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Our research has transformed UK and international thinking, policy and practice in sport coaching. The result is an emerging international consensus on sport coaching as a blended profession encompassing a segmented workforce with defined coaching roles. We have had a significant impact on UK and international sport coaching systems, coach development, education and qualifications. Our research work has impacted on more than 30 countries, and directly on the work of at least 26 international agencies and sporting bodies, directly enhancing the lived experiences of many thousands of coaches, participants and performers.
Since the 1990s, academics at the University have focused on coaching and coach education as a key area of interest, and have had substantial impacts on practice within these areas through an on-going process of research, dissemination and engagement. Through intrinsically applied work, the group initially employed an interdisciplinary approach to the development of the academic curriculum to train coaches and other sports practitioners through under- and postgraduate programmes. However, as engagement with practicing coaches increased, the approach increasingly moved from sport pedagogy aspects of coach education towards examining the cultural and historical perspectives of this practice, and into the psychosocial elements of coaching practice. Through a nexus of research and engagement, the group has directly influenced coaching standards and guidelines, and stimulated improvements in practice and practitioner debate. In particular, this has led to impact on UK coach education provision, for example through development of accredited coach education programmes for two national coaching agencies SportsCoachUK and the Football Association by members of the interdisciplinary research team.
The research cited addresses the socio-pedagogical and psychological aspects of sports coaching. It has directly impacted policy and effective practice within elite sports clubs and National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) in the UK and abroad. Evidence of impact relates to coping effectiveness and stress management within elite level rugby (Rugby Football League, Rugby Football Union) and golf (English Golf Union, Professional Golfers' Association) contexts. Further afield, the socio-pedagogical research has informed core facets of progressive coach education initiatives, such as those delivered by the Gaelic Athletics Association, the Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre, and High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Dr. Stephen Harvey and colleagues have developed a computerised observation software tool for the systematic analysis of coaching behaviour. Designed for use on an iPad, the Coach Analysis Intervention System (CAIS) is able to provide researchers, coach educators, and coaches with a range of data that helps coaches improve their practice. In terms of impact, CAIS has been endorsed by national sports governing bodies. A company, in which Dr. Harvey is a shareholder, has been set up to actively develop the software tool.
Since 1993, research in service delivery and performance psychology from the constituent groups of the Institute for Research Excellence in Sport and Exercise (IRESE) at Bangor University and Cardiff Metropolitan University has underpinned the content and provision of professional training and development programmes in the UK and more globally. Specifically, since 2008 the research has informed the development and delivery of existing governing body coach education programmes and coach education programmes that are among the first of their kind anywhere in the world. In addition, it has influenced the training of all UK Sport Science Practitioners pursuing accreditation to work professionally in the UK sport industry.
The Football Association (FA) now incorporates player-centred evaluations of international tournaments into its policy as a result of longitudinal research at Loughborough University aimed at raising the profile and application of psychological principles in youth football. In addition, FA coaching award courses and coach development courses have integrated a specific focus on core psychological factors (known as the 5C's), and these have been promoted by the FA to their 14,900 licensed coaches and 20,587 Twitter followers worldwide. These principles have also been adopted and embedded within English professional club academy programmes. Further to this, research conducted within coaching behaviour has resulted in the development and marketing of coach behaviour analysis software that has been sold to professional youth academies and is integral to coach development initiatives.
Impact stems from Surrey's research in the field of coaching which has shaped a professional code of conduct, increased the professionalization of coaching and, through an application of this, enabled redundant managers to create new businesses and improve skills.
Outcomes are reflected in the international new Code of Conduct, having an indirect impact on a sector with 25,000 members in 100 countries worth over US $25bn, by professionalizing standards. The Silver Academy, an EU-funded People Project, delivered direct impact by applying action-research to coaching techniques and creating new opportunities for redundant managers, creating 20 new businesses and improving re-employment.
This case study describes impact from research conducted by Howard Hall into motivational processes underpinning disaffection, debilitation and burnout in youth sport. The conceptual foundations and empirical evidence generated from this research helped inform the design of a large-scale intervention, involving eight European partners, who each implemented a community-based coach education program promoting psychosocial development and healthy lifestyles among children. As a consequence of the intervention, significant impact has been realised through the training of coach educators, delivery of workshops to community coaches, production of coaching resources, exchanges with FA staff and discourse among stakeholders about revisions to coaching practice.
The impact of Professor Garvey's work in coaching and mentoring is extensive and far reaching nationally and internationally in terms of influencing practice across many sectors of society. It has impacted on, for example, the NHS, education in schools, professional bodies, and private and public sector organisations. In particular, his research and publications have influenced the ways in which coaching and mentoring are defined and the content of coach/mentor education and training in a range of educational settings.
A long-standing programme of research contributes to health and welfare benefits (e.g., decreased intentions to dropout of youth sport) and is having impact on professional standards and practitioners in the domains of sport, dance and physical education (PE). A family of training programmes (Empowering Coaching™ workshops) has been developed and delivered nationally and internationally. The programme centres on helping leaders to understand the principles of quality motivation and also strategies that can create more adaptive learning environments leading to sustained engagement and well-being for athletes/students/dancers. The research has informed extensive continuing professional development programmes for coaches and teachers in sport, PE and dance organisations.