“An important cog in the wheel”, but not the driver: Coaches’ perceptions of their role in doping prevention

Objectives: Under the World Anti-Doping Code coaches have designated anti-doping roles and responsibilities. Yet, their experiences, opinions and behaviours in relation to these expectations are poorly understood. This study responds directly to this absence of evidence in order to move the field forward. Design: A qualitative thematic analysis approach. Method: Twelve football and rugby league coaches, working in a performance development context, took part in semi-structured interviews to explore their (anti-)doping experiences, opinions and behaviours. Nine coaches participated in follow-up interviews where particular attention was paid to existing anti-doping policy directives. All interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Coaches were supportive of anti-doping efforts and exerted their influence by monitoring, giving advice and creating the ‘right’ culture. Performance prioritisation rendered coaches reluctant to engage proactively in addressing anti-doping in their practice; a situation exacerbated by a lack of self-efficacy to advise/act in accordance with the rules. Consequently, coaches tended to rely on others (both internally and externally to their club) to provide anti-doping support, and anti-doping is deemed unnecessary/irrelevant. Critically, coaches’ current behaviours were not driven by policy, as they were unaware of expectations and consequences outlined in the Code. Conclusions: Coaches are willing to support anti-doping efforts, but are generally passive in their everyday practice. The gulf between anti-doping policy and coaching practice raises cause for concern for anti-doping policy makers. To bridge this gap systematic programming of activities designed to ensure coaches are able and willing to take a proactive role in doping prevention is required

Positioning mentoring as a coach development tool:Recommendations for future practice and research

Current thinking in coach education advocates mentoring as a development tool to connect theory and practice. However, little empirical evidence exists to evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring as a coach development tool. Business, education, and nursing precede the coaching industry in their mentoring practice, and research findings offered in these domains could be drawn upon to position mentoring as sports coaching development tool. Given the remote basis of some of mentor–coach relationships in sports coaching, additional learning can be drawn from mentoring conducted by virtual or electronic mediums. This article concludes with a series of reflective questions arising from research findings in other domains, designed to engage the potential coaching organization with the mentoring process

Hobby, career or vocation? Meanings in sports coaching and their implications for recruitment and retention of coaches

Rationale/Purpose: Traditional European sports clubs are facing increasing pressures to professionalise their services, while also encountering difficulties in the recruitment and retention of the coaching workforce. We used the concept of meaningful work to explore why coaching is worthwhile to coaches and how they have responded to the changes in the structural and narrative context of their work. Methodology: Drawing on narrative inquiry, we explored the various meanings and justifications that athletics (track and field) coaches assign to coaching in Finland and England. Twenty-three coaches (8 women, 15 men) aged 22 – 86 participated in narrative interviews that were analysed using thematic narrative analysis. Findings: The younger coaches mainly constructed coaching as a hobby and more often placed value on personal benefits, whereas many older coaches described coaching as a vocation/calling and emphasized causes that transcend the self (e.g., tradition, duty and leaving a legacy). Practical implications: Understanding the diverse ways in which coaching is meaningful is vital for supporting the recruitment and retention of the coaching workforce in sport clubs. Research contribution: The study extends understandings of meaningful work in coaching and how coaching is shaped by the broader structural and ideological contexts of the work

Psychosocial functioning of Olympic coaches and its perceived effect on athlete performance: a systematic review

Effective coaching facilitates athletes’ success in reaching their potential in sport. Coaches possess a range of knowledge, skills and attributes that influence athletes’ performance, including various intrapersonal and interpersonal qualities. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the research investigating the psychosocial functioning of Olympic coaches and its perceived effect on athlete performance. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The following databases were searched: SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Medline. The literature search identified 2873 studies which were screened and assessed for eligibility, with the resultant 25 eligible studies being assessed for quality of evidence using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Convergent meta-integration with thematic analysis was performed by converting quantitative and qualitative data from 207 Olympic coaches and 925 Olympic athletes into relevant themes and patterns. Three core themes of traits, states, and behaviors were identified. Within these themes, 18 traits, 28 states, and 38 behaviors were identified that were perceived to have either a facilitative, debilitative, or non-categorized effect on athlete performance. Future research will help national governing bodies and practitioners develop coach education to enhance Olympic coaching effectiveness