Developing a competency scale for sport coaches (original) (raw)

Determining the Core Competencies of a Coach: Design and Validation of a New Methodology

Behavioral Sciences

Coaching is a complex and diverse profession with a wide range of uses. Despite determining the approach to coaching, examining the core competencies of coaches is rarely explored. The aim of this study was to design and validate the CCC3 methodology (the three core competencies of a coach). The research sample consisted of 387 respondents for the exploratory factor analysis and 532 respondents for the confirmatory factor analysis. The confirmatory factor analysis proved the existence of three factors that cover a coach’s core competencies, namely, F1—effective communication and awareness creation, F2—relationship creation and active listening, and F3—laying the foundations. The study also provides an overview of the applicability of the CCC3 methodology in coaching practice. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis made it possible to create a 24-item model that describes the core competencies of a coach. The verified questionnaire can be used as a tool to assess the key, i.e.,...

The Role of the Coach Developer in the Development of Sports Coaches’ Competencies

2025

Background: The paper focuses on the continuous professional development of sports coaches, and the role of informal education and coach developers. Special attention is devoted here to the coach training and development system in Poland. The paper aims to indicate the need for strong support for both informal coach education and the important role of coach developers in professional coach development in Poland and worldwide. Methods: An analysis of secondary data on the system of sport training and continued professional development in Poland was applied. Primary research data on Polish Olympic and Paralympic national team coaches (13 sports), their qualifications, competencies, and views on their continued professional development were also used. The study covered 103 coaches in Olympic or Paralympic sports. The national team coaches surveyed also conducted a self-assessment of their professional development needs, opportunities, and challenges. The method of balance of competencies based on data documenting the stock of knowledge, experience, and social competencies acquired in the learning process of the surveyed coaches was applied. Results: It was found that after completing their formal education, the coaches declared participation in various types of continuous professional development courses and training, while the most valued forms of continued professional development included informal learning, and sharing experiences and good practices with other coaches. Conclusions: The data supports the need to educate more sport coach developers and introduce them to the professional coach development system to guide coaches and facilitate their knowledge and competence acquisition. Particular in the area of Paralympic sports development.

Validity and Reliability of coaching competency in team sports

2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the coaching competency scale for soccer and basketball youth coaches by examining their athletes' perceptions. An additional aim was to compare the perceptions that these athletes had about their coaches. The sample size of this study consisted of 299 young amateur athletes aged 12-18 years old (M=14.64, SD=1.541) and in particularly 181 soccer athletes (M=14.54, SD=1.364) and 118 basketball athletes (M=14.78, SD=1.774). Coaching competency was measured with the Athletes' Perceptions of Coaching Competency Scale II-High School Teams developed by Myers, Chase, Beauchamp and Jackson (2010). The scale consists of 24 questions which constitute four factors: Motivation Competency (MC), Game Strategy Competency (GSC), Technique Competency (TC) and Character Building Competency (CBC). After examining its internal consistency by verifying the Cronbach's α reliability index, a confirmatory factor analysis ...

Handball coaches' perceptions about the value of working competences according to their coaching background

The purpose of this study was to analyze the value attributed to given working competences, by Portuguese handball coaches according to their coaching background, certification level, coaching experience, and level of education. A sample of 207 handball coaches responded to a questionnaire which included demographic characteristics and a scale focused on perceptions of the level of importance attributed to working competences. Data analysis included an exploratory factorial analysis applying Maximum Likelihood Factoring (MLF) and Oblimin rotation. These factors were submitted to a One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc multiple comparisons to analyse coaches' perceptions according to their coaching background. A six factor solution was found where three major domains of competences were highlighted; the first one related to training and competition (e.g. planning and conducting the training, team administration in competition, annual and multi-annual planning, and coaching methodology); the second one related to social and cultural issues and management (e.g. implementation of youth sport development projects, team leadership and coach education) and the third one related to the cognitive background (meta-cognitive competences). The importance ascribed to some working competences was influenced by their coaching experience and certification level. Highly experienced and qualified coaches perceived competences of everyday practice, social, cultural and management issues related to training and competition as more important than the other coaches. This study suggests the need to consider some working competences, until now not explicitly present in the Portuguese coaching education curriculum which could enable coaches to choose the best way to practice/work in a manner that will foster and support their professional development.

