A coach intervention process was explored with a 38-year-old female youth soccer coach. The exper... more A coach intervention process was explored with a 38-year-old female youth soccer coach. The experimental research design consisted of a baseline assessment, intervention and follow-up phase. Within each phase, the coaching practices were assessed using the Coaching Behaviour Assessment System. Additionally, measures of both coach and athlete perceptions and attitudes were also recorded. The results revealed no significant change in coach behaviours from the baseline assessment to the follow-up assessment. However, although not significant, a meaningful change particularly regarding the use of Reinforcement, General Technical Instruction and Mistake Contingent Encouragement was evident. Results of the descriptive-analytic data generated from the cognitive investigations highlighted generally positive although not statistically significant changes, particularly those concerning the athletes’ attitudes towards their coach, teammates and soccer, following the intervention process. The findings of this study are discussed in line with the existing coach behaviour literature.
Formalized mentoring programmes have been implemented increasingly have been implemented by UK sp... more Formalized mentoring programmes have been implemented increasingly have been implemented by UK sporting institutions as a central coach development tool, yet claims supporting formal mentoring as an effective learning strategy are often speculative, scarce, ill-defined and accepted without verification. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore some of the realities of formalized elite sports coaching mentoring programmes. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 15 mentors of elite coaches on formal programmes, across a range of sports. The findings were read through a Bourdieusian lens and revealed the importance of understanding the complexities of elite sports coaching environments, that elite sports coach development is highly specific and, therefore, should not be over-formalized, and how current elite sport coach mentoring programmes may be better conceptualized as a form of social control rather than being driven by pedagogical concerns. Following this empirically based analysis of practice, a number of implications for Governing Bodies (GBs), mentors and mentees were considered.
In this article, we present a poststructuralist reading of Claire's (a pseudonym) experiences of ... more In this article, we present a poststructuralist reading of Claire's (a pseudonym) experiences of receiving video-based coaching in elite level field hockey. Data were gathered through a series of in-depth interviews that formed part of a recursive and iterative data collection and analysis process. Interpreting Claire's stories through a neo-Foucauldian application of Mathiesen's synopticon revealed how the presence of a video camera mediated Claire's practice and imposed a critical gaze, one that became collectively and institutionally consumed. We argue that the thoughts presented in this paper have significant implications for coach practice and education and that, as a result, there is a need for further critical inquiry into coaches' uses of video-based technology.
Discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education have started t... more Discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education have started to gain increasing popularity in the field of coaching science. While it has been suggested that these ‘learner-centered’ approaches arguably align with the theoretical ideals of humanistic psychology, an in-depth examination of the implications of this learning orientation to sports coaching remains elusive. Rather, discussions have tended to be detached from theory, focusing instead on practices and methods. In light of this development, the present paper provides a detailed and critical overview of one of the leading humanistic thinkers’ work, namely Carl Rogers, in order to consider what implications his theorising about ‘person-centered’ learning could have for the development of athletes and coaches. In doing so, we hope that this article will serve to advance understanding and theoretically underpin what have tended to be largely a-theoretical and superficial discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education.
This article presents a hypothetical dialogue between a notational analyst (NA) recently schooled... more This article presents a hypothetical dialogue between a notational analyst (NA) recently schooled in the positivistic assessment of athletic performance, an ‘old-school’ traditional coach (TC) who favours subjective analysis, and a pragmatic educator (PE). The conversation opens with NA and TC debating the respective value of quantitative and qualitative methods of performance analysis. Having considered their arguments from a-distance, PE offers a philosophically underpinned point of view that helps to practically reconcile NA's and TC's opposing positions. While primarily focusing on practical issues relating to the analysis of athletic performance, PE contends that ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ approaches can be legitimately used in combination. Such a stance would appear in-line with a pragmatic philosophical perspective, which by focusing on practical issues embraces pluralistic methods. It is hoped that this dialogue will facilitate further philosophical and practical debate to generate knowledge that could enrich coaches' understanding by presenting an approach to performance analysis that is more realistic for practitioners.
The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player respo... more The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player responded to his coaches’ pedagogical delivery of video-based feedback sessions. Data for this study were gathered through a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a reflective log relating to those interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim with the text being subject to the process of inductive analysis. The results highlighted how the pedagogical application of performance analysis technology is far from a sequential and unproblematic process. Indeed, the participant's perceptions of, and respect for, his coaches’ practices appeared to influence whether learning occurred in the video-based feedback sessions.
