Dr David Piggott

Background: The realisation of the strategic importance of high quality coaching to the achievement of national sport policy objectives is resulting in extensive movements to professionalise the coaching industry. Interest in coach education is therefore growing among academics and policy-makers alike. A recent review of literature in this field, however, reveals a troubling problem situation: formal coach education is important for coach learning but tends to be expensive, inflexible and overly technical and therefore has little real impact on coaching practice. The solutions offered by many academics are, unfortunately, vague and often philosophically flawed. This is particularly so when the descriptive model of communities of practice (CoP) is suggested as a prescriptive model for coach education. The first part of the paper, therefore, ends with an extended critique of the use of CoP as a model for coach education. Purpose: To provide a clear philosophical argument for the direction of reform for coach education, drawing on a normative theory of the ideal conditions for the growth of knowledge. Discussion: Starting with the argument that any descriptive (or ‘evidence-based’) model is inherently conservative, the second part of the paper offers an alternative solution to the problem of coach education that is openly prescriptive (or normative). It is the Popperian ideal type of an Open Society (OS). It is argued that the concept of an OS is a better prescriptive model for coach learning for a number of reasons. First, it is based on a logically sound epistemological theory of the ideal social conditions for the growth of knowledge. Second, it is simple and easy for lay people to understand. Third, as an ideal type, it offers a target or goal against which progress towards a better method of coach education can be measured. In this final sense, it also offers a clear agenda for policy reform and future sociological research. Conclusions: The paper makes a series of practical recommendations for reforming coach education and its institutions based on the model of the OS. Foremost among these are making learning resources free at the point of use and using Web 2.0 technologies to democratise educational episodes and widen participation in coach education programmes of all kinds.

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. Objectives: There has been considerable inconsistency and confusion in the definition of elite/expert athletes in sport psychology research, which has implications for studies conducted in this area and for the field as a whole. This study aimed to: (i) critically evaluate the ways in which recent research in sport psychology has defined elite/expert athletes; (ii) explore the rationale for using such athletes; and (iii) evaluate the conclusions that research in this field draws about the nature of expertise. Design: Conventional systematic review principles were employed to conduct a rigorous search and synthesise findings. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of SPORTDiscus, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES was completed in September, 2013 which yielded 91 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2013. The primarily qualitative findings were analysed thematically. Results: Eight ways of defining elite/expert athletes were identified, ranging from Olympic champions to regional level competitors and those with as little as two years of experience in their sport. Three types of rationale were evident in these studies (i.e., "necessity", "exploratory" and "superior"); while findings also indicated that some elite athletes are psychologically idiosyncratic and perhaps even dysfunctional in their behaviour. Finally, only 19 of the 91 included studies provided conclusions about the nature of expertise in sport. Conclusions: This study suggests that the definitions of elite athletes vary on a continuum of validity, and the findings are translated into a taxonomy for classifying expert samples in sport psychology research in future. Recommendations are provided for researchers in this area.

Objectives: Research to date has identified a range of factors suggested to facilitate flow states in sport. However, less attention has focused on how exactly those facilitating factors influence the occurrence of flow. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the specific ways in which such facilitators influenced flow occurrence in European Tour golfers. Design: Qualitative design. Method: Ten full-time golfers from the European Tour (M age=37; SD=13.08) participated in semi-structured interviews investigating the occurrence of their flow states. Data were interpreted using an iterative process of thematic and connecting analyses. Results: Ten facilitators of flow were identified, of which commitment and the caddie have not been reported previously. Twenty four connecting links were identified in the data, through which the caddie, effective preparation, and high-quality performance appeared to be most influential for flow occurrence. Confidence and concentration also emerged as key constructs underlying the flow experience in this setting. Conclusion: A central contribution of this study is the identification of ways in which facilitating factors could influence flow occurrence in elite golf. This process adds detail to understanding of flow occurrence, and moves beyond simply identifying factors which are associated with the experience. As such, connecting analysis is proposed as an additional strategy for qualitatively investigating flow occurrence in sport. Results are discussed in relation to previous literature, and recommendations are identified for researchers, athletes, coaches and practitioners.

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. At the beginning of the 2013/2014 season in England and Wales, 90 head coaches of the 92 men's national professional football league clubs and 20 of the 22 men's professional rugby union clubs had tenure as a professional elite player in their respective sports. Moreover, Rynne [(2014). ‘Fast track’ and ‘traditional path’ coaches: Affordances, agency and social capital. Sport, Education and Society, 19, 299–313] has claimed that many former elite athletes are ‘fast-tracked’ through formal accreditation structures into these high-performance coaching roles. The reasons why former elite athletes dominate head coaching roles in professional sports clubs and why a ‘fast-track’ pathway from elite athlete to high-performance coach is supported remain unclear. Thereby the present study sought to address this issue by investigating the basis for ‘fast-tracked’ head coaching appointments. Eight male directors of men's professional football and rugby union clubs in England were interviewed to examine how particular coaching skills and sources of knowledge were valorised. Drawing upon Bourdieu's conceptual framework, the results suggested that head coaching appointments were often based upon the perceived ability of head coaches gaining player ‘respect’. Experiences gained during earlier athletic careers were assumed to provide head coaches with the ability to develop practical sense and an elite sporting habitus commensurate with the requirements of the field of elite sports coaching. This included leadership and practical coaching skills to develop technical and tactical astuteness, from which, ‘respect’ could be quickly gained and maintained. The development of coaching skills was rarely associated with only formal coaching qualifications. The ‘fast-tracking’ of former athletes for high-performance coaching roles was promoted by directors to ensure the perpetuation of specific playing and coaching philosophies. Consequently, this may exclude groups from coaching roles in elite men's sport. The paper concludes by outlining how these findings might imply a disjuncture between the skills promoted during formal coaching qualifications and the expectations club directors have of elite coaches in these sports.

© 2014 Taylor & Francis. This study explored perceptions regarding the experience of flow in elite golf; a sport which is different to those studied previously due to its self-paced, stop-start nature. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 European Tour golfers. Whereas the majority of previous studies have deductively coded data into Csikszentmihalyi’s dimensions, the data in this study were analysed inductively. Thirteen categories were generated which described the flow experiences of these golfers, and these were compared with the original flow dimensions after analysis. In contrast to previous understanding, these golfers reported being aware that they were in flow as it occurred, and seemingly were able to manage their flow experiences. A category describing altered cognitive and kinaesthetic perceptions was also generated which was not accounted for in the existing flow framework, while the participants also suggested that flow was observable (e.g. through changes in behaviour). Findings are discussed in relation to the existing literature, and recommendations made for future research including possible revisions to the flow framework to better describe this experience within golf and other sporting contexts.

