), 299-314.

Culver, D., & Trudel, P. (2006). Cultivating coaches’ communities of practice: Developing the potential for learning through interactions. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), The Sports Coach as Educator: Re-Conceptualising Sports Coaching (p. 97-112). London, UK: Routledge.

Cushion (2006). Mentoring. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), The Sports Coach as Educator: Re-conceptualising Sports Coaching (p. 113-127). New York, NY: Routledge.

Cushion, C., Armour, K., & Jones, R. (2003). Coach education and continuing professional development: Experience and learning to coach. Quest, 55, 215-230.

Cushion, C., & Jones, R.L. (2006). Power, Discourse, and Symbolic Violence in Professional Youth Soccer: The Case of Albion Football Club. Sociology of Sport Journal, 23, 142-161.

References

Demers, G., Woodburn, A.J., & Savard, C. (2006). The development of an undergraduate competency-based coach education program. The Sport Psychologist, 20, 162-173.

Jones, R.L., Armour, K.M., & Potrac, P. (2004). Sports Coaching Cultures: From Practice to Theory. London, UK: Routledge.

Jones, R.L., & Turner, P. (2006). Teaching coaches to coach holistically: The case for a problem-based learning (PBL) approach. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 11(2), 181-202.

Jones, R.L., & Wallace, M. (2005). Another bad day at the training ground: Coping with ambiguity in the coaching context. Sport, Education and Society, 10 (1), 119-134.

Knowles, Z., Tyler, G., Gilbourne, D., & Eubank, M. (2006). Reflecting on reflection: Exploring the practice of sports coaching graduates. Reflective Practice, 7 (2), 163-179.

Potrac, P., Jones, R., & Armour, K.M. (2002). It’s all about getting respect: the coaching behaviours of an expert English soccer coach. Sport, Education, and Society, 7 (2), 183-202.

TheFA.com (2011). Developing World-Class Coaches and Players: Football Development Discussion Document for Coaching 2008-2012. Retrieved June 5th, 2011, from http://www.thefa.com/~/media/10BDB69F3D8543BEB4EFEB969055809F.ashx

Trudel, P., & Gilbert, W.D. (2006). Coaching and Coach Education. In D. Kirk, M. O’Sullivan & D. McDonald (Eds.), Handbook of Physical Education, (p. 516-539) Sage, London.

References