What do participants perceive as the attributes of a good adventure sports coach?

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a mixed-method investigation of client’s perceptions of a good adventure sports coach. Semi-structured interviews were analysed thematically, and the findings used to inform a subsequent larger survey that sought to verify the importance of the themes identified in the interviews. The findings draw an alignment between the attributes of good coaches in traditional sports, as reported in previous studies, and those of adventure sports coaches. However, they also identify three additional attributes that are critical for good adventure sports coaches: (1) in-depth knowledge of the adventure sports environment, (2) a very high degree of individualisation, and (3) an explicit focus on developing the participant’s confidence. The implications for training adventure sports coaches are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Adventure sports coaching
• coach’s attributes
• coach’s knowledge
• individualisation
• self-efficacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chris Eastabrook

Chris Eastabrook is an experienced adventure sport coach, specialising in paddlesport with BCU Level 5 coach award. He is currently a teacher of outdoor learning at an independent school in North Wales, with recent experience teaching undergraduate outdoor leaders. He is a doctorate student with a research interest in coach and leadership education in this realm.

Loel Collins

Dr Loel Collins has worked in the adventure sport industry for over 35 years. He is currently the Direction of Learning and Development at Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre in the UK. He has a range of high-level outdoor leadership and teaching qualifications. He has also taught undergraduate and postgraduate outdoor degree programmes in the Institute of Coaching and Performance at the University of Central Lancashire. His research has examined the specifics of coaching adventure sports, understanding judgement and decision-making, and adventure sport coach education. His current position focuses on the translation of theory to practice in outdoor instructor and leadership training.