In contrast to teachers who develop pedagogical expertise within the systematic framework of certification programs (Feiman-Nemser, 1983), coaching practitioners develop expertise by piecing together facts and experiences that are disconnected (Locke, 1985). The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret, from a social-psychological perspective, how novice coaches learn to coach. Three individual cases were constructed from an observational case study methodology, with data analyzed on both a case and cross case basis. To capture a variety of experiences, three participants of different race and gender were purposefully selected from a pool of novice youth sport soccer coaches working with coed teams ranging in age from four to twelve years. Coaches were characterized as novice based upon the following three criteria: a part-time commitment to coaching, head coach of a youth sport soccer program from one to three years, and no teacher certification. Data sources included a biographical questionnaire, a sixty-minute initial interview, four videotaped direct non-participant observations, informal interviews, detailed field notes, and a ninety minute stimulated recall interview. All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using constant comparison method based on an open coding system that allowed regularities, patterns and themes to emerge from the data (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). Trustworthiness was achieved using triangulation, member checks and peer debriefing. The findings indicated novice coaches brought specific knowledge of drills and game-play into their experiences yet lacked specific content knowledge; playing experience, experience with former coaches (both positive and negative) and experience as a coach were socializing factors which shaped their beliefs and behaviors. Further, contextual characteristics found to impact the learning process were age group of the athletes and the generic nature of the training programs. Findings suggest these coaches would benefit from a critical examination of their knowledge and pre-existing beliefs coupled with an ongoing program to support and promote developmentally appropriate content and instruction.Keyword(s): coaching, community-based programs, youth sports