ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes trends in contemporary philosophical reflection on coaching, and discusses some bold and perhaps, in the estimation of some individuals, unsettling future directions for philosophical thought and research. It also discusses the vexing issue of the good coach and examines applications of ethical theories in contemporary philosophical accounts of coaching. The chapter explores the role that inchoate factors play in coaches’ judgments and decision making. It presents the philosophy of coaching which is a many-layered discipline. Any attempt to delineate precisely the necessary and sufficient conditions of a good coach faces significant challenges. Philosophical thought on coaching evinces a variety of approaches, ranging from theoretical accounts to thick analyses of specific issues. Ethical approaches that complement or compete with a Kantian-style approach to ethics are readily found in the philosophy of coaching literature.
