High performance team sport coaches’ perspectives of their use of in-session core coaching practices to stimulate player learning

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ABSTRACT Despite coaching pedagogy researchers advocating that sports coaches employ a range of core coaching practices to positively impact player learning, coaches’ actual practices remain under-investigated. Guided by Complex Learning Theory (CLT), the aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which coaches in a high-performance team sport setting report employing a range of in-session core coaching practices during both on-field and off-field sessions and their perceptions of how such practices impact player learning. Twelve Gaelic football coaches took part in semi-structured interviews. A reflective thematic analysis of the data developed four themes – (1) application of questioning by the coaches, (2) difficulties and challenges experienced when using questioning, (3) using video analysis to maximise learning and (4) the coach as a facilitator of player learning. Findings showed that coaches were aware of and employing many of the core practices advocated in the sports coaching literature. Coaches employed varied questioning to give players an active role within both on-field and video review sessions to enhance their overall game understanding. However, numerous challenges expressed by coaches suggested it was not a consistent tool in their coaching practice. The coaches recognised the need to facilitate player learning by employing core practices which encourage player autonomy and prolonged dialogue, although this was mostly reported to take place in off-field activities such as video analysis and pre/post session meetings. The current study highlighted an epistemological gap with some coaches demonstrating awareness of advocated strategies but failing to support these claims with tangible examples in their practice. This investigation supports the application of CLT as a suitable theoretical framework in which to interpret the core practices coaches employ in their practice. The introduction of CLT to coaches may promote a sustained and sophisticated application of core coaching practices within the delivery of coaching sessions.