Coaches’ Perceptions of a High Performance Sport Model in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)

Abstract

The landscape of sport with Canadian universities is shifting rapidly to reflect an emphasis on high performance models and a concomitant prioritization of performance outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore coaches’ perspectives of the meaning and implications of high performance sport models in Canadian universities. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with male (n = 4) and female (n = 4) head coaches of Canadian Interuniversity sport (CIS) teams. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively. These CIS coaches perceived that a high performance sport model is associated with a greater emphasis on winning, which in turn, has implications for job security for coaches, and the personal development of student-athletes. These findings are interpreted to suggest that an “NCAA creep” is occurring in Canadian universities. Recommendations are made for embedding interuniversity sport programs within the educational mission of universities.