ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out the distinctive philosophy and structure of the second edition of the book. The four editors of the first edition argued that sports development must be ‘used to describe processes, policies and practices that form an integral feature of the work involved in providing sporting opportunities’ (Hylton, Bramham et al., 2001: 1). This book again advocates that sports development should be thought of as comprehensive inclusive processes which engage the broadest spectrum of policy makers, agencies, organisations, practitioners and participants. Gone are the days of traditional departmentalism as PE staff, teachers, coaches, facility managers, youth and community workers and last but not least Sports Development Officers have to take cognisance of new policy frameworks that demand strategic partnerships and inter-professional co-operation, all within a performance-driven culture. The chapters in the second edition of the book are testimony to how sports development has been drawn into new debates about mass participation, social inclusion, talent development and elite performance as well as into justifying its distinctive contribution to wider educational, social and economic policies and practices.
The structure of the new book reflects this broader engagement with this developing field and expanding remit for sports development. All the original chapters have been updated. The chapter on law has been withdrawn, as it will feature in a forthcoming Routledge book on Sport and the Law, with Hazel Hartley as the sole author. In addition there are three newly commissioned chapters on youth sports policy, researching and evaluating sports development and finally coaching. All chapters in the second edition have been written by staff working in the Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education at Leeds Metropolitan University. Consequently the book as a whole offers a distinctive account of sports development which has been enriched by researching and teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Leeds. It also reflects the breadth of staff experience, commitment and professional engagement in the field of sports development as staff supervise both dissertations and student work experience/placements, attend and contribute to academic and practitioners’ conferences and are actively involved in research, curriculum development and training, at both a national and local level.
