ABSTRACT
Coaching is a complex interrelated and interdependent social process that is in essence a constructed relationship between the coach, the player, and the environment. Crucially, as neither coach, player, or environment has the capacity to unilaterally determine action, the key to understanding the coaching process lies in the relationships between. Coach behaviour needs to be considered in light of ‘traditional’ practice and how the coach’s behaviour is related to a selectively remembered past, which acts to validate and acknowledge it as being ‘effective’. Research repeatedly illustrates that much of the knowledge acquired by coaches is picked up through ‘apprenticeships of observation’ as athletes, and subsequent experiential learning and mentoring. The challenges to change coaching practice are significant and the process of changing coach behaviour is particularly challenging using short, formal coach education courses, given that the majority of knowledge is gained experientially.
