Coach developers and reflective practice: evaluating exercises, mechanisms, and challenges in facilitating reflection within novice coach education

ABSTRACT

Developing coaches as reflective practitioners is a key tenet of coach education frameworks, with coach developers playing a significant role in facilitating reflection. Consequently, the aim of this research was to explore the exercises, mechanisms, and challenges coach developers utilise and face when facilitating reflective practice within formal coach education. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six active coach developers within an Irish sport governing body (SGB), with transcripts subject to a reflexive thematic analysis process. Findings indicated that while coach developers’ understanding and conceptualisation of reflective practice varied, they each attempted to facilitate reflection through similar pedagogical practices. Specifically, coach developers’ roles included adapting sessions to utilise learning opportunities, addressing the needs of coaches struggling with reflective practice mechanisms, and active engagement through prompts and feedback. While the relationship between the coach developer and coach was deemed significant in facilitating reflection, time constraints were highlighted as a major challenge when seeking to enable meaningful reflection. Furthermore, learners’ motivations for, and attitudes towards, coach education influenced their engagement in reflective discussions. This research adds to the growing body of literature on coach developers by specifically highlighting the practical demands they face in facilitating reflective practice.

KEYWORDS:

• reflection
• coach learning
• coaching curriculum
• novice coaches
• tutor
• experiential learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Costello

Kevin Costello is the Manager of Continuous Assessment of a postgraduate medical training body within the Republic of Ireland. He has a BSc. in Education and Training at Dublin City University and completed the MSc. in Sport Management from the School of Public Health Physiotherapy and Sports Science at University College Dublin.

Rosie Jewitt-Beck

Rosie Jewitt-Beck is a Teaching Fellow in the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science at University College Dublin, Ireland. Her research interests focus on the education of coach developers.

Thomas M. Leeder

Rosie Jewitt-Beck is a Teaching Fellow in the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science at University College Dublin, Ireland. Her research interests focus on the education of coach developers.

Dr Thomas M. Leeder is a Lecturer in Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. His research interests focus on understanding and exploring coach learning, coach education and development, and coach mentoring, via the use of qualitative research methods and sociological frameworks