Coaching and Physical Activity with Higher and Lower Skilled Student-Coaches in A Basketball Sport Education Season: A Pilot Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate student-coaches’ behavior and their players’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as a function of coaches’ skill level in a high school sport education basketball season. One high-school class (7 girls, 14 boys) participated in this study and was taught a 14-lesson sport education season in basketball. Based on 3v3 game play performance and a 10-item basketball content knowledge questionnaire, students were labeled as either higher -or lower skilled and put into three mixed-ability teams. In every team, higher- and lower-skilled students alternated the role of team coach each lesson. Prior to each lesson, coaches received a lesson plan and completed an online training to increase their knowledge of the lesson content. All coaches were audio- and videotaped during independent team practice. Coaching was reported in terms of duration (proportion of total time) and rate per 10 minutes. Players’ MVPA was collected using systematic observation. Inter observer agreement was 86% for coaching behavior and 89% for MVPA. Higher skilled coaches spent on average 15% of the team practice time coaching, lower skilled coaches 10%. Higher skilled coaches had higher rates for refereeing, cueing, feedback, and full demonstrations. Average MVPA under higher skilled coaches was 57%, with lower-skilled coaches 65%, which was not statistically significant. We conclude that higher skilled student-coaches had more content-related interactions.