Recognising, addressing, and supporting the challenging nature of community sport coaching work: a policy enactment perspective

Holdom, Thalia (2024) Recognising, addressing, and supporting the challenging nature of community sport coaching work: a policy enactment perspective. Masters by Research thesis (MSc), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

Sport and physical activity are used across the globe to help achieve various sporting and non-sporting policy objectives. Yet, there remains a limited pool of empirical research that addresses the working lives of the community sports coaches (CSC) who are held responsible for enacting such initiatives. The aim of this thesis was to create practical recommendations to prepare, support, and develop CSCs in deploying the interactional skills needed to improve the lives of individuals and communities. Data for this study were generated with four CSCs and their two managers. This involved an iterative three-phase data collection design, using of semi-structured interviews, participant (video) observations, and stimulated-recall interviews which generated 61 hours of data. The dataset(s) were analysed via a phronetic iterative approach, which included the use of the critical incident technique. Several interrelated themes were identified across the whole dataset and were principally understood in relation the work of Ball and colleagues (e.g., Ball et al., 2011; Ball, Maguire and Braun, 2012), Goffman (1959, 1970, 1990) and Hochschild (1983, 1979). The key findings included 1) how policy was interpreted and enacted differently by each CSC, 2) quantifiable measures were often prioritised over important non-measurable/harder to measure objectives, 3) the managers assumed the coaches already had the key interpersonal skills needed for the role, 4) the coaches then felt underprepared and ill-equipped for their job, and 5) the CSCs engaged in and deployed a repertoire of strategic practices to navigate their situated challenges and realties. The findings have implications for policy makers, coach educators, organisations, and practitioners by providing insights into the pressurised and political community sport landscape, and the specific skills and actions required to be an effective coach and enact policy. These findings can then be used as a set of reflective tools for various stakeholders (e.g., CSCs, policy makers) to consider.