The purpose of this research is to explore the context of youth recreational soccer, and to examine how coaches volunteering in this context learn to coach soccer. Framed within Jarvis’ (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) theory of lifelong learning and employing a mixed-methods approach, this dissertation research had two distinct phases. Phase One involved the collection of data via an on-line survey from 433 recreational youth soccer coaches from Eastern Ontario. The survey served to collect demographic information, as well as general information about their team, their role as a recreational coach, and their approach to learning. The data analysis for the on-line surveys was comprised of an analysis of descriptive statistics. Phase Two involved semi-structured interviews. Recruited through their participation in Phase One, 30 coaches were purposefully targeted and interviewed based on their varied biographies, experiences, and social contexts. Additionally, seven soccer administrators were interviewed. Interview data was analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006). Findings examine the biographies of youth recreational coaches, their coaching context, how recreational coaches learn to coach, issues of shared responsibilities related to learning, as well as practical implications. It is suggested that recreational coaches differ from one-another on many factors, and that the context of recreational youth soccer is similarly diverse and presents unique challenges to coaches. Recreational youth coaches learn to coach through a variety of sources; mostly through informal learning situations. Responsibilities surrounding coach development fall on the shoulders of individual coaches and clubs, as well as regional, provincial, and national associations; and suggestions for increased engagement in this regard are provided.

This thesis examines the impacts and legacy of the Champion Coaching Scheme of the National Coaching Foundation, focusing on three case studies of implementation from 1996-1999, on Merseyside and North Wales. As one of the most significant and longrunning programmes of the 1990s, Champion Coaching represented a national blueprint for the development of youth sport and coaching. The evaluation uses a 'realist' approach, drawing upon the scientific realism of Pawson and Tilley (1997). Outcomes are derived from the programme theory developed for Champion Coaching in a multi-method approach. Central to this analysis is the need to examine the context, mechanisms and outcomes from programmes. It draws together evidence from a range of primary and secondary sources; participants, parents, coaches, sport Development practioners, teachers; young people; Census and deprivation statistics. Using a range of techniques, including face to face and telephone interviews, survey and geographical analysis, context- mechanism-outcome configurations of each case study were produced, in order to draw out how the programme 'worked', and contribute to building the evidence base for sport development interventions. The results demonstrate that the blueprint was flexibly interpreted and delivered resulting in particular patterns of outcomes in the different cases. Champion Coaching represented a successful approach to the development of 'perfon-nance pathways', as the level of club membership in participants was higher than suggested by national surveys. In contributing to coaching development, the Scheme had some clear impacts on the human capital involved in sport. However, results were not uniform and show how the sporting infrastructure and attitudes of schools or Governing Bodies to such programmes, can influence whether gains in such capital can be sustained. At the meso-level of analysis of policy for youth sport and coaching, the research shows how Champion Coaching contributed to the policy development in this increasingly salient policy area and points to its legacy in school-aged sport. The conclusions point to some of the lessons learned for future policies and the implications for outcome-oriented evaluations, including the need to plan such evaluation at the stage of programme design.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of mental practice on the shooting accuracy performance of male water polo players at three skill levels. Thirty-six right handed athletes from the Quebec League, assigned by experienced coaches to novice, intermediate and elite groups according to their overall water polo playing ability, served as subjects. They were tested on shooting accuracy by the average score of ten shots in the beginning of the study, after a two-week mental practice treatment, and after a one-week break with no treatment. / A 3 way ANOVA with repeated measures on the last factor was conducted on the shooting accuracy scores. Those who received the mental practice program had significantly higher post-treatment scores than their control group counterparts who had received a relaxation training program during the treatment period. As noted above, the experimental group improved significantly from Pre to Post1 test-time, and there was no change in performance between the two Post-tests. There was no significant difference in shooting performance between Intermediate and Elite skill groups but both of them scored significantly better than the Novice group.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death of Canadian women and while treatment for CVD has improved dramatically, women typically fare worse than men with regards to morbidity following cardiac event. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is well established as a key intervention in the treatment of coronary artery disease and has been shown to be effective in both men and women. CR remains largely underutilized, especially in women who comprise only 12 – 24% of contemporary CR programs, even though the prevalence of CVD in men and women is similar. The objectives of this pilot trial were to test the feasibility of all procedures, specifically to determine: 1) an estimate of patient recruitment rates, 2) acceptability and feasibility of the intervention and 3) barriers to CR attendance and resources required. Additionally, exploratory research questions were used to determine the effects of telephone coaching on women’s attendance at CR intake appointment, self-efficacy for cardiac exercise and self-efficacy to attend CR. A RCT design enrolled women with CVD referred for CR at a single site in Ontario. Patients were randomized, stratified for age, to either a usual care group or an intervention group. Participants allocated to usual care received a referral to CR. In addition to usual care, women assigned to the intervention group received individualized telephone coaching, designed to support self-management prior to CR