The purpose of this study was to build a theoretical framework to understand the delivery of vide... more The purpose of this study was to build a theoretical framework to understand the delivery of video-based performance analysis by youth soccer coaches in England. Data were collected from interviews with 14 English youth soccer coaches, who had used video-based performance analysis for more than 3 years in their coaching practice. Using a grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), data were analyzed and conceptual links between concepts were theorized. Categories regarding contextual factors, delivery approach and targeted outcome were highlighted. Results are compared against existing coaching literature to provide a more realistic representation of the phenomena for the education of coaches.
The purpose of this paper was to explore coach–athlete ‘talk in action’ during performance analys... more The purpose of this paper was to explore coach–athlete ‘talk in action’ during performance analysis feedback sessions. Our goal was to examine how interactional tasks are accomplished through the use of talk. Coach–athlete interactions were recorded within six home match video-based feedback sessions, over the course of a 10-month English Premier League Academy season. Interactions within the sessions were recorded and transcribed using a conversation analysis approach. Analysis of the interactions revealed that the coach attempted to exercise control over the sequential organisation of the sessions, via asymmetrical turn-taking allocations, an unequal opportunity to talk, control over the topic of discussion within the interactions and the use of questioning to select speakers to take turns to talk. The findings are principally theorised through the work of Bertram H. Raven in an attempt to explain the social organisation of power within the institutional context. The conclusion emphasises the importance of coaches becoming more aware of the likely impact of such interactional practices upon athlete learning.
The facilitation of learning is a central feature of coaches’ and coach educators’ work. Coaching... more The facilitation of learning is a central feature of coaches’ and coach educators’ work. Coaching students and practitioners are, as a result, being expected to give increasing levels of thought towards how they might help to develop the knowledge and practical skills of others. Learning in Sports Coaching provides a comprehensive introduction to a diverse range of classic, critical, and contemporary theories of learning, education, and social interaction and their potential application to sports coaching. Each chapter is broadly divided into two sections. The first section introduces a key thinker and the fundamental tenets of his or her scholarly endeavours and theorising. The second considers how the theorist’s work might influence how we understand and attempt to promote learning in coaching and coach education settings. By design this book seeks to promote theoretical connoisseurship and to encourage its readers to reflect critically on their beliefs about learning and its facilitation. This is an essential text for any pedagogical course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
Research Methods in Sports Coaching is a key resource for any student, researcher or practitioner... more Research Methods in Sports Coaching is a key resource for any student, researcher or practitioner wishing to undertake research into sports coaching. It takes the reader through each phase of the research process, from identifying valuable research questions, to data collection and analyses, to the presentation and dissemination of research findings. It is the only book to focus on the particular challenges and techniques of sports coaching research, with each chapter including examples, cases and scenarios from the real world of sports coaching.
The book introduces and explores important philosophical, theoretical and practical considerations in conducting coaching research, including contextual discussions about why it’s important to do sports coaching research, how to judge the quality of coaching research, and how sports coaching research might meet the needs of coaching practitioners. Written by a team of leading international scholars and researchers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book is an essential course text for any research methods course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
A coach intervention process was explored with a 38-year-old female youth soccer coach. The exper... more A coach intervention process was explored with a 38-year-old female youth soccer coach. The experimental research design consisted of a baseline assessment, intervention and follow-up phase. Within each phase, the coaching practices were assessed using the Coaching Behaviour Assessment System. Additionally, measures of both coach and athlete perceptions and attitudes were also recorded. The results revealed no significant change in coach behaviours from the baseline assessment to the follow-up assessment. However, although not significant, a meaningful change particularly regarding the use of Reinforcement, General Technical Instruction and Mistake Contingent Encouragement was evident. Results of the descriptive-analytic data generated from the cognitive investigations highlighted generally positive although not statistically significant changes, particularly those concerning the athletes’ attitudes towards their coach, teammates and soccer, following the intervention process. The findings of this study are discussed in line with the existing coach behaviour literature.