A(nother) conceptual model for coach learning: revisiting and revising Schön’s ‘reflective practitioner’ Dr David Piggott The purpose of this paper is to use Schön’s (1983) original notion of “the reflective practitioner” as a starting point for the development of a new conceptual model of coach learning. It is argued that, whilst “learning through reflection” has remained an important element of many coach education programmes, the full impact and application of Schön’s ideas has yet to be realised. In a new era of coach education, where the boundaries between formal, informal and non-formal learning are becoming blurred (e.g. UK Sport’s ECAP), it is argued that Schön’s original theory of professional learning can provide a simple yet practical platform on which to base and evaluate coach education provision. Schön’s original work (1983, 1987) was one long argument for rethinking education in the minor professions. He argued against damaging artificial divisions in education – between research and application; theory and practice – and replaced them with a theory of learning based the idea of ‘professional artistry’ that occurs in the ‘swampy lowlands’ of practice (based on research chiefly with architects, urban planners, psychotherapists). In revisiting this work, it is argued that his central ideas of “reflection-in-action” and the “reflective practicum” have yet to be properly applied in coach education. This paper therefore offers a prescriptive model of learning that points to the importance of developing a series of necessary capacities that enable reflection-in-action. Efforts are made to show how this model subsumes existing theories of learning in coach education and offers more specific guidance for coach developers and programme designers. It draws on two examples – the first from an undergraduate degree in sports coaching; the second from a bespoke elite coach education programme in football – to suggest how the model can be applied to ‘accelerate experience’ in different coach learning contexts. Biography David has a PhD in sport policy from Loughborough University and is currently a senior lecturer in sports coaching at Leeds Beckett University, where he works across BSc, MSc and PhD programmes. His main research interests are in developing pedagogical practice, enhancing coach education and the philosophy of research. He has consulted for a number of NGBs on coaching and coach education and is currently engaged in the evaluation of a number of high-profile coach education programmes across the UK and Europe.

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Objectives: In this study we aimed to better understand the occurrence and experience of flow in elite golf. As flow is more likely to occur during peak performances, and for elite athletes, our objectives were to: (i) identify golfers who achieved exceptional performances (e.g., winning a professional tournament), and (ii) explore if and how they experienced flow within that performance. Design: Mixed-method multiple case study. Method: Participants were 10 professional golfers (M age = 30; SD = 9.9). Performance data and participant observations informed semi-structured interviews which took place as soon as possible after an excellent performance (M = 4 days). Data were interpreted using within-case then cross-case thematic analysis. Results: These golfers reported that they experienced two different psychological states during their excellent performances. These states were described as: (i) "letting it happen" which corresponded with the definition and description of flow; and (ii) "making it happen" which was more effortful and intense, involved a heightened awareness of the situation, and therefore differed to flow. Both states occurred through different processes, and "letting it happen" was a relatively gradual build-up of confidence, whereas "making it happen" was a more sudden stepping-up of concentration and effort. Conclusion: These findings are discussed in relation to existing literature on flow and related optimal psychological states in sport. Recommendations are then made for future research into the experience and occurrence of both states reported in this study.

The accession of the ‘A8 states’ into the European Union initiated considerable migration into Western Europe. The impact upon local communities has seen significant attention, yet little research exists that focuses upon migrant experiences and identity specifically in sport. This study used a figurational framework to investigate the lived experiences of basketball among male Lithuanian migrants in the rural east of England. Semistructured interviews highlighted participants’ motivations to migrate, their acculturation experiences and the role that basketball played during their sojourn. Participants considered basketball a significant means for the expression of national identity and as a focus for their resistance to local racializing processes. Conversely, conflict with established local basketball communities and perceptions of marginalization among migrants were common, creating divisions in local basketball competitions.

The aims of this paper are threefold: first, to critically discuss the current literature that makes recommendations for coach education, especially the ubiquitous concept of ‘communities of practice’; second, to outline an alternative theoretical model for coach education derived from the moral and political philosophy of Karl Popper, especially the theory of ‘The Open Society’; and third, to consider the practical problems of institutional reform in NGBs and the possible consequences for coach education. The first part of this paper critically investigates some of the literature on coach education, especially the literature drawing on the concept of ‘communities of practice’ to make policy recommendations. The critique draws on ‘Hume’s Law’ – you can’t infer and ‘ought’ from an ‘is’ – to suggest that current recommendations for reforming coach education are misplaced. In light of this critique, the second part of the paper introduces Popper’s concepts of open/closed and concrete/abstract societies as Weberian ideal types for thinking about social and institutional reform. Specifically, the concept of ‘The Open Society’ is put forward as a more appropriate ‘goal’ against which the reform of coach education practices can be measured. The third part of the paper then pre-empts some of the theoretical and practical problems with institutional reform in sports governing bodies. It is suggested that reform may be particularly difficult and sensitive in organisations with strong amateur traditions and aversions to ‘modernisation’. Nevertheless, practical recommendations are made for making coach education more open, inclusive, participatory and abstract.

This paper aims to pick-up and develop a debate – recently published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise – about the use of grounded theory methodology (GT) in sports psychology research. The debate in question was instigated by Weed (2009) and developed by Holt and Tamminen (2010) who agreed with Weed’s basic premise – the attempt to distil an essential GT canon – but disagreed with the rigidity of its application. Despite this disagreement, what is common to both sides is a concern with validity i.e. both agree that GT, if conducted correctly, will yield more valid or truthful results than ‘pick and mix’ approaches to qualitative enquiry. In direct contrast to this essentialist approach, others have recently advocated methodological anarchism (cf. Thomas & James, 2006) as a response to the validity problem in qualitative research. Anarchists are characterised by their disregard for rules and a standard ‘tool box’ of techniques. The anarchist solution, then, is to throw out GT altogether, to be replaced by a looser, unconstrained approach to enquiry where ‘anything goes’ (Feyerabend, 1993). This paper argues that both essentialist and anarchist arguments represent overreactions to the problem of validity and are flawed in that both extinguish the possibility of methodological debate and, thus, advancement. In the wake of this criticism, a third position – critical rationalism – is introduced. Drawing on the work of Popper (1972), solutions to the problems of GT are offered and practical implications for deploying the methodology are discussed.

