Ian Reade

New Ideas for High Performance Coaches: A Case Study of Knowledge Transfer in Sport Science

Research related to how coaches learn concludes that coaches most often learn from other coaches. So far, there has been little evidence to suggest that coaches rely on sport scientists for their information, which would indicate minimal interaction between sport scientists and coaches. The purpose of this study was to determine the type and source of new ideas that high-performance coaches use to understand the extent to which sport science is the source of those ideas. This project utilized a single case study design involving a group of 20 high-performance coaches in 12 different sports in a university environment, which one would expect to be conducive to interaction between sport scientists and coaches. The method included the administration of a questionnaire, followed by a structured personal interview. Our findings suggest that these coaches do believe that sport science can contribute to coaching, are interested in having a sport scientist work with them, and are motivated to find and implement new ideas in their sport programs. Despite this, most of the respondents indicated they usually get those new ideas from other coaches, or from coaching clinics and seminars, and not from sport scientists or their written work. Reasons stated included a lack of time to look for new ideas and hence the use of expedient sources, and a lack of interest in academic publications.

Factors That Influence Coaches' Use of Sound Coaching Practices

The purpose of this research report is to explore factors that may influence whether coaches adopt desired behaviours. This research was conducted with a census survey of Canadian coaches who had completed all or part of their National Coaching Certification Program Competition-Introduction coach education. The results indicate that several factors may influence desired coaching behaviour. The factors include competitive experience as an athlete, hours of coaching per week, and whether the coaches are coaching individual or team sports. The results provide empirical evidence that factors beyond coach education probably influence whether coaches actually engage in sound coaching practice

The Under-Representation of Women in Coaching: A Comparison of Male and Female Canadian Coaches at Low and High Levels of Coaching

There are disproportionately few women in high level coaching positions. Explanations vary for this under-representation of women as coaches, but the focus of this research is the disproportionate gender ratio within the profession as based upon Kanters framework of occupational sex segregation. Two studies examining Canadian coaches undertaking introductory coaching certification (Study 1) (n = 809) and high-performance coaches (Study 2) (n = 819) were conducted. Both studies contribute evidence of decreasing proportions of women coaches from early certification and recreational positions to high-performance positions despite little difference between men and women in terms of qualifications including education and competitive experience. The results are discussed in terms of Kanters proposition of proportion, along with references to power and opportunity within the coaching profession. Potential administrative practical solutions to the problems are suggested.

Strength of Messaging in Changing Attitudes in a Workplace Wellness Program

The potential benefits of workplace wellness programs are limited by low participation rates of employees, which could be due in part to ineffective persuasion by program providers. This study uses the Elaboration Likelihood Model, as a guiding theory in mixed methods research, to investigate feedback messages about physical activity delivered in a workplace wellness program. This study uses questionnaire and interview data from 32 employees to determine if personally relevant health messages are associated with either positive or negative responses to the messages and subsequent attitude change. General feedback is more appreciated by those who are less fit but are not effective in changing attitudes toward physical activity. Individually targeted messages result in a significant positive attitude change for participants responding positively to the messages. This suggests that individualized health promotion messages provide a stronger argument for individuals, thus increasing the likelihood of attitude change.

Influence of Performance Enhancement and Administrative Tasks on Coaches’ Stress and Intentions to Continue

The purposes of this study were to, (a) assess motivational experiences of performance enhancement tasks (PET) and administrative tasks (AT), and; (b) examine the relationships of emergent motivational experiences of each task type to coaches’ perceived stress and intentions to continue coaching. In total, 572 coaches completed an online survey, which assessed autonomy, competence, relatedness, and other characteristics of PET and AT, intentions to continue coaching, and perceived stress. Two separate exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were conducted, one for AT and one for PET. This was followed up with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and SEM to examine relationships between emerging factors and stress and intentions. The factors generated for PET reflected ideas of autonomy, time conflict, and satisfaction, and for AT also included competence, effort, and job requirements. The resulting experiences of AT and PET appear to have different influences on stress and intentions, suggesting their distinction...

Exploring the Potential of Assessment Efficacy in Sports Coaching

INTRODUCTION Assessment is an essential part of the learning process; Hay et al. and many others have made the case and established the connection. Simply put, assessment enhances learning. The concept of assessment efficacy is well articulated by the authors and convincingly positioned in their writing as beneficial to coach and athlete learning. Learning can and does occur throughout life without assessment, but it is through assessment that we attempt to measure what has been learned with the intent of progressing to higher levels of educational content. It is critical to know the progress being made by the learner, and whether the teaching methods are effective. If a desired outcome of coach education is to progressively develop increasingly competent coaches, is this progression futile in the absence of assessment? In this brief commentary on the article by Hay et al., I concur with the concept of assessment efficacy and focus primarily on the practicality of assessment as fundamental to coach education.

Understanding the Change Process: Valuing What it is That Coaches Do

INTRODUCTION My knowledge of the traditions and language used by scholars such as Tania Cassidy is quite limited, and readers of this commentary should be forewarned. However, when I expressed to my academic colleagues my reluctance to comment on this article due to my lack of knowledge, they encouraged my contribution for this very reason. Therefore, my thoughts are admittedly grounded in what I think the article means, which may be a divergence from what the author means. However, given that the International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching is intended to be read by all kinds of people, including people like me, it is probably worthwhile to consider an example of how scholars from disparate disciplines interpret each other’s thinking.