ABSTRACT

This chapter showcases the power of the design thinking process when applied to wicked problems in the sports coaching context. The wicked problem at the heart of this chapter centres on the efficacy of talent development environments in Gaelic Games academies in Ireland. Solutions were developed by relevant stakeholders through a four-stage design thinking workshop, culminating in the use of a Theory of Change Logic Model to evaluate the solutions. It is clear that the process of design thinking can be applied to solving any wicked problem in a sports coaching setting (e.g. mentor training).