This book provides a comprehensive historical account of the evolution of Sport and Exercise Psychology research, charting the progression of the field from the early days when well-controlled experimental research was the standard, to the subsequent paradigm war between positivism, post-positivism and constructivism. The book challenges current thinking and makes a plea for a move towards a future in which the accumulation of knowledge is at the core of Sport and Exercise research, rather than simply methods and measurements. The result is a critique not only of exercise and sport psychology, but of psychological research methods more broadly. It will be of great interest to researchers and students working in Sport Science, Research Methods, and Psychology.

According to recent large-scale participation surveys, golf remains a highly exclusive sport in England. Indeed, English golfers are typically white, middle-class males in their mid 50s (Active People Survey, 2010). Historical studies of the game go some way towards explaining this situation by outlining various mechanisms of social exclusion in golf clubs - such as nomination processes, interviews and segregation of spaces - that helped to limit participation to those with the requisite economic, social and cultural capital (Vamplew, 2010). The purpose of this study was therefore twofold: first, to determine the extent to which these mechanisms of social exclusion remain prevalent in modern golf clubs; and second, to describe the nature of those mechanisms. A two-step cluster analysis was performed on data from 850 golf clubs in England (44% of all clubs) in an attempt to identify clusters of clubs that shared similarities in terms of exclusivity (cost, membership demographics, ease of access). Three main clusters were identified - cheap male clubs; typical clubs; exclusive family clubs - from which three case studies were sampled for in-depth ethnographic investigation. Observations were recorded at each of the three clubs before semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of members, coaches and committee members. The three case studies were compared and data were interpreted using concepts derived from Bourdieu's theory of practice (Bourdieu, 1992). The institutional structures, cultural norms and everyday practices of the different golf clubs are discussed in the context of policies designed to widen participation, imposed by golf's governing body.

Objectives: This study aimed to provide an up-to-date summary of the literature on flow in elite sport, specifically relating to: (i) how flow is experienced; (ii) how these states occur; and (iii) the potential controllability of flow. Design: Systematic review. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of SPORTdiscus, PsycINFO, SAGE journals online, INGENTA connect, and Web of Knowledge was completed in August, 2011, and yielded 17 empirical studies published between 1992 and 2011. The primarily qualitative findings were analysed thematically and synthesised using a narrative approach. Results: Findings indicated that: (i) some flow dimensions appear to be experienced more consistently than others; (ii) key factors were consistently reported to induce or inhibit flow occurrence; and (iii) the perception that flow experiences could be controllable to some extent, and are not merely ‘coincidental’. Additionally, it is appears that physiology is also relevant in flow, and these experiences may be psychophysiological. Conclusions: Based on these findings, recommendations are made including the need for researchers to move from description to explanation of flow, the use of new methodologies, greater focus on the role of personality factors, and possible refinements of existing flow theory to be more specific to sport.

According to recent academic reviews, formal coach education courses are rarely considered important or useful events in a broader coach learning process. At present, there is insufficient research to define the nature and extent of this problem which is likely to become more important under the prevailing governing rationalities of modernisation and professional accreditation. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to explore coaches' experiences of formal coach education to determine the extent to which they are considered useless and to describe their nature. Neo-Foucauldian concepts, specifically ‘governmentality’ and ‘power/knowledge’, were drawn on to interpret data from semi-structured interviews with 12 coaches from a range of sports. The findings suggest that, where courses were governed by prescriptive and rigid rationalities, coaches found them useless; whereas, open and discursive courses, though in the minority, were considered more useful.

Evidence suggests that regular walking can elicit significant psychological benefits although little evidence exists concerning long distance walking. The purpose of this study was to provide detailed accounts of the experiences of long distance walkers. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with six long distance walkers. Data were transcribed verbatim before researchers independently analyzed the transcripts. Participants reported a cumulative effect with positive feelings increasing throughout the duration of the walk. Long distance walking elicited positive emotions, reduced the effects of life-stress, and promoted an increased sense of well-being and personal growth. Results are aligned to theories and concepts from positive psychology.

This paper discusses three related methodological problems from the point of view of a researcher interested in studying young people's leisure experiences. The first part of the paper makes a moral argument for why we should attempt to listen to young people. The second part of the paper uses an example from research with young footballers to explain how a modified grounded theory (GT) methodology can be useful in achieving this aim. Modified methods for engaging young people in discussion - e.g. mind maps and vignettes - are introduced here in the context of a developing GT study. The third and final part of the paper engages critically with some of the epistemological problems inherent in GT, notably the problem of induction. Two radical reactions to the problems of GT - essentialism and anarchism - are critically reviewed before a third way is introduced. This third position is critical rationalism and it is argued that this position may help researchers engage in GT research in a fundamentally critical and progressive fashion. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

Recently, a number of studies have argued that sports coaches would benefit from participating in virtual learning communities (Nash & Sproule, 2011: International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching 6: 149-161). Such claims are supported by the argument that coach development is underpinned by largely informal learning episodes and reflective practice. Open and accessible networks – where coaches can share problems, ideas and experiences – therefore appear to complement the existing learning preferences of most coaches (Cushion et al., 2010: Coach learning and development: a review of literature, Leeds: sportscoachUK). However, such recommendations have yet to be supported by any robust normative theory of how such networks or communities should be orgainsed. The first part of this paper attempts to present such a theory; the second part presents an example of how the theory would work in practice. The Open Society is an attempt to delineate the ideal social conditions for the growth of knowledge (Popper, 1945: The Open Society and Its Enemies, London: Routledge). Drawing on his own normative epistemological theory of critical rationalism, Popper argued that ‘the good society’ is one that is most effective at solving its problems. Such a society – an Open Society – would have the following characteristics: 1) all members are free to offer solutions to problems; 2) all members are free to criticise others’ solutions; and 3) effective criticism is accepted, regardless of status. Although Popper admitted that such a society might never be realised, he argued that, as an ideal type, the Open Society could indicate the direction in which social reformers should aim. By drawing on this theory, then, it is possible to make recommendations for institutional reform in coach education, as others have done for education in general (Bailey, 2000: Education in the Open Society: Karl Popper and Schooling, Surrey: Ashgate). This possibility was realized, in this case, via a wiki-based website as it enabled users to openly create, edit and discuss content with minimal editorial regulation. The WikiCoach project (www.wikicoach.org.uk) was developed over the course of the 2011/2012 academic year. It aimed to support coaches, teachers and students in the delivery of TGfU-based sessions. This was achieved through the website’s main structuring principles of ‘game forms’, ‘family resemblance’ and ‘common tactical problems, skills and movements’ (Mitchell et al. 2006: Teaching Sport Concepts and Skills, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics). Resource areas in WikiCoach are divided first by game form (e.g. Territorial/Invasion sports), then by sport. Each sport has a ‘hub map’ that classifies the main tactical problems, skills and movements in that sport. Games and drills are then located by clicking on a problem (e.g. maintaining possession of the ball). Because the website is a wiki, all pages can be edited and discussed, thus fostering continuous refinement. Focus group findings with undergraduate students suggests that the website needs to be more visually engaging (i.e. less text heavy) and develop a critical mass of resources before it can be considered a ‘killer app’ for coaches and teachers.

