An investigation of high-performance team sport coaches’ planning practices

The aim of this study was to provide a rich description team sport coaches’ planning practices and evaluate these in light the Game-Based Approach literature Complex Learning Theory. Twelve Gaelic football coaches operating high-performance setting were recruited participate semi-structured interviews. Coaches prepared two coaching session plans used as prompts within interview. An iterative thematic analysis developed three major themes: (1) practice activity design, (2) sequencing content, (3) contextual factors influencing planning. Despite strong indications coach engagement with pedagogy aspects their planning, findings also revealed missed opportunities, failing explicit learning intentions for plans, inattention sequencing, limited small-sided game designs. Given paper illustrates how can engage research theory elevate quality sessions.