Navigating the athlete-to-coach transition: understanding the experiences, philosophies, and practices of British orienteering coaches

The sport of orienteering has been largely absent from the outdoor and adventure coaching literature. Therefore, we know little about the experiences of orienteering coaches, specifically their journeys into coaching and the influences on their development. Consequently, the aim of this research is to explore British Orienteering coaches’ experiences of the athlete-to-coach transition, with an emphasis on understanding how an athletic past might shape future coaching beliefs, philosophies, and practices. Data were collected via an online qualitative survey involving 84 UK-based orienteering coaches and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis process. Findings indicate that participants’ routes into and reasons for becoming an orienteering coach varied. Previous orienteering experience functioned as a socialising agent, while enabling individuals to develop technical knowledge, alongside empathy and relatability. Participants articulated the values and beliefs informing their coaching philosophies, which centred on inclusivity, fun, holistic development, and transferable skills. Practical recommendations to support the athlete-to-coach transition and enhance coach education are discussed

Lifestyle Sports and Physical Education Teachers’ Professional Development in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Survey Analysis

Lifestyle sports can contribute to national sport and physical activity agendas. However, schools in the United Kingdom (UK) have generally resisted the implementation of such activities within the physical education (PE) curriculum. This may stem from PE teachers’ limited knowledge and restricted engagement with lifestyle sports continuing professional development (CPD), coupled with the dominance of traditional team sports within the PE curriculum. Consequently, the aim of this research was to explore the opportunities and challenges PE teachers in the UK encounter when delivering lifestyle sports, in addition to understanding their current professional development needs to enhance their practice. Data were collected via an online qualitative survey involving 53 UK-based PE teachers. Following a reflexive thematic analysis process, three themes were developed: (1) PE teachers’ understanding, conceptualisation, and delivery of lifestyle sports; (2) challenges to delivering lifestyle sports within the PE curriculum; and (3) the learning needs and CPD preferences of PE teachers. Findings indicated that the participants possessed diverse conceptualisations of lifestyle sports, while faced with logistical, contextual, and personal factors which impacted their practice. Furthermore, the participants outlined their preferences towards lifestyle sports CPD and the challenges restricting their engagement with learning opportunities. Recommendations for future research are discussed

Educative mentoring in sport coaching: a reciprocal learning process

Educative mentoring positions mentors and mentees as co-learners within a collaborative relationship, while emphasising reciprocal learning. However, research exploring educative mentoring is limited to teacher-mentors, restricting our understanding of the potential learning opportunities an educative stance provides mentors in other occupational fields. Consequently, the aim of this research was to explore the learning of sport coach mentors, with a specific focus on whether they were able to learn reciprocally from their mentees in a two-way process. As part of a wider project, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 sport coach mentors employed by a sport governing body, with interview transcripts subject to reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicate that when an educative stance is adopted by a sport coach mentor, they are able to engage with collaborative learning opportunities with their mentees, which results in possibilities for growth and professional development. Practical implications for sport coach mentor training are discussed

Understanding the impact of an online level 1 coach education award on dodgeball coaches’ learning and practice

Improved internet access and technological advancements have significantly influenced coaches’ learning opportunities, with numerous online coach education courses now available. Despite this, we know little about coaches’ experiences of such provision and how it shapes coach learning. Consequently, the aim of this research is to understand the impact of an online Level 1 coach education award on dodgeball coaches’ learning and practice. Data were collected via an online qualitative survey involving 57 dodgeball coaches who had completed the award, alongside follow-up virtual semistructured interviews with eight coaches. Following a reflexive thematic analysis process drawing upon the theoretical framework of Jennifer Moon, three themes were generated: (a) a surface or deep approach? Understanding dodgeball coaches’ experiences of the Level 1 award, (b) coaches’ preferences and learning styles: a barrier for online coach education, and (c) enhancing the impact of online coach education: assessment and postaward support. Findings indicate that the award’s impact on learning and practice varied depending upon coaches’ cognitive structures, which influenced their perceptions toward the value of online provision. Although coaches’ experiences were generally positive, authentic assessment(s) and mentoring opportunities were proposed to further enhance the award’s impact

Pre-adolescent children’s understanding of health and being healthy: A multidimensional perspective from the UK

Purpose – We applied a multidimensional conceptual lens that incorporated physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health dimensions to explore pre-adolescent children’s understanding of health and being healthy. Design/methodology/approach – Forty-six children aged 9-11 years old completed a short questionnaire about their understanding of health and what it means to be healthy. Data analysis was completed through a deductive analysis applying a multidimensional conceptual lens and an inductive thematic analysis of the content of children’s responses to each question. Findings – The analysis of children’s understandings of health and being healthy both revealed five common themes: Being Well, Physically Active, Fit, and Healthy; Healthy Eating and Body Composition; Physical Activity Examples; Physical Activity Characteristics; and Unsure or Ambiguous. An additional theme of Social and Emotional emerged for children’s understanding of what it means to be healthy. Across both questions the majority of responses reflected the physical dimension of health, with only a few references to the social and emotional dimensions. There was no evidence of the intellectual or spiritual dimensions of health in children’s responses to either question. Practical implications – Our data suggest that the plateau in adolescent UK children’s trajectory of understandings originates earlier in childhood, with children aged 9-11 years showing a similarly limited understanding of health and being healthy as UK early and middle adolescents (12-15 years). Moreover, this focus on the physical dimension is narrower than previously considered as it is restricted to the movement category of this dimension only. Originality/value – Our findings have implications for the timing and focus of health education interventions for children

Coaches’ dispositions and non-formal learning situations: an analysis of the ‘coach talent programme’

Research which identifies and describes the learning situations coaches engage with often overlooks how coaches’ dispositions and the ‘learning cultures’ they occupy influences their opportunities for learning, limiting our understanding of what ‘works’ and for ‘whom’. Seven coaches from five sports were interviewed regarding their experiences of ‘The Coach Talent Programme’ (CTP); a non-formal learning situation consisting of cross-sport CPD workshops delivered by a UK County Sports Partnership. Data were analysed thematically, integrating Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology alongside Phil Hodkinson’s theory of ‘learning cultures’. Three themes were developed: (1) social interaction and cross-sport learning; (2) workshop content and online learning; and (3) tutor capital and the coaching field. The findings demonstrate how coaches’ ‘learning’ within non-formal situations varies significantly due to embodied dispositions, capital, and the social fields coaches are positioned within. Sports organisations would benefit from recognising the influence of these factors to develop transformative non-formal environments for coach learning

The space between two closets: Erin Parisi mountaineering and changing the trans* narrative

Erin Parisi is attempting to become the first trans* person to ascent the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, through her project TranSending 7. Erin seeks to create alternative trans* narratives that are based on the possibility of positive futures, as opposed to negative tropes of a limited life from the decision to transition. Multiple semi-structured interviews were conducted with Erin to understand her experiences and how narratives she hopes to present, not only impact upon her own sense of self, health and well-being but also present opportunities for others. Data were analysed via reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis highlights for Erin a paradox for many trans* people in moving from one closet to another, where being invisible as a trans* person is the ultimate goal. Erin’s desire to shape positive trans* narratives acknowledge the gendering practices that take place within the climbing community and a sense of her having to ‘earn the right to climb’. Erin’s endeavours demonstrate an alternative way individuals can be situated ‘in the sunshine’ between these two spaces, where personal growth is not only possible but rich, meaningful, and progressive. In drawing upon theoretical concepts informed by possible selves theory, this research seeks to untangle the gendered space of the mountain for shaping positive and transformational trans* narratives for individuals positioned within these gendered boundaries. It also seeks to identify stronger and more positive possible futures for other trans* people and youth

Teacher–Student relationship quality as a barometer of teaching and learning effectiveness: Conceptualization and measurement

Background. The teacher-student relationship (TSR) is instrumental for young children and adolescents’ socio-emotional development and wellbeing as well as academic engagement and progress. Aims. The primary aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties, including reliability and factorial, convergent, and predictive validity, of the Teacher-Student Relationship Quality Questionnaire (TSRQ-Q) with two samples of students. Sample(s). Participants were 294 students from secondary schools in the East Midlands and the East of England. Participants were separated into two samples; those who completed the TSRQ-Q with their physical education teacher in mind (n = 150 students) and those who completed it with their mathematics teacher in mind (n = 144 students). Method. A multi-section questionnaire comprised of the TSRQ-Q and other validated measures was completed on one occasion by students in both samples to assess their perceptions of the quality of the TSR, positive and negative affect, intrinsic motivation, physical self-concept, enjoyment, and perceived competence. Results. In both samples, the TSRQ-Q demonstrated good internal consistency, factorial, convergent, and predictive validity. The quality of the TSR had both direct and indirect effects through positive affect on student outcomes in mathematics and physical education. Conclusions. The TSRQ-Q is a valid measure for assessing students’ perceptions of the quality of the relationship with their teacher. The conceptual and practical significance of this unique relationship was reflected by its dual pathway effect on a range of student outcomes and via influencing students’ positive affect in the classroom

Free carrier effects in gallium nitride epilayers: the valence band dispersion

The dispersion of the A-valence-band in GaN has been deduced from the observation of high-index magneto-excitonic states in polarised interband magneto-reflectivity and is found to be strongly non-parabolic with a mass in the range 1.2-1.8 m_{e}. It matches the theory of Kim et al. [Phys. Rev. B 56, 7363 (1997)] extremely well, which also gives a strong k-dependent A-valence-band mass. A strong phonon coupling leads to quenching of the observed transitions at an LO-phonon energy above the band gap and a strong non-parabolicity. The valence band was deduced from subtracting from the reduced dispersion the electron contribution with a model that includes a full treatment of the electron-phonon interaction.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 5 figure

Catalytic Hydrogenation and Hydrodeoxygenation of Furfural over Pt(111): A Model System for the Rational Design and Operation of Practical Biomass Conversion Catalysts

Furfural is a key bioderived platform chemical whose reactivity under hydrogen atmospheres affords diverse chemical intermediates. Here, temperature-programmed reaction spectrometry and complementary scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are employed to investigate furfural adsorption and reactivity over a Pt(111) model catalyst. Furfural decarbonylation to furan is highly sensitive to reaction conditions, in particular, surface crowding and associated changes in the adsorption geometry: furfural adopts a planar geometry on clean Pt(111) at low coverage, tilting at higher coverage to form a densely packed furfural adlayer. This switch in adsorption geometry strongly influences product selectivity. STM reveals the formation of hydrogen-bonded networks for planar furfural, which favor decarbonylation on clean Pt(111) and hydrogenolysis in the presence of coadsorbed hydrogen. Preadsorbed hydrogen promotes furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol and its subsequent hydrogenolysis to methyl furan, while suppressing residual surface carbon. Furfural chemistry over Pt is markedly different from that over Pd, with weaker adsorption over the former affording a simpler product distribution than the latter; Pd catalyzes a wider range of chemistry, including ring-opening to form propene. Insight into the role of molecular orientation in controlling product selectivity will guide the design and operation of more selective and stable Pt catalysts for furfural hydrogenation