WHAT DO COACHES CARE FOR?

Sofia SANTOS 1 <presenting author is underlined>

Robyn JONES 1 and 2

Isabel MESQUITA 3

David GILBOURNE 4

1.  Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK

2.  Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Norway

3.  University of Hull, UK

4.  University of Porto, Portugal

Recent studies have criticized the traditional/rationalistic perspectives used to analyze sports coaching. This is because results have tended to provide a decontextualized and reductionist portrayal of this complex activity (Bowes & Jones, 2006). There is, therefore, a need to present more authenticated accounts of coaches’ everyday reality in order to construct a deeper understanding of coaching (Jones, 2007). The aim of this work was to record and analyze coaches’ practice in context. Specifically, the purpose related to understanding how coaches orchestrate and manage their practice in order to meet desired ends. This was in terms of both the episodic pedagogical act and the more general coaching process. The study’s design was ethnographic in nature and conducted over a period of 12 months in 2 different club contexts. The precise methods used included participant observation, informal interviews and photography. The participants comprised several coaches from each setting; head coaches and beginner coaches. Findings of this study indicated that participants were engaged in a series of social, power-related strategies designed to ‘encourage’ athletes (and other contextual stakeholders) to ‘buy in’ to their respective agendas. Some of these strategies were closely related to bonding with athletes through the establishment of a caring relationship. Here, coaches assumed the role of the ‘carers’ and athletes as ones being ‘cared-for’ (Noddings, 2005). Whilst exploring what coaches care for, the data suggested that they care for performance as well as the individual human being (that is with issues related to athletes’ personal lives). However, the individual sporting needs of athletes were found to be neglected. Engaging with such realities, actions, dilemmas and contractions will not only contribute to better understanding coaching, but also to better inform practical prescription within the professional development of sports coaches.

Bowes & Jones, R.L. (2006) Working at the Edge of Chaos: Understanding Coaching as a Complex, Interpersonal System The Sport Psychologist, 20, 235-245.

Jones, R.L. (2007). Coaching redefined: An everyday pedagogical endeavour. Sport, Education and Society, 12(2), 159-174.

Noddings, N. (2005) The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Sofia Santos –

Word count: 288