Formalized mentoring programmes have been implemented increasingly have been implemented by UK sp... more Formalized mentoring programmes have been implemented increasingly have been implemented by UK sporting institutions as a central coach development tool, yet claims supporting formal mentoring as an effective learning strategy are often speculative, scarce, ill-defined and accepted without verification. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore some of the realities of formalized elite sports coaching mentoring programmes. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 15 mentors of elite coaches on formal programmes, across a range of sports. The findings were read through a Bourdieusian lens and revealed the importance of understanding the complexities of elite sports coaching environments, that elite sports coach development is highly specific and, therefore, should not be over-formalized, and how current elite sport coach mentoring programmes may be better conceptualized as a form of social control rather than being driven by pedagogical concerns. Following this empirically based analysis of practice, a number of implications for Governing Bodies (GBs), mentors and mentees were considered.
In this article, we present a poststructuralist reading of Claire's (a pseudonym) experiences of ... more In this article, we present a poststructuralist reading of Claire's (a pseudonym) experiences of receiving video-based coaching in elite level field hockey. Data were gathered through a series of in-depth interviews that formed part of a recursive and iterative data collection and analysis process. Interpreting Claire's stories through a neo-Foucauldian application of Mathiesen's synopticon revealed how the presence of a video camera mediated Claire's practice and imposed a critical gaze, one that became collectively and institutionally consumed. We argue that the thoughts presented in this paper have significant implications for coach practice and education and that, as a result, there is a need for further critical inquiry into coaches' uses of video-based technology.
Discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education have started t... more Discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education have started to gain increasing popularity in the field of coaching science. While it has been suggested that these ‘learner-centered’ approaches arguably align with the theoretical ideals of humanistic psychology, an in-depth examination of the implications of this learning orientation to sports coaching remains elusive. Rather, discussions have tended to be detached from theory, focusing instead on practices and methods. In light of this development, the present paper provides a detailed and critical overview of one of the leading humanistic thinkers’ work, namely Carl Rogers, in order to consider what implications his theorising about ‘person-centered’ learning could have for the development of athletes and coaches. In doing so, we hope that this article will serve to advance understanding and theoretically underpin what have tended to be largely a-theoretical and superficial discussions about ‘athlete-centered’ coaching and ‘coach-centered’ coach education.
This article presents a hypothetical dialogue between a notational analyst (NA) recently schooled... more This article presents a hypothetical dialogue between a notational analyst (NA) recently schooled in the positivistic assessment of athletic performance, an ‘old-school’ traditional coach (TC) who favours subjective analysis, and a pragmatic educator (PE). The conversation opens with NA and TC debating the respective value of quantitative and qualitative methods of performance analysis. Having considered their arguments from a-distance, PE offers a philosophically underpinned point of view that helps to practically reconcile NA's and TC's opposing positions. While primarily focusing on practical issues relating to the analysis of athletic performance, PE contends that ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ approaches can be legitimately used in combination. Such a stance would appear in-line with a pragmatic philosophical perspective, which by focusing on practical issues embraces pluralistic methods. It is hoped that this dialogue will facilitate further philosophical and practical debate to generate knowledge that could enrich coaches' understanding by presenting an approach to performance analysis that is more realistic for practitioners.
The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player respo... more The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player responded to his coaches’ pedagogical delivery of video-based feedback sessions. Data for this study were gathered through a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a reflective log relating to those interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim with the text being subject to the process of inductive analysis. The results highlighted how the pedagogical application of performance analysis technology is far from a sequential and unproblematic process. Indeed, the participant's perceptions of, and respect for, his coaches’ practices appeared to influence whether learning occurred in the video-based feedback sessions.
The purpose of this study was to build a theoretical framework to understand the delivery of vide... more The purpose of this study was to build a theoretical framework to understand the delivery of video-based performance analysis by youth soccer coaches in England. Data were collected from interviews with 14 English youth soccer coaches, who had used video-based performance analysis for more than 3 years in their coaching practice. Using a grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), data were analyzed and conceptual links between concepts were theorized. Categories regarding contextual factors, delivery approach and targeted outcome were highlighted. Results are compared against existing coaching literature to provide a more realistic representation of the phenomena for the education of coaches.