In the United Kingdom, recent research documents an over-representation of White participants, coaches, and decision makers within sporting contexts. In contrast Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are under-represented at all levels of sport: from players, coaches, and managers in sport governance. Recent research into the experiences of BAME men and women in sports coaching also shows that inclusive sporting environments, including a diverse workforce, are highly motivating for entry into, and progression through, the coaching pathway. However, significant and powerful barriers exist that prevent the progression of BAME individuals into higher level coaching qualifications and job roles. These barriers lead to the privileging of White men and are therefore described as both raced and gendered. This paper is based on a research project commissioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2014 to explore South Asian male players’ and coaches’ experiences of coaching and progression through coaching pathways. We draw on data collected from 33 semi-structured interviews carried out with a sample of male South Asian players and coaches, from two different geographical areas - London and Yorkshire - and from a sample of clubs with different levels of ethnic diversity. Our analysis showed that South Asian players participate in an environment and culture where they are unlikely to engage in coaching and, even when they do, will not feel supported in progressing to higher roles of influence and power. In the United Kingdom, recent research documents an over-representation of White participants, coaches, and decision makers within sporting contexts. In contrast Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are under-represented at all levels of sport: from players, coaches, and managers in sport governance. Recent research into the experiences of BAME men and women in sports coaching also shows that inclusive sporting environments, including a diverse workforce, are highly motivating for entry into, and progression through, the coaching pathway. The success of the England cricket team at the 2019 International Cricket Council Men’s World Cup hosted by England and Wales has already stimulated (or restimulated) discussion about the power of sports events to increase interest and participation in the sport. In that time, some aspects of the game have developed substantially, while others have been seemingly more resistant to change.

This chapter explores the career trajectory between athlete and coach has been regarded by the athletes themselves, fellow coaches and senior sports club directors to not only be a logical progression but one that is seamless. It offers an account of a group of men’s rugby union and football players based in the United Kingdom who negotiated a ‘fast-tracked’ career trajectory into a post-athletic high-performance coaching role. A proceeding theoretical sensitivity phase overviewed coach development studies and the sociological theories that had been utilised in them. Post-positivist theoretical frameworks devised by Erving Goffman, Pierre Bourdieu and Michel Foucault were found to have been frequently drawn upon to theorise and conceptualise a range of social mechanisms affecting coach efficacy, behaviour and learning for coaches situated across participatory, development and performance contexts. Theorisation of the social processes enacted by academy directors in this instance aligned more to Foucauldian disciplinary concepts of control, surveillance, normativity and docility.

The pathway between elite athlete and high-performance coach is common within English men’s rugby union and association football. To help develop as coaches, many elite athletes gain coaching experiences within male high-performance youth academies. The purpose of this article sought to gain an insight into the socialisation processes of current and former elite athletes within association football and rugby union amongst the socio-cultural context of England, and to identify why Academy Directors seemingly preferred to recruit current and former elite athletes as academy coaches. Semi-structured interviews with 11 Academy Directors were conducted. Results showed that the Academy Directors preferred to recruit their respective club’s current and former athletes as a means to govern their academy’s “club culture”. Foucault’s concepts of docility and discipline conceptualise how current and former elite athletes were judged to be more trustworthy to reproduce the academy culture in their coaching practices compared to external candidates.

The aim of this paper is to outline some tentative hypotheses concerning the relationships between stress, creativity, enjoyment and learning in youth football. It will be argued that an understanding of these hypothetical relationships is of central importance to anyone interested in promoting a positive and constructive football experience (or environment) for young people. The paper focuses on the social and biological conditions that bring about stress in young players (especially 8-12-year-olds); the impact on performance and enjoyment; and some further negative consequences for learning. The paper concludes with some practical recommendations and suggestions for further research.

The aims of this paper are threefold: first, to offer critical reflections on the fractured nature of research on youth sport experiences; second, to introduce a grounded theory of socialisation experiences in youth football; and third, to make recommendations for future research into youth sport experiences. The existing literature on socialisation experiences in youth sport is fractured across narrow disciplinary boundaries. In opting to use cognitive, behavioural, sociological or developmental theories, researchers unwittingly ascribe importance a priori to particular aspects of the youth sport experience with little regard for the views of young people. In addition to being unethical, it is argued that this is one of the central reasons why socialisation processes are still poorly understood, even after 40 years of research. This paper draws on the findings of a 5-year PhD study to offer new, multi-disciplinary insights on socialisation processes in youth football. Interviews with young footballers were conducted between 2004-2006 and analysed using techniques derived from a critical rationalist reinterpretation of grounded theory methodology. The generated substantive theory offers an abstract view of socialisation processes, where experiences are conceptualised as partially individualised responses to external influences, expressed as desires and concerns that may act reciprocally on the social context. Two hypotheses derived from the study are used to illustrate the efficacy of the substantive theory: the first concerns early female experiences of football; the second concerns aspects of enjoyment. In summary, two recommendations are offered for future research: first, that research questions (or theoretical approaches) should be sensitive to the views of young people; and second, that researchers should look beyond disciplinary boundaries to help explain what they find.

