Understanding the impact of sport coaching on legacy

Abstract

The creation of a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been articulated by government in the form of five promises, some of which have implications for coaching (Department of Culture, Media and Sport 2008, Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games. London: Department of Culture, Media and Sport). The UK Coaching Framework (sports coach UK 2008a, The UK Coaching Framework: a 3-7-11 year action plan. Leeds: Coachwise) makes the case that sport coaching has a role to play in delivering legacy and policy objectives through the systemic development of active, skilled and qualified coaches. The status of the UK Coaching Framework as a complex intervention to support policy and legacy objectives is addressed in this article. The analysis is referenced against seven criteria derived from the realist approach to impact evaluation (Pawson et al. 2005, Realist review – a new method of systematic review designed for complex policy interventions. Journal of health services research and policy, 10 (1), 21–34; Pawson 2006, Evidence based policy: a realist perspective. London: Sage), with an emphasis on programme theories. The programme theories of the Framework position sport coaching as a generative mechanism for outcome patterns in participation and performance sport. In order to maximize the impact of this mechanism, the Framework proposes strategic action areas that include participant and coach modelling; workforce analysis, recruitment and deployment; support and education; regulation as well as research. The Framework proposes to integrate these action areas into implementation chains throughout the United Kingdom, supported by the progressive alignment of resources. The programme theories recognize the agency and responsibility of the coach, as well as the volition of participants in different contexts, with implications for the way in which coaching roles are defined. It is concluded that the UK Coaching Framework is a complex intervention, which is amenable to realist impact evaluation. It is suggested that such evaluation will provide a more robust basis to understand the impact of sport coaching on legacy.