The purpose of this paper was to explore coach–athlete ‘talk in action’ during performance analys... more The purpose of this paper was to explore coach–athlete ‘talk in action’ during performance analysis feedback sessions. Our goal was to examine how interactional tasks are accomplished through the use of talk. Coach–athlete interactions were recorded within six home match video-based feedback sessions, over the course of a 10-month English Premier League Academy season. Interactions within the sessions were recorded and transcribed using a conversation analysis approach. Analysis of the interactions revealed that the coach attempted to exercise control over the sequential organisation of the sessions, via asymmetrical turn-taking allocations, an unequal opportunity to talk, control over the topic of discussion within the interactions and the use of questioning to select speakers to take turns to talk. The findings are principally theorised through the work of Bertram H. Raven in an attempt to explain the social organisation of power within the institutional context. The conclusion emphasises the importance of coaches becoming more aware of the likely impact of such interactional practices upon athlete learning.
The facilitation of learning is a central feature of coaches’ and coach educators’ work. Coaching... more The facilitation of learning is a central feature of coaches’ and coach educators’ work. Coaching students and practitioners are, as a result, being expected to give increasing levels of thought towards how they might help to develop the knowledge and practical skills of others. Learning in Sports Coaching provides a comprehensive introduction to a diverse range of classic, critical, and contemporary theories of learning, education, and social interaction and their potential application to sports coaching. Each chapter is broadly divided into two sections. The first section introduces a key thinker and the fundamental tenets of his or her scholarly endeavours and theorising. The second considers how the theorist’s work might influence how we understand and attempt to promote learning in coaching and coach education settings. By design this book seeks to promote theoretical connoisseurship and to encourage its readers to reflect critically on their beliefs about learning and its facilitation. This is an essential text for any pedagogical course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
Research Methods in Sports Coaching is a key resource for any student, researcher or practitioner... more Research Methods in Sports Coaching is a key resource for any student, researcher or practitioner wishing to undertake research into sports coaching. It takes the reader through each phase of the research process, from identifying valuable research questions, to data collection and analyses, to the presentation and dissemination of research findings. It is the only book to focus on the particular challenges and techniques of sports coaching research, with each chapter including examples, cases and scenarios from the real world of sports coaching.
The book introduces and explores important philosophical, theoretical and practical considerations in conducting coaching research, including contextual discussions about why it’s important to do sports coaching research, how to judge the quality of coaching research, and how sports coaching research might meet the needs of coaching practitioners. Written by a team of leading international scholars and researchers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book is an essential course text for any research methods course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
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Papers by Ryan Groom
Behaviour Assessment System. Additionally, measures of both coach and athlete perceptions and attitudes were also recorded. The results revealed no significant change in coach behaviours from the baseline assessment to the follow-up assessment. However, although not significant, a meaningful change particularly regarding the use of
Reinforcement, General Technical Instruction and Mistake Contingent Encouragement was evident. Results of the descriptive-analytic data generated from the cognitive investigations highlighted generally positive although not statistically significant changes, particularly
those concerning the athletes’ attitudes towards their coach, teammates and soccer, following the intervention process. The findings of this study are discussed in line with the existing coach behaviour literature.
Books by Ryan Groom
The book introduces and explores important philosophical, theoretical and practical considerations in conducting coaching research, including contextual discussions about why it’s important to do sports coaching research, how to judge the quality of coaching research, and how sports coaching research might meet the needs of coaching practitioners. Written by a team of leading international scholars and researchers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book is an essential course text for any research methods course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415626828/
Behaviour Assessment System. Additionally, measures of both coach and athlete perceptions and attitudes were also recorded. The results revealed no significant change in coach behaviours from the baseline assessment to the follow-up assessment. However, although not significant, a meaningful change particularly regarding the use of
Reinforcement, General Technical Instruction and Mistake Contingent Encouragement was evident. Results of the descriptive-analytic data generated from the cognitive investigations highlighted generally positive although not statistically significant changes, particularly
those concerning the athletes’ attitudes towards their coach, teammates and soccer, following the intervention process. The findings of this study are discussed in line with the existing coach behaviour literature.
The book introduces and explores important philosophical, theoretical and practical considerations in conducting coaching research, including contextual discussions about why it’s important to do sports coaching research, how to judge the quality of coaching research, and how sports coaching research might meet the needs of coaching practitioners. Written by a team of leading international scholars and researchers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book is an essential course text for any research methods course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education.
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415626828/