Learning to Coach Children in Sport

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to review research on children and youth sport coaches learning to coach and to contextualise this learning in our current time with respect to coach development, to provide implications for coach development programs, and to offer recommendations for high-impact research on coaching children and youth in sport. While research shows that child sport participants (athletes) can benefit physically, psychologically, socially, and in other ways, in youth sport, outcomes are usually enhanced when a quality sport coach is coaching. Quality sport coaches of children learn through several learning situations, including communities of practice, self-reflection, and formal coach development programs. Compared to less skilled coaches, quality sport coaches deliver positive sporting experiences for youth athletes that result in greater retention, self-esteem, and skill development. Unfortunately, in addition to there being less skilled or underprepared coaches of children, coaches also can be abusive and thus have learned these behaviours and operate within a system that often fails to adequately safeguard against this abuse. Therefore, to address the global need and crisis to provide safe and positive experiences to youth through sport, this chapter recommends compulsory youth sport coach education, regulation, and accountability, alongside the creation of local and federal systems to systematically develop, implement, and improve children and youth sport coach preparation, which would include additional investments in research on children and youth sport coaching.