Coaches’ perspectives on contribution

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine coaches’ perspectives on contribution through sport and (b) obtain their feedback on a previously established definition of contribution. Data were collected via focus groups with 13 coaches from a variety of individual and team sports (M age = 33 years, SD = 11.1). Focus group transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis [Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806]. Findings were presented as two categories pertaining to the two purposes of the study. In the first category, youth sport coaches’ perceptions of contribution, the coaches’ discussion of contribution centred on three themes. Coaches discussed contributing as an athlete by providing sport specific examples of contribution behaviour. Through all their discussions, it was evident that coaches perceived that contribution involves having a positive impact and acting with intent. Regarding the second category, coaches’ feedback on the definition, coaches expressed that the definition fit with their conceptualisations of contribution, particularly the first sentence which contained the ideas that contribution is intentional and results in positive impacts on others. However, the coaches felt the definition was overly complex and questioned whether the definition should have focused on intent versus behaviour. A practical operational definition of contribution was suggested to address the coaches’ criticisms of the theoretical definition. These findings suggest that, whereas the theoretical definition of contribution is appropriate for academic discourse, the practical operational definition may be better suited for use by stakeholders and as a basis for interactions between researchers and sport stakeholders.

KEYWORDS:

• Positive youth development
• youth sport
• focus groups
• contribution

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship awarded to Colin J. Deal.