Youth Sport Coaches' and Administrators' Perspectives on Coaching Education

Background/Purpose:  Evidence suggests coaches learn valuable information from formal coaching education programs and that athletes have more positive experiences when coached by a trained leader (Barnett, Smith, & Smoll, 1992). Aside from formal coaching education, coaches obtain and use knowledge from a variety of other sources, such as informal observations, previous playing experience, etc. (Lemyre, Trudel, & Durand-Bush, 2007; Wiersma & Sherman, 2005). Erickson and colleagues (2008) recommend the identification and assessment of all sources of information used by coaches to help structure coaching education. Therefore, our purpose was to assess the educational needs of youth sport coaches by examining coaches’ previous experiences with formal coaching education and the usefulness of knowledge gained through a variety of sources. This study extends the literature by including viewpoints from coaches and administrators about the perceived need, value, and availability of coaching education opportunities.   

Method: Our sample included coaches (n = 202) and administrators (n = 38) of youth sport organizations representing over 20 individual and team sports in scholastic and non-scholastic settings for children between the ages of 3-17 yrs. Participants were on average in their early 40s, Caucasian, male, and had more than five years experience in their specific role. All participants completed an online survey. Coaches were asked to identify and evaluate their formal coaching education experiences as well as informal sources of information used to inform their coaching. Administrators were asked about the availability and value of coaching education in their organizations.  

Analysis/Results: Most coaches who had attended formal coaching education agreed/strongly agreed they learned valuable information (79.7%) and would use the information in their coaching (75%). However, only 33.2% of coaches said they often used/used all of the time formal coaching education as a source of information. Coaches reported they often used/used all of the time other sources of information, such as previous playing experience (81.2%), watching the sport they coach (82.2%), observing other coaches (82.2%), and talking with other coaches (82.7%). Few administrators reported coaching education was a required criterion for selecting coaches (26.3%) but most felt coaches needed to update or obtain new coaching skills (81.6%). 

Conclusions: Findings provide insight into the value and need for both formal and informal coaching education and clues as to how best design coaching education programs to meet the needs of both coaches and administrators.