Social Learning in Sport: Leading Communities of Practice and Social Learning Spaces for Coach Development

Social Learning in Sport illuminates the work of social learning leadership through narratives that illustrate how the theoretical concepts of social learning can deepen our appreciation of effective support for 21st‑century sport professionals who care to make a difference in sport coaching development. Wenger‑Trayner’s social learning theory has evolved substantially in the last decade, moving beyond the consideration of communities of practice to examining landscapes of practice and social learning spaces. This evolution provides a valuable resource for social learning leaders to support practitioners operating in global contexts of increasing ambiguity, uncertainty, and volatility.

This new text examines the wide range of roles involved in social learning leadership and illustrates the practices and people who are working ‘behind the curtains’, often invisible to others. This book is divided into four sections. The introductory section provides social learning leaders with a brief overview of recent developments in the theory, including the value creation framework, and its use in sport. In sections two and three, the reader learns through engaging with the stories of practitioners from around the world who are inspired by a social learning approach with a principal focus on coach development. The concluding section includes examples of challenges drawn from practice and provides social learning leaders with recommendations for future directions.

Social Learning in Sport is invaluable for all social learning leaders, including sport coaches, administrators, coach developers, and academics.

Diane M. Culver is a Full Professor and CMPC® at the University of Ottawa, Canada. A Fellow of the Wenger‑Trayners’ Social Learning Lab, she leads the Social Learning, Innovation and Development in Sport Research Group (SoLID). Diane’s research, funded by federal grants and sport organisations, frequently embodies forms of social learning spaces, such as communities of practice, to study various aspects of coach development, including gender equity, para sport coaching, safe sport, and women in coaching.

Don Vinson is a Professor of sport coaching. Don is a member of the International Council for Coach Education (ICCE) Research Committee and the Secretary of the Cluster for Research into Coaching (CRiC) Executive Board. Don leads the Coach Developer and Performance Analyst Research Group. Don has worked with many National Governing Bodies (NGBs), including the Football Association, Europe Netball, British Cycling, British Gymnastics, British Rowing, and the British Equestrian Federation.

Michel Milistetd is an Associate Professor at the Sports Centre of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Brazil. He leads the Sports Pedagogy Laboratory at UFSC. Michel is certified as a Coach Developer from the International Council for Coaching Excellence and Nippon Sport Sciences University, Japan. Michel is a consultant for the Brazilian Olympic Committee, national sports federations (Tennis, Taekwondo, Handball, Rugby, Archery, Diving), and multi‑sport clubs (Minas Tênis Clube, Esporte Clube Pinheiros).