Beginner-Coaches and Connectivity of Knowledge: Real-World Coaching and Self-Reported Importance of Prior Playing Experience

Abstract In what amounts to essentially being a part two to our previous work with six beginner-coaches that found noticeable benefits to reflective practice, yet a number of possible drawbacks such as time constraints and at times over-focusing on negative emotions (Hamblin & Crisp, 2022), we build upon the aims of that study that related to what beginner-coaches (in recreational sport fields) considered ideal coach learning within in-situ, practice-based contexts. Through revisiting the data of the first study (Hamblin & Crisp, 2022) and exploring an additional theme related to how the beginner-coaches identified sporting experience as a beneficial prerequisite to their own coaching practice, the present study sought to further investigate, and build upon, the findings and aspects of the first study. Continuing to explore how beginner-coaches who operate more within recreational (although still competitive) sport fields perceive in-situ, ideal learning, and continuing the same methodological approach, the present study conducted semi-structured interviews with another five beginner-coaches, adding to the six in the first study for a total of 11 participants. Transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis and the themes found included sporting experience, traditional learning, and the benefits of reflective practice which highlights the ways all of the beginner-coaches (within both ‘part one’ and the present study – ‘part two’) felt they learn best. Importantly, these findings showed the self-reported importance of actually coaching (‘real world’ applications) and, of particular note, what were considered by the beginner-coaches to be the significant benefits of having accrued playing experience prior to starting coaching. These findings then may well provide further evidence to uphold and develop methods of coach education in the future to facilitate learning.