Research on flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) has traditionally focused on reactive, externally-paced sports (e.g., tennis) without exploring those that are self-paced and stop-start in nature. This study investigated the occurrence of flow in a sample of thirteen elite golfers by conducting semi-structured interviews discussing: (i) their experiences of flow, (ii) factors that influenced flow occurrence, and (iii) the controllability of these experiences. Results shared similarity with existing research in terms of the majority of influencing factors reported, including motivation, preparation, focus, psychological state, environmental and situational conditions, and arousal, and that flow was reported to be at least potentially controllable. Golf-specific influences were also noted, including pre-shot routines, use of psychological interventions, standard of performance, and maintenance of physical state, suggesting that flow may have occurred differently for this sample. Findings are discussed and applied recommendations are made that may help golfers put relevant factors in place to increase the likelihood of experiencing flow.

This paper has two main aims: first, to introduce and critically explore the merits of Popper’s so-called evolutionary epistemology (EE) (a term rarely used by Popper himself); and second, to present data in support of the use of Popper’s EE as a way of structuring an undergraduate research methods course. In the first part of the paper the historical antecedents of Popper’s EE will be reviewed. The concept of falsification, the hypothetico-deductive method and critical rationalism will be presented as the cornerstones of Popperian philosophy before a detailed presentation and critique of EE is undertaken. In the second part of the paper Popper’s (1981) simple 4-stage schema (see below) illustrating EE will be introduced as a tool for structuring an undergraduate research methods course. An example will be used to show how the 4-stage schema can help set the traditional components of a research methods course in the broader context of science as a problem solving, knowledge generating activity. P1 > TS > EE > P2 Some initial descriptive data will be presented to outline the advantages of teaching research methods in this way. Some of these reported advantages include: helps students achieve a broader understanding of science and basic philosophical concepts; enables students to see why scientific research is conducted in a particular logical order; helps students to understand the connections between the elements of a scientific project (literature review, data collection, discussion), and why basic research skills (writing style, referencing) are important. In summary, the paper will argue that the early introduction of ideas from the philosophy of science, rather than add to undergraduate confusion as is commonly supposed, can actually enhance the undergraduate research methods experience.

There has been a growing trend of elite athletes being fast-tracked into post-athletic high-performance coaching roles in association football and rugby union in England and Wales. This has been facilitated by an increase in bespoke and condensed formal coach education courses that are designed to accelerate current and/or former elite athletes in attaining their coaching accreditation. Hitherto, however, the individual lived experiences of former athletes on this career trajectory during their transition to coaching remains under-investigated. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to analyse how elite male association football and rugby union athletes based in England and Wales (re)created, re-negotiated or transformed their identities when negotiating a fast-tracked career pathway into a post-athletic high-performance coaching role. Fifteen male rugby union (n = 10) and association football (n = 5) athletes were interviewed on two separate occasions over twelve months. Interviews coincided with the start and end dates of the level three coach education course which they were concurrently enrolled on. Interviews focused upon how they (re)created their professional identities upon negotiating the career transition into a post-athletic high-performance coaching role. Data were critically theorised against sociological concepts associated with the theoretical frameworks of Bourdieu, Goffman and Foucault. Results identified how the development of a coaching identity was articulated through the need to define a ‘coaching philosophy’. Upholding a coach identity in an ‘honest’ disposition so athlete to coach respect could be best attained was expressed by all participants and contrasted with Goffman’s concepts of front and backstage impression management. Self-reflexive practices of Foucault’s askesis were engaged to varying levels to create a coach identity. In three cases this resulted in participants' contestation of their respective club’s identity/culture and losing employment as a coach. Finally, recommendations on how coach education structures can further support these coaches in their career transitions are made.

Flow is highly relevant and desirable in sport and exercise. Drawing on ideas from iconic philosophers of science—Thomas Kuhn, Karl Popper, and Imre Lakatos—we argue that research in this field has followed a pattern of “normal science.” With a series of accumulating criticisms and “anomalies,” we propose flow research is approaching a “crisis point.” We highlight problems with research based on the traditional nine-dimensions conceptualization of flow. Then, drawing on the work of Popper and Lakatos, we offer theoretical and methodological suggestions for developing a more progressive and practically useful theory for researchers and practitioners.

The aims of this paper are twofold: first, to offer a critique of NGBs’ attempts to control coaching knowledge; second, to advance a tentative prescription for future coach education policy. Each part of the paper will draw on concepts derived from the political philosophy and epistemology of Karl Popper. More specifically, Popper’s characterisation of ‘open’ and ‘closed’ (and ‘concrete’ and ‘abstract’) societies, along with his ‘critical rationalist’ epistemology, will be used to criticise present attempts to govern knowledge in coaching. This paper argues that NGBs can be characterised as ‘closed societies’ with dogmatic and irrational approaches to coaching knowledge. This is, in fact, a logical position to assume if one wishes to achieve total control over coaching knowledge (both its content and communication). However, following Popper’s critical rationalist theory of knowledge – where theories are proposed freely, criticised and held tentatively until falsified – such an approach to governance results only in arresting the growth of knowledge. The alternative approach is to modify institutions (and institutional attitudes) in the direction of the ‘open society’ (an ideal type). An ‘open society’ is abstract, pluralist and critical. All members of an ‘open society’ should be able to offer theories about coaching, and all members should be able to criticise them. In practice this requires that NGBs move away from ‘concrete’ modes of coach education (e.g. face-to-face courses) and towards ‘abstract’ methods that encourage participation from all members of a coaching community (not just those who pay for membership). It is suggested that a movement towards such an environment will expedite the growth and communication of knowledge, especially scientific knowledge (i.e. theories that have survived criticism, so far).

This research was commissioned by the EGU and R&A in 2010. The aims of the research project were threefold: 1) To review the academic literature on barriers to participation in sport, especially golf; 2) To survey clubs, members and nomadic golfers to describe their perceptions of GolfMark and the issues it intends to address; 3) To gather in-depth data from a range of golf clubs to help understand how different club cultures may lead to the exclusion of underrepresented demographic groups.

