(Re)conceptualising coach education and development: towards a rhizomatic approach

To ensure sport coaches across all domains deliver ethical practices, appropriately educating the coaching workforce is of paramount importance. Yet, coach education programmes have been heavily critiqued for failing to enhance coaches’ knowledge and practice. In recognising the sociocultural nature of coach learning, researchers have drawn upon prominent social theorists such as Bourdieu, Foucault, and Bernstein amongst others to critically analyse coach education provision. However, the notion of rhizomatic learning, derived from the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari, has yet to be applied to coach education research, despite its ability to disrupt normalised and linear education systems. Consequently, the aim of this new horizons paper is to introduce rhizomatic learning as a possible framework for (re)conceptualising coach education and development. The intention of this paper is to put Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts “to work” to help theorise how social actors and coaching discourses function to produce learning and practice

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

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

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

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

‘I’m not the police’: Practical strategies for sport coach mentors to develop trust and trustworthiness

This paper examines trust and trustworthiness in sport coach mentor-mentee relationships. Specifically, we investigate the place and importance of trust from the mentor’s perspective and establish how trustworthy impressions are actively developed. Guided by the theoretical ideas of Hardin (2002) and Hoy and Tschannen-Moran (1999), we conducted 18 online, two-to-one semi-structured interviews with nine mentors affiliated with two National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport. Data were subjected to a phronetic, iterative analysis, which involved inductive and deductive sensemaking and an interactive writing process. Key findings suggested a) that the mentors defined trust as a crucial construct in the development of mentee motivation, learning, and engagement, b) establishing trustworthy impressions was important for the mentors’ material and non-material interests, c) mentors reported how mentees were initially aloof due to an apparent distrust of NGBs, and d) mentors used numerous interactional strategies to create trustworthy impressions. These included i) deformalising mentor-mentee relationships, ii) actively demonstrating reliability as mentors, iii) using mutually beneficial lies to simultaneously secure buy-in and build mentee confidence and self-esteem, iv) illustrating their own fallibility as sport coaches, v) considering the value of displaying their own coaching competency, and vi) developing mentees’ competencies through empowerment. The findings offer practical strategies for NGBs and other [non]sporting bodies to support mentors in creating trustworthy impressions and build successful mentoring relationships

Utilisation of an operative difficulty grading scale for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background A reliable system for grading operative difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy would standardise description of findings and reporting of outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate a difficulty grading system (Nassar scale), testing its applicability and consistency in two large prospective datasets. Methods Patient and disease-related variables and 30-day outcomes were identified in two prospective cholecystectomy databases: the multi-centre prospective cohort of 8820 patients from the recent CholeS Study and the single-surgeon series containing 4089 patients. Operative data and patient outcomes were correlated with Nassar operative difficultly scale, using Kendall’s tau for dichotomous variables, or Jonckheere–Terpstra tests for continuous variables. A ROC curve analysis was performed, to quantify the predictive accuracy of the scale for each outcome, with continuous outcomes dichotomised, prior to analysis. Results A higher operative difficulty grade was consistently associated with worse outcomes for the patients in both the reference and CholeS cohorts. The median length of stay increased from 0 to 4 days, and the 30-day complication rate from 7.6 to 24.4% as the difficulty grade increased from 1 to 4/5 (both p < 0.001). In the CholeS cohort, a higher difficulty grade was found to be most strongly associated with conversion to open and 30-day mortality (AUROC = 0.903, 0.822, respectively). On multivariable analysis, the Nassar operative difficultly scale was found to be a significant independent predictor of operative duration, conversion to open surgery, 30-day complications and 30-day reintervention (all p < 0.001). Conclusion We have shown that an operative difficulty scale can standardise the description of operative findings by multiple grades of surgeons to facilitate audit, training assessment and research. It provides a tool for reporting operative findings, disease severity and technical difficulty and can be utilised in future research to reliably compare outcomes according to case mix and intra-operative difficulty