Relevant Sport Management Knowledge, Competencies, and Skills: An Umbrella Review

Sustainability

The present umbrella review aimed to: (i) analyze review manuscripts on sport management knowledge/competencies/skills; (ii) propose a harmonized, evidence-based, competency framework for a comprehensive understanding of the intertwined relationships between knowledge, competencies, and skills in determining sport managers’ expected working performance and need for training; and (iii) provide insights for a sound implementation of educational curricula. Based on the PRIO guidelines, inclusion criteria encompassed systematic and narrative literature peer-reviewed review manuscripts relevant to sport management knowledge/competencies/skills, published between 2012 and 2022 in English. The search was performed on three databases, resulting in twenty-two retained review manuscripts representing different research topics. From 277 recorded elements, 72 knowledge/competencies/skills items were extracted. Leadership skills, Finance and administration, Marketing, and Effective communication...

Constructing and Validating Competencies of Sport Managers (COSM) Instrument: A Model Development

Recreational Sports Journal

This paper focuses on constructing and validating a survey instrument to determine the sport management competencies and to develop a sport management competency model. The initial Competencies of Sport Managers (COSM) instrument was constructed by reviewing the related literature followed by the expert jury's validation. It was then pilottested on 223 sport managers, from which in 96 competency statements resulted. The final COSM was administered to 1,334 sport managers and the resultant 816 valid responses were randomly split into two equal halves. The first half of the data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and the scree test indicated a Six-Factor Model consisting of 31 competency statements. These six factors were named: (1) governance, (2) sport foundations, (3) budgeting, (4) risk management, (5) computer skills, and (6) communications. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed using the second half of the data and several goodness-of-fit indices indicated that the Six-Factor Model adequately fits the data set.

From competencies to capabilities in the assessment and accreditation of coaches

Organisations that use coaching programmes express their need for the assessment of coaches to ensure quality of provision. One solution to this need has been provided by professional bodies that assess coaches as part of their accreditation systems, often using competency frameworks. In this conceptual paper we open four specific debates in order to explore inherent problems associated with this approach. We start by highlighting the divide that seems to be emerging in coaching between academia and the professional bodies. We then move on to discuss the degree to which the gradation of coaching expertise in assessment is justified. The third debate concerns the extent to which competency frameworks are appropriate for coach assessment. Lastly, we question whether the existing paradigms, on which many assessment systems are based, effectively represent the coaching interaction. We argue that by seeing the coaching engagement as a complex adaptive system, a different conceptual approach to the assessment of coaches is needed, one that focuses on capabilities rather than competencies alone. A new model for the assessment of coaches is discussed, together with implications of the proposed change for professional bodies and educators of coaches.

Student-athletes’ Evaluation of Coaches’ Coaching Competencies and Their Sport Achievement Motivation

Review of European Studies, 2014

The primary concerns of this study is whether universities' sport coaches possess good coaching competency skills in bringing up potential athletes for the country. What are coaches' coaching competency levels? Do their competencies capability able to contribute significantly to sport achievement motivation of student-athletes? Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the competency level of coaches and student-athletes' achievement motivation at the Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) in sports competitions. A total of 322 student-athletes were participated in the questionnaire survey. Researchers have adapted the Coaching Competency Scale to measure four different dimensions of coaching competency and Sport Orientation Questionnaire to measure achievement motivation of student-athletes. Validity and reliability of the instrument were found to be satisfactory.The results of this study indicate that the coaches' competency levels at the HEI were not differ significantly by gender and performance of student-athletes, but it was differed significantly by type of sport, between team and individual sports. In addition, this study showed that there was a moderate relationship between the competencies of sport coaches and achievement motivation among student-athletes. However, among the coaches' coaching competencies, motivation competency of coaches was found to be significant contributor to student-athletes sport achievement motivation. The study provides important insights from the perspective of sport development programme at the related organizations which can be valuable in identifying and recruiting suitable coaches; and helping coaches to some extent in planning strategies for coaching athletes to ensure the effectiveness of its role as a coach.