Although youth athletes’ psychological development is increasingly understood as an important social phenomenon, it has typically been studied through relatively narrow theoretical lenses. To understand and improve psychological development from a holistic perspective (i.e., one that considers the wide ranging relational systems in which processes are embedded) this thesis draws on the philosophy of critical realism: an approach that facilitates the in-depth exploration of complex social phenomena. After engaging in a two-part systematic review that clarified the psychological terms and frameworks offered in the talent development literature, a four-phased action research study was conducted in one successful English tennis club. A fifteen-month immersion approach was taken that allowed for the development of authentic relationships with eleven youth athletes (aged 8-16 years), fifteen parents, and three coaches. Data was collected through observations, field notes, informal chats, formal interviews, athlete and coach workshops, and athlete-tasks. Findings highlight the key contextual factors that penetrated athletes’ micro- to macro-system (action research phase 1), as well as the underlying causal powers of this system (action research phase 2), that impacted upon athletes’ psychological development. Nine specific mechanisms were identified that triggered athletes’ development of a series of psychological outcomes. Mechanisms were plagued by a reactive common sense nature, which impeded the psychological development of athletes. The behaviour was underpinned by a lack of capability and opportunities that taught, particularly coaches and parents, the knowledge and skills necessary to foster athletes’ psychological development in a systematic and proactive way. After implementing targeted athlete and coach psychological workshops (action research phase 3) and evaluating the effects of my time at the club (action research phase 4), improvements in coaches’ and athletes’ capability to use and develop psychological skills and characteristics more consistently and explicitly were identified. Based on the findings, short- and long-term recommendations that call for the prioritisation of youth athletes’ psychological development were offered for sport psychology practitioners, researchers, and National Governing Bodies. Finally, the thesis outlines the potential of critical realism as a novel and valuable underpinning framework for sport psychology and talent development research and the creation and evaluation of interventions.

Aimed at BEST PRACTICE strand And CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN COACH EDUCATION theme Principles of effective curriculum design for sports coaches David Piggott and Sergio Lara-Bercial Leeds Beckett University The purpose of this paper is to introduce concepts and exemplars to assist coaches in creating effective developmental curricula. Through our research and experience in formal and non-formal coach education, it has become clear that curriculum design - and attendant tasks such as performance modelling and performance analysis - is conspicuous by its absence. Yet recent research with serial winning coaches (Mallett & Lara-Bercial, in press) and guidance from international bodies (ICCE, ASOIF & LBU, 2013) suggests that ‘developing a vision’ and long-term planning against this vision is a crucial task for head coaches in talent development and performance contexts. Through our own work as coach developers, we have conceived of curriculum design as involving three sequential steps: 1) developing a tactical, technical mental model (TTMM) of a sport; 2) developing a performance model; and, based on steps 1 and 2, 3) deriving an age/stage curriculum. The paper therefore begins with a brief review of concepts from philosophy (Suits, 1978), education (Bruner, 1977) and sport (Grehaigne, Richard & Griffin, 2005) that we have found useful in developing TTMMs. We then pick up on trends in performance modelling (e.g. the English FA’s recent ‘DNA’ project) to show how statistics and analysis can assist in developing a vision for target performance. Finally, we show how Bruner’s idea of a spiral curriculum (Bruner, 1977) can be applied, with the aid of age/stage models, to structure an effective developmental curriculum to enhance programme planning and seasonal and sessional coaching. We conclude the paper with example curricula from two different high-performance basketball programmes in England. Through these exemplars we show how the concepts have been applied in practical talent development settings. We also raise a number of issues for further research, mainly concerning the implementation of such curricula in complex environments where a number of coaches with different backgrounds are embedded in existing hierarchical relationships. References Bruner, J. (1977). The Process of Education. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press. Grehaigne, J., Richard, J. and Griffin, L. (2005). Teaching and Learning Team Sports and Games. London: Routledge. Mallett, C. & Lara-Bercial, S. (in press). Serial Winning Coaches: Vision, People and Environment. In Raab, Wylleman, Seiler, Elbe & Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds). Sport Psychology in Europe at the Start of the Third Millenium. London: Elsevier. ICCE, ASOIF and LBU (2013). International Sport Coaching Framework (v1.2). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Whilst people of South Asian descent compose over 30% of the cricket playing population of England, they represent only 6% of registered coaches. In February 2014, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) commissioned the authors to explore this problem further. We conducted interviews with 33 South Asian cricket coaches and players from Yorkshire and East London. The data were collected over a three-month period and were a mixture of one-to-one, group, face-to-face and telephone interviews, transcribed verbatim and analysed iteratively by the first two authors. Our findings suggest that coaching is perceived as a “low value and low priority” activity in South Asian communities who feel separate from the official systems of governance, both locally and nationally. There is a clear feeling that, in subtle yet pervasive ways, cricket is still run “by white people, for white people”. Participants also suggested that the existing coach education pathways and materials were not as accessible to South Asians, who are often socialised into a different style of cricket that is more open, flexible, creative and attacking than the traditional English style that was perceived to be slow, defensive and technically precise. The lack of visible role models, especially at the county level, was also seen as a major problem, with many of our participants fearing that such roles were not accessible to them. We conclude our paper with three ‘chains’ of recommendations made to the ECB concerning: 1) modifying the system; 2) promoting the value of cricket coaching in South Asian communities; and 3) making coach education and county coaching roles more accessible.

Talent scouts are an essential part of talent identification and development systems in all sports though their effectiveness has often been questioned by academics. In asking talent reporters to write summarised holistic judgements about players, they interfere with the selector’s ability to come to informed judgements themselves. In club scouting, this is often necessary given the large number of players they will have under consideration. As the flow of player data into and through the department began to increase, the live game reporting was still deemed to be of central importance to the decision-making process. Coaches were keen to know how players were performing week to week, and keen to pick up on ‘soft intelligence’ that a talent reporter may have gleaned from being present at the game. The framework was developed through a 2-day consultation with the group of talent reporters who developed drafts and experimented with it in a live reporting setting.

Despite its obvious importance, we argue that assessment as a feature of coach education programmes has been overlooked in the peer-reviewed published literature. As a result, it is suggested that approaches to assessing sport coaches within coach education programmes can sometimes be ill-considered and lead to sub-optimal experiences for multiple stakeholders. To address this problem-situation, we tentatively propose five interconnected principles of assessment in the first section of this article. These include the integration of teaching, learning, and assessment; assessment as a means of developing metacognitive skills; authentic/practice-based assessment; clearly and transparently foregrounding success criteria; and collaboration within assessment activities. By considering these principles, we suggest that there is much to be gained by the coach education community. In the second section, we showcase how these principles have been adopted within a football coach education programme in Flanders (Belgium). With this example, we explain why assessment became a central concern of the organisation and how they developed an effective assessment approach. Finally, we invite considered discussion and comment on our paper, with a view to starting a conversation in an area which is scarcely spoken about.

This book offers new perspectives on game-based coaching (GBC), one of the most important practices for session design and instructional delivery in sport coaching.

Informed by athletes’ psychological needs, the current qualitative study developed, implemented, and evaluated a 15-month mental skills training (MST) program for elite youth athletes. The MST was divided into 3 phases that included a 9-month preintervention, a 2-month intervention, and a 4-month evaluation phase. The intervention consisted of 3 interactive workshops that were delivered to 11 competitive British youth tennis players (8–15 years of age) and their coach (age 34). The intervention was informed by data that were collected throughout a 9-month preintervention phase including longitudinal observations, field notes, and semistructured interviews. The intervention was evaluated over 4 months through observations, field notes, athlete-workshop data, and a semistructured interview with the coach. Results reinforced the value of the longitudinal preintervention phase by highlighting that the establishment of rapport between the researcher and athletes enhanced the meaningfulness and content of the MST program. In addition, an increase in athletes’ use and regulation of psychological skills and characteristics (PSCs) was identified as a result of athletes’ improved understanding of psychological skills (i.e., self-talk, imagery, performance routines) and characteristics (i.e., focus, emotional control, PSCs). Finally, the MST program fostered a shared subject-specific language between athletes and their coach, enhancing the openness and frequency with which PSCs were talked about. Practical guidelines for future sport psychology interventions with youth athletes and their coaches are provided. Lay Summary: A 15-month mental skills training program was conducted with youth tennis players to enhance their ability to regulate their focus and emotional control. Practical guidelines for future interventions with youth athletes and their coaches are provided.

This book offers new perspectives on game-based coaching (GBC), one of the most important practices for session design and instructional delivery in sport coaching.

Inconsistencies in the use and definition of psychological terms within the talent development literature have been identified. To advance the scientific field, the creation of a shared language is recommended. This review aimed to systematically (i) identify terms used in empirical studies to describe psychological components purported to facilitate athletes' development; (ii) analyse definition and meanings of these terms; and (iii) group, label and define terms into meaning clusters. A systematic review using a narrative approach to synthesise information was conducted. A comprehensive literature search of SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and ERIC was completed in May 2015. In total 21 empirical studies, published between 2002 and 2015, met the inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings. Identified psychological terms were categorised as psychological skills or psychological characteristics. Psychological skills were defined as athletes’ ability to use learned psychological strategies (e.g., self-talk) to regulate and facilitate the enhancement of psychological characteristics. Psychological characteristics were defined as predispositions that impact upon athlete development (e.g., self-confidence). Despite being relatively enduring and consistent across a range of situations, psychological characteristics can be regulated and enhanced through the use of psychological skills.

The concept of tactical periodization has been popularized by a number of successful, high-profile soccer coaches. More recently, reports have indicated that tactical periodization approaches are being utilized within elite rugby union. However, few reports currently exist and resources for coaches interested in using a tactical periodization approach are limited. This article aims to demonstrate how tactical periodization can be applied in rugby union to help coordinate long-term planning, improve the specificity of training, and prepare players more effectively for competition.

In the United Kingdom, recent research documents an over-representation of White participants, coaches, and decision makers within sporting contexts. In contrast Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are under-represented at all levels of sport: from players, coaches, and managers in sport governance. Recent research into the experiences of BAME men and women in sports coaching also shows that inclusive sporting environments, including a diverse workforce, are highly motivating for entry into, and progression through, the coaching pathway. However, significant and powerful barriers exist that prevent the progression of BAME individuals into higher level coaching qualifications and job roles. These barriers lead to the privileging of White men and are therefore described as both raced and gendered. This paper is based on a research project commissioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2014 to explore South Asian male players’ and coaches’ experiences of coaching and progression through coaching pathways. We draw on data collected from 33 semi-structured interviews carried out with a sample of male South Asian players and coaches, from two different geographical areas - London and Yorkshire - and from a sample of clubs with different levels of ethnic diversity. Our analysis showed that South Asian players participate in an environment and culture where they are unlikely to engage in coaching and, even when they do, will not feel supported in progressing to higher roles of influence and power.

Although there have been increasing calls to recognise the ‘voice of the coach’ in both policy and research, there has been very little work that has asked the coaches directly: ‘what are your main issues and problems?’, and ‘where do you go for support’? Instead assessments and decisions have been made on these issues by the media, policy-makers, support agencies, governing bodies and researchers with results often reflecting the perspectives and interests of the latter. This paper presents new research with a reasonably representative sample of over 1,000 UK coaches that considers the issues and problems, and support networks, from the perspective of the coaches themselves. The results suggest that coaches experience a wide range of problems but that they can be broken down into 17 main categories with places to play sport (e.g. facilities), problems with player-coach interaction, and problems with coaching knowledge and skills, being most frequently mentioned. In terms of support networks, the coaches tended to look ‘closest to home’: to themselves, their family/friends, participants and parents, and local coaching networks. Governing bodies and coaching associations tend to be less well used. Some implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Research has identified psychological skills and characteristics (PSCs) perceived to facilitate talented youth athletes’ development. However, no systematic categorization or synthesis of these PSCs exists to date. To provide such synthesis, this systematic review aimed to identify PSCs perceived as facilitative of talented youth athletes’ development, group and label synonymous PSCs, and categorize PSCs based on definitions established by Dohme, Backhouse, Piggott, and Morgan (2017). PRISMA systematic-review guidelines were employed and a comprehensive literature search of SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and ERIC completed in November 2017. Twenty-five empirical studies published between 2002 and 2017 met the inclusion criteria. Through thematic analysis, 19 PSCs were identified as facilitative of youth athletes’ development—8 were categorized as psychological skills (e.g., goal setting, social-support seeking, and self-talk) and 11 as psychological characteristics (e.g., self-confidence, focus, and motivation). The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

This chapter explores the implementation and review of an assessment for learning (AfL) strategy in an undergraduate sport coaching degree, in the UK. After introducing the context of the degree – the framework around which it is built and the AfL strategy we developed – the chapter focusses on the implementation of the strategy in a Level 6 (final year) module. We explain the main theoretical ideas informing our approach and our expectations about the intended outcomes for student learning. Taking a practitioner research approach, we then review the AfL ‘experiment’, drawing on staff diaries and staff and student focus groups to reflect both on the successes of the approach and the difficulties we encountered across the year. We found that the AfL experiment worked well with students who attended, engaged, and had good existing self-regulatory skills and capacities. We also experienced several challenges with the wider body of learners who struggled with the consistent demand to produce and review work and with the social dynamics of peer feedback processes. We conclude with some ideas for the ongoing development and refinement of our AfL strategy in the hope that others may learn from our errors.

The possession of certain psychosocial characteristics can offer performance advantages in a range of domains. However, integrating a programme to support the development of psychosocial characteristics is a lengthy process and involves context specific knowledge and effective working relationships with stakeholders. The aim of this article is to present a reallife example of the design, delivery, and implementation of a theoretically informed psychosocial development programme for players within an academy soccer setting to include player workshops, coach delivery and ways to influence the environment. This multifaceted approach included formal and informal meetings, observations, coach education and social media groups. Initial reflections suggested workshops are an effective method to ‘teach’ some of the aspects within the programme. Integrating coaches throughout design and implementation is recommended. Key stakeholders should consider investing time in education for coaches to develop strategies to foster psychosocial development in their players. Limitations and future recommendations are discussed.

Important decisions surrounding talent identification (TID), talent development (TD) and (de)selection within elite youth soccer are often grounded in the subjective opinions of coaches. These opinions often stem from coaches’ observations of player performance, which have been shown to be susceptible to several biases. Additionally, previous research has failed to establish specific criteria on which such opinions are based, aside from a coach's own intuition and practical experience. This study aimed to create a communal language and aligned criteria for the specific purpose of evaluating players’ performances. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with nine experienced coaches (13.6 ± 10.8 years) from a professional UK soccer academy to identify coaches’ perceptions of key position-specific soccer actions, performed during differing moments of the game, for evaluating individual match performance. Thematic analysis of the interview data permitted the extraction of several themes, posited to encompass the position-specific soccer actions highlighted by the coaches. Themes for outfield positions included attacking skills; defending skills; movements to receive, create or exploit space; receiving and releasing skills; support play; end product; press, recover to the ball, man or space; and tactical understanding. Goalkeeper themes included tactical understanding, positioning relative to the ball, danger, teammates and opponents, play forward, support play, choice of action and range of distribution. This study highlights an applied approach of creating a shared mental model for appraising player performances, which can facilitate discussion and knowledge exchange between coaches and practitioners, with the intention of improving decision-making around TID, TD and (de)selection decisions.

Digest contains a listing of pertinent, recent coaching and coach education articles and updates from other sources.

Maturation is the process by which we change and develop throughout life. As children grow older, they do not only mature physically and physiologically but also psycho-socially. Over time their abilities to remember, retrieve and process information as well as to reason and problem solve develop. These changes in cognitive development go hand in hand with being able to recognise their own abilities and attributes, shaping an increasingly complex sense of self. Furthermore, children grow to recognise, and understand their own and others’ emotions and perspectives, allowing for increasing cooperation but also introducing challenges in terms of social interaction. Over time children face the challenge of establishing independence, a coherent identity and a sense of direction for the future. Knowing how children typically develop in these areas will allow coaches to better plan developmentally appropriate sessions, understand their participants’ changing behaviour, as well as cater for the various developmental challenges children face as they mature.

Digest contains a listing of pertinent, recent coaching and coach education articles and updates from other sources

The possession and development of psychosocial characteristics can be advantageous for young athletes (Gledhill, et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to evaluate a programme (the 8 Pillars) designed to develop prescribed psychosocial components in English male academy soccer players. The 8 Pillars programme (including Communication, Control, Commitment, Concentration, Confidence, Resilience, Presence, and Self-awareness; Till et al., 2020) is a theoretically, empirically, and practically driven programme to support the development of psychosocial components in youth sport participants. The programme delivery included player workshops, coach development activities and coach observation across a season. To assess programme efficacy, 25 male academy players (Mage 14.7 + 1.34) completed the Psychological characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 (PCDE-2, Hill et al., 2019) pre- and post-season. Players also completed the 8 Pillars self-report form at 5 time points across the season. Paired samples t-tests reported significant increases for 3 of the PCDE-2 subscales, namely ‘Imagery and Active Preparation’ (3.42 + 0.87 vs 4.10 + 1.02, p<0.001), ‘Seeking and using Social Support’ (4.20 + 0.79 vs 4.87 + 0.76, p<0.01) and ‘Active Coping’ (4.21 + 0.78 vs 4.85 + 0.66, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) reported significant increases over time all pillars apart from Presence. The findings demonstrate that the 8 Pillars programme may support development of psychosocial characteristics in academy soccer players over a season. Any programme seeking to develop psychosocial components should consider integration of psychosocial components into the practical coaching programme, through additional development, planning and evaluation activity to optimise impact.

Decision-making is a key factor in developing coach expertise and effectiveness. This article presents a framework for enhancing coach decision-making within strength and conditioning (S&C). Based on theoretical understanding of the athlete (the ‘who’), S&C training principles and sport demands (the ‘what’) and learning theories and behavior (the ‘how’), coaches can enhance S&C practice (‘planning, delivering and reflecting’). In addition, understanding contextual challenges (‘context, culture & politics’) and own beliefs, values and behaviors (‘self’) must be considered. Recommendations are presented for implementing constructively aligned learning programs based on the decision-making framework for enhancing coach learning and professional development within S&C.

This study aimed to assess the impact of a psychosocial development program on academy soccer players with coaches being central design and delivery. The 8 Pillars program (designed to foster Communication, Control, Commitment, Confidence, Concentration, Resilience, Presence, and Self-awareness) was delivered through player workshops, coaching practice, and coach-led environmental manipulation. A total of 25 academy soccer players (Mage 14.7 ± 0.3) completed the Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 pre- and postseason, and a self-report scale for each of the eight prescribed psychosocial skills and characteristics at five time points across the season. Significant (p < .05) improvement between pre- and postseason for “Imagery and Active Preparation,” “Seeking and Using Social Support,” and “Active Coping” factors within the Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 were evident. Significant (p < .05) improvements were shown for “Communication,” “Control,” “Commitment,” “Concentration,” and “Resilience” scales across the season. These findings give initial efficacy that a targeted, multifaceted program, largely delivered by coaches, can improve player self-reported psychosocial skills and characteristics in a U.K. academy soccer setting.

Digest contains a listing of pertinent, recent coaching and coach education articles and updates from other sources.

Digest contains a listing of pertinent, recent coaching and coach education articles and updates from other sources.

Digest contains a listing of pertinent, recent coaching and coach education articles and updates from other sources.