ABSTRACT
In adopting a dramaturgical perspective, this chapter seeks to consider ways in which coaching can be considered a social performance. The chapter begins by introducing the notion of dramaturgy. The attention then shifts to introducing the classic dramaturgical writings of Erving Goffman and illustrating how his conceptual vocabulary has been used to examine coaches’ performances in various contexts. Following this, Arlie Russell Hochschild's key insights regarding the emotional dimensions are introduced and applied in a similar fashion. Finally, the chapter concludes by considering the potential merits of viewing and examining coaching as a social performance.
