ABSTRACT
As highlighted by Nash and colleagues in 2012, elite coaching and coaching expertise have proved to be somewhat overused in the literature, most notably in people confusing the elite coach term with coaching elites! The confusion is, perhaps, understandable. A common-sense approach would suggest that elite coaches will have a wider experience than their less able counterparts. Importantly, however, a quick review of those often identified as better, or even elite, coaches will challenge this assumption. The reason for this contrast is down to the exact meaning of experience, which goes beyond mere length or breadth of service. Equal expertise environments are often associated with another characteristic of effective groups; namely, role clarity. Reflecting the characteristics, elite coaches usually preside over an ‘equal expertise’ environment. The truly aware coach will adjust delivery to fit the optimum blend of the three knowledge elements together with expectations.
