ABSTRACT
This investigation examined the planning and decision-making processes in adventure sports coaching. We utilised a thematic analysis approach to investigate the planning decision-making practices of a sample of high-level adventure sports coaches over a series of sessions. The investigation discovered that, in planning coaching activity, high-level adventure sports coaches draw on their epistemological values and domain-specific expertise, employ a synergy of classic and naturalistic decision-making processes, and continually audit the evolving coaching process. Based on these findings, implications for professional training, accreditation and development of adventure sports coaches are presented.
KEYWORDS:
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Loel Collins
Loel Collins teaches at the University of Central Lancashire on the outdoor undergraduate degree programmes and the postgraduate degrees within the Institute of Coaching. His research interests lie in the understanding of professional judgement and decision-making and in the education of adventure sports leaders, coaches and teachers. He has taught extensively in outdoor education and has over 30 years of experience in a range of organisations around the world.
Dave Collins
Dave Collins has had over 200 peer-review publications and 40 books/book chapters published. Current research interests include performer and coach development, cognitive expertise and the promotion of peak performance across different challenge environments. He has worked with over 60 world or Olympic medallists plus professional teams, dancers, musicians and executives.