ABSTRACT
Coaches perform a vital role in a player's acquisition of the skills necessary for performance. When considering player development, it is important to understand the coaching environment, as this is the primary teaching and learning medium for the development of player's technical and tactical skills. A total of 158 regular in-season practice sessions were observed by trained research assistants at the participants regular practice location. If permission was granted by the coach and the players or their parent/guardian, the practice session was video recorded and then coded, otherwise coding occurred in real time during the practice session. The coaching environment is the primary teaching and learning medium for the development of players' technical and tactical skills. Coaches have an important role as they need to create meaningful activities while conveying important skills and concepts to their players. Coaches often complain they do not have enough practice time with their players.
