Scheduled for Research Consortium Grant Presentations, Friday, April 12, 2002, 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM, San Diego Convention Center: Room 7B


An Overview of Three Decades of Research with Coaches: 1970-2001

Wade D. Gilbert1, Merrilee Conway2, Allyson Niino2 and Nathan Perry2, (1)Cal State Univ-Fresno, Fresno, CA, (2)California State University, Fresno, Fresno, CA

The purpose of this project is to prepare an annotated bibliography and analysis of the published research on coaching science. In an effort to understand and improve coaching techniques that foster enjoyment, skill development, and personal growth and development for sport participants, researchers have studied coaches for over a quarter of a century (Trudel & Gilbert, 1995). However, a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the scientific inquiry into coaching has yet to be completed. The absence of a guiding framework seriously limits the ability of (a) researchers to set research agendas, (b) coaches to access and realize the potential of coaching research, and (c) coach educators to integrate the full scope of coaching research into the development of coach training programs. As a result, coaching science has been criticized for its lack of impact on coaching practice (Abraham & Collins, 1998). The research design is based on a similar analysis of research on teaching in physical education (Silverman & Skonie, 1997). The project followed a three-phase design. In Phase I an exhaustive search, using computerized databases and encyclopedias, was conducted for all English language coaching research published in scientific journals between 1970 and 2001. The objective of Phase II was to obtain copies of all the published research identified in Phase I. An analysis of the published research will be completed in Phase III. A categorizing system and a research review matrix was developed following guidelines used in similar projects (e.g., Culver, Trudel, & Gilbert, 2000; Silverman & Skonie, 1997). The following information will be coded for each article: (a) author names, (b) year of publication, (c) publication outlet, (d) research approach, (e) coaching focus, (f) sample demographics – number of participants, level of competition, type of sport, (h) methods of data collection, and (i) key findings. The annotated bibliography and analysis will provide a critical source of information to help bridge the theory-practice gap in coaching science (Abraham & Collins, 1998; Haag, 1994). Haag (1994) called for an ‘integration paradigm’ in sport pedagogy whereby practice guides theory and theory guides practice. The role of theory in this relationship cannot be realized until the state of the research on coaching is examined. Researchers and practitioners alike will benefit from a single resource that compiles and analyzes the research on coaching science.
Keyword(s): coaching, research

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