Coach Development

By Dean Hughes and Stacy Hughes

Abstract

This chapter will review existing literature surrounding the evolving landscape of coach education, with a focus towards football coaching. In an attempt to bridge the gap between theory and practical applications for coaches, the chapter discusses the implications for aspiring and current football coaches engaging with coach development.

The chapter is structured around individual strands of Coombs and Ahmed’s (1974) framework, which offers an insight into the multifaceted nature of coach development. The narrative case study of Jack Trainer, a coach educator with over decades of experience, is embedded throughout the chapter to provide real-world context and practical insights.

Jack Trainer’s journey from education to practitioner is explored through obtaining formal qualifications to becoming a respected coach educator, illustrating the complicated relationship between different forms of education and their impact on coach’s self-efficacy. Advocating for a holistic approach to coach education that values the integration of formal, non-formal, and informal learning experiences. It is a plea for a shift towards more personalised and contextually relevant educational practices that can better support the diverse needs of aspiring football coaches within their individual environments.