Karl Erickson

Gaining Insight into Actual and Preferred Sources of Coaching Knowledge

Previous research has suggested that current formal coach education programs do not fully meet the learning needs of coaches. The purpose of the present study was to examine actual and preferred sources of coaching knowledge for developmental-level coaches. Structured quantitative interviews were conducted with coaches (N = 44) from a variety of sports. Learning by doing, interaction with coaching peers, and formal coach education were the top actual sources of coaching knowledge. Discrepancies were found between actual and preferred usage of learning by doing, formal coach education, and mentoring. Coaches indicated they would prefer more guided learning and less self-directed learning by doing. Further, differences in preferred sources were identified between coaches wishing to move to an elite level versus coaches wishing to stay at a developmental level. Findings highlight the importance of both experiential and formally guided sources of coaching knowledge and the context-specific nature of coach learning.

Tracing the origins of athlete development models in sport: a citation path analysis

Reviews of the sport psychology literature have identified a number of models of athlete development in sport (Alfermann & Stambulova, 2007; Durand-Bush & Salmela, 2001). However, minimal research has investigated the origins of knowledge from which each model was developed. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the influential texts responsible for providing the basis of athlete development models in sport. A citation path analysis of the sport psychology literature was used to generate a knowledge development path of seven athlete development models in sport. The analysis identified influential texts and authors in the conceptualization of athlete development. The population of 229 texts (articles, books, book chapters) was selected in two phases. Phase 1 texts were articles citing seven articles depicting models of athlete development (n=75). Phase 2 included texts cited three or more times by Phase 1 articles (n=154). The analysis revealed how the scholarship of Benjamin Bloom (1985) has been integrated into the field of sport psychology, and how two articles appearing in 1993 and 2003 helped shape present conceptualizations of athlete development.

The utility of the state space grid method for studying peer interactions in youth sport.

Although previous studies indicate that peer interactions represent an important component of the youth sport experience, studies examining peer interactions in the sport context are limited. Furthermore, the methodological tools commonly used to investigate peer interactions have restricted researchers’ understandings of the complex, reciprocal nature of these experiences. This paper outlines the potential contribution of a novel dynamic systems-based methodology, the state space grid method (SSG; Lewis, Lamey, & Douglas, 1999), to the study of peer interactions in sport. Concrete recommendations to guide the practical application of the SSG method to future peer research in youth sport are presented.

Understanding Sources of Knowledge for Coaches of Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities.

BACKGROUND Recent research has investigated development of coaching knowledge; however, less research has investigated the development of coaches who coach athletes with intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this study was to understand how coaches of athletes with intellectual disabilities gain their knowledge. METHOD Forty-five Special Olympics Canada coaches participated in structured telephone interviews investigating actual and ideal sources of coaching knowledge. Coaching knowledge was categorized across the dimensions of competition, organization and training. RESULTS Coaches primarily learned by doing and by consulting with coaching peers. Information about ideal sources of coaching knowledge demonstrates that coaches would value structured coaching courses, learning from mentors and from administrative support, in addition to learning on their own and from peers. DISCUSSION Results suggest that a broader approach to education should be incorporated into coaching athletes with intellectual disabilities. Recommendations for achieving such goals are provided.

An Exploratory Examination of Interpersonal Interactions between Peers in Informal Sport Play Contexts

Athlete-driven informal sport play represents an important context for athlete development. However, in contrast to coach-driven organized sport, little is known about the interpersonal processes driving development in this context. The present study was an exploratory descriptive analysis of the interactive peer behaviors occurring in an informal sport play setting and their relationship to athlete psychological characteristics. Thirty young athletes (<25 years old, Mage = 19.84) participating in informal mixed-age volleyball, soccer, and basketball sessions at a community recreation center were observed and their interactive behavior coded. Participants also completed questionnaire measures of psychological characteristics (competence, confidence, character). Descriptive analyses examined the interaction patterns of young athletes in these contexts. Multiple regression analyses were then conducted to examine the relationships between peer interactive behavior and athlete psychological characteristics. Results point to the social nature of participation in informal sport play contexts and the critical relationship between athlete competence and peer interaction tendencies. This study presents an initial exploration of peer interactive behavior in informal, mixed-age sport play contexts, but continued future research is needed to better understand the developmental processes and implications of participation in these important contexts.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Through Youth Activity Participation: Lessons from Research

Most young people in the U.S. participate in some form of structured movement activity, such as sports or dance, and these activities have the potential to support positive youth development and continued engagement in healthy activity. In this chapter, we discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with youth participation in movement activities, potential barriers and facilitators to activity participation across diverse contexts, and ways to promote sustained participation. This chapter emphasizes that development takes place within an integrated system involving youth, their social relationships, and the multiple activities in which they participate. We examine how three key elements (positive sustained youth-adult relationships, life skill development, and opportunities for leadership) can be used to help movement-based programs promote positive youth development. In particular, we recommend that programs and policy makers should work collaboratively to provide developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant activities for young people that incorporate these three key elements, in order to better support positive youth development and healthy lifestyles.

Exploring the Out-of-School Time Program Ecology of Boy Scouts

Youth development programs, such as Boy Scouts of America, and other out-of-school time programs (e.g., sport), may represent important ecological assets in the lives of youth. Participation in such programs has been linked to indicators of positive youth development, including character virtues. Nuanced relationships exist, however, between involvement in specific sets of out-of-school time programs and indicators of positive youth development. The present study examined character virtues of youth (N = 667) who participated in Boy Scouts of America and in other out-of-school time programs (e.g., sport, band/music, or faith-based activities). Scouts participated in an average of two other out-of-school time programs. There was relatively limited variability, however, in the intensity of out-of-school time program participation. Sport was the other out-of-school time program most frequently engaged in by Scouts. In general, character virtues did not vary in relation to participation breadth or intensity. Limitations of the present study and implications for future research are discussed.

Playing by the rules: a developmentally appropriate introduction to rugby union.

The current study examined the effect of rules changes on game behaviours and opinions of under-nine rugby union players. Eighty-nine games were filmed in five counties in England; two governed by the then current rules and three governed by new pilot rules. The pilot rules were designed to create a less structured game; reducing numbers on the pitch and limiting set pieces and specialised skills. Games played under the pilot rules had 25% more ball-in-play time; 55% more runs with the ball; more than twice as many successful passes; and nearly twice as many tries scored (ps < .001). 272 players participated in a survey. Irrespective of the rules, players identified that passing, running and tackling were key activities, while having fun and playing with friends were their main reasons for playing rugby. The results suggest that the pilot rules create a competitive game that closely matches child-led informal activities.

A qualitative investigation of exercising with MS and the impact on the spousal relationship

BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects more than 2.3 million people around the world. Symptoms are numerous and varied, often having a profound effect on activities of daily living. While for many years individuals with MS were told to avoid exercise for fear of worsening their symptoms, recent research has emphasized the multi-faceted benefits associated with regular physical activity. Given the strain that MS can put on family and interpersonal relationships, the intention of this study was to investigate the exercise experiences of individuals with MS and the extent to which these experiences affect, or are affected by, their spousal relationship.MethodsIn-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 individuals, five with MS, along with each of their spouses, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of living and exercising with the disease. An inductive approach was used to analyze the interview data.ResultsThe results displayed the important physical, psychological, and social benefits of involvement in an exercise program. Spouses help to counteract barriers and facilitate exercise, and are well aware of the integral role they play in their partner’s health and well-being. Spouses also valued the increased independence they gained, in the form of reduced care-giving responsibilities and enhanced social opportunities, as a result of the improved physical function of their partner. These findings contrast the severe strain on spousal relationships that is often reported in studies on people living with MS.ConclusionsRather than an inexorable downward decline in physical ability that is common with MS, participants spoke of a positive reversal in physical function, which has had far-reaching implications for multiple aspects of their lives, including their psychological outlook, their sense of independence, overcoming isolation, and their relationship with their spouse, all of which are identified in the literature as notable aspects of life affected by the disease.

Involving Immigrants in Youth Sport Coaching: Part 1. A Literature Review and Quantitative Profile

Little, if any, previous research has investigated the involvement of immigrants in sport coaching. This is the first of a series of two articles that focus on this issue. In this article, following a general literature review, structured retrospective interviews (n = 29) are used to construct a profile of immigrant youth sport coaches. Two distinct profiles were identified: (a) leisure-oriented coaches, who had not coached prior to immigration; and (b) career-oriented coaches, who had coached prior to immigration Statistically significant differences (p < .05) were found between groups relating to athletic experience, sport-related education, time between immigration and initiation of coaching, and coaching of their own children Separate pathways to coaching involvement after immigration were identified for both profiles.