Coaching Effectiveness and Coach Education Programmes: Perceptions of Scottish and US Coaches

The effectiveness of coach education programmes has been identified as a key factor in the development of coaches (Gilbert & Trudel, 1999a). There are a number of elements that constitute a measurement of effectiveness, not least of all, how useful the coaches find the information presented to them during coach education courses, if they utilise the content during their execution of the coaching process and whether they feel that it enhances their coaching effectiveness (Haslam, 1990). The purpose of this study is to examine whether the variety of coach education programmes fulfils the needs of a group of soccer coaches. It compares the views of coaches from the USA with coaches from Scotland. The coach education structure for soccer in both countries is reviewed and a profile of the coaching environment of the soccer coaches is developed. This profile identifies and characterises the type of coaching programme in which the coaches are involved. It also examines the emphasis of coach education courses, especially the skills that coaches expect to have compared to their perceptions of their respective coach education courses. Interest in soccer is currently high, especially since the 2002 World Cup Finals. The USA, in qualifying for the finals, beat one of the top European teams, and reached the quarterfinals, whereas Scotland failed to reach the finals, pre-empting a re-examination of the development of soccer throughout the country. Background As the numbers participating in soccer increase there is a corresponding increase in the number of coaches, particularly at the age group levels (SFA, 2002c; USSF, 2002). These coaches are generally exposed to coach education programmes, designed and administered by various bodies with the most influential being the Scottish Football Association (SFA) in Scotland and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) in the USA (SFA, 2002c; USSF, 2001; Campbell, 1993). Much attention has been given to the positive benefits associated with participation in these types of programmes, but these benefits will only occur if the coaches are aware of current best practice in their sport and the more generic components, for example, instructional techniques, motivational skills and organisation of practices and drills. The climate within the United States encourages, and in many organisations mandates, the certification of coaches to ensure a safe environment for participants (Freeland, 2000). It could be argued that if the primary intention of a coaching course is to promote the safety of the participants it can detract from the integrity of the sport. There is, however, no overarching coach education system in place throughout the USA, which is extremely unusual, especially in a country so active in the sporting world