Developing Sport Coaches

Evolving from the concept of coach education, which is generally accepted to be the more formal, didactic mode of transmitting information to coaches and prospective coaches, coach development is a relatively new field of research and practice. Developing Sport Coaches is a new text that supports the holistic longterm development of sport coaches as well as help aid existing sport coaches to understand their development.

Research in coach learning and coach education has raised important questions about the effectiveness, relevance and value placed on traditional coach education by sport coaches in relation to their practice. The dissatisfaction expressed by many coaches, at all stages of coaching practice, has led to the inception of coach development. This text enables coach development to be studied in higher education institutions as well as enabling organisations to embed coach developers within their organisations.

Written for the sport coaching and expanding coach development market, this book will be used by higher education institutions students as both a core and additional text to advance research and knowledge in this area. At the same time, this book is also a useful reading for practising sport coaches, coach developers and organisations who are currently examining their structures and processes to move their coaching provision from a formal coach education delivery to a more bespoke offering.

Christine Nash (PhD) is the Head of Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences (ISPEHS) in the Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh, UK.