Coaches’ dispositions and non-formal learning situations: an analysis of the ‘coach talent programme’

ABSTRACT

Research which identifies and describes the learning situations coaches engage with often overlooks how coaches’ dispositions and the ‘learning cultures’ they occupy influences their opportunities for learning, limiting our understanding of what ‘works’ and for ‘whom’. Seven coaches from five sports were interviewed regarding their experiences of ‘The Coach Talent Programme’ (CTP); a non-formal learning situation consisting of cross-sport CPD workshops delivered by a UK County Sports Partnership. Data were analysed thematically, integrating Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology alongside Phil Hodkinson’s theory of ‘learning cultures’. Three themes were developed: (1) social interaction and cross-sport learning; (2) workshop content and online learning; and (3) tutor capital and the coaching field. The findings demonstrate how coaches’ ‘learning’ within non-formal situations varies significantly due to embodied dispositions, capital, and the social fields coaches are positioned within. Sports organisations would benefit from recognising the influence of these factors to develop transformative non-formal environments for coach learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Continuing professional development
• non-formal
• coach learning
• coach education
• dispositions

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Dr. Robert Townsend for his insightful feedback on earlier drafts of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) is a framework that supports the development, endorsement, and improvement of SGB delivered coach education.

2. County Sports Partnerships are networks of local organisations and agencies aimed at improving sporting opportunities and experiences at a regional level. Across England there are 44 County Sports Partnerships, who work together with other partners such as SGB’s to improve the workforce development of coaches, clubs, and volunteers.

3. Coaches working within the ‘First Selective Environment’ refers to the ‘entry level’ of the talent pathway within that sport. Although variable, generally it will refer to coaches who are working with county, district or regional athletes.

4. It should be noted that this manuscript is an extension of a conference presentation entitled ‘Coaches’ dispositions towards non-formal learning situations: An analysis of the ‘Coach Talent Programme’’ at the 2018 AIESEP World Congress, Edinburgh, UK: University of Edinburgh. The conference presentation was delivered by the lead author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Active Norfolk under Grant R205006.