This research sought to identify distinctions in the practice of coaches within Wales,
compared to other European nations. A survey design was adopted, with a snowball
sampling strategy generating 150 respondents. Seven surveyed aspects of coaching
practice produced distinctive responses from coaches within Wales: they are less
likely to have membership of any professional coaching bodies, they spend a very
small proportion of their working time coaching, they are more likely to operate as
internal coaches or for low fees, they are more likely to engage in self-reflection and
participate in peer networks, they have a marked preference for behavioural/goalfocused methods, they are thorough in the range of topics they cover when
contracting and they are likely to be selected as coaches based predominantly upon
their experience levels. Recommendations are made for future analytical research to
identify causal factors for these distinctions
