A coaching paradigm: a blueprint for sports coaches

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide insight into two management aspects of the sport coaching process. In short, it is an attempt to describe the management functions of planning and controlling. It also points out potential and existing problems in the New Zealand coaching, and offers some suggestions for alleviating these. The problem was to discover, synthesise and interpret data pertinent to the planning and control functions of the management aspect of the coaching process, with particular reference to the New Zealand scene. This study is descriptive in nature and is based on a review of relevant literature, and interviews and discussions with ten Directors of Coaching in New Zealand. The method used in this study involved a combination of interviews and questionnaires. These were designed to determine the nature of sports coaching and the types of training, preparation, and skills necessary to be effective at the high performance level in particular sports. The job analysis involved "experts" as subjects, and used a systematic polling of the opinions of the ten experts involved. An "expert" was defined as either a National Director of Coaching, a Regional Director of Coaching or a person holding a prominent position in coaching within a national sports body. The main finding was that because most sports in New Zealand are administered on a voluntary basis they generally lack the expertise necessary to structure, implement and operationalise sport coaching development plans. These plans, encompassing coach education programmes, should outline coach management and show: how accredited coaches will best be utilised; how services will be provided for the continuing education of accredited coaches; and how non-accredited coaches can be integrated and educated at a level that meets their needs and abilities. Most Coaching Directors interviewed either had little in the way of financial resources available, and/or lack of knowledge or expertise to develop and implement more detailed and complete coach education programmes, than those already offered. Coaches in New Zealand, being voluntary, appear to be orientated to the practical rather than the theoretical: they spend as little time as possible reading and discussing theoretical concepts. Sports generally do not have the resources, human or financial, to implement and maintain highly technical coach education programmes. Although the aspect of developing practical coaching abilities should continue to be a significant focus of all coach education programmes in New Zealand, the importance of the theoretical component should not be overlooked. Courses should also be developed to meet the specific needs of coaches in terms of who they coach; how they coach, and what they coach. It was found in this study that, of the many skills required of coaches, the management skills of planning and controlling, are necessary and important at all levels. A Coach Planning and Control model was constructed designed to meet the planning and evaluation needs of high performance coaches in New Zealand. The majority of the subjects involved in this study were in total support of the ideas and concepts presented in the model, and were much in favour of applying the model to their existing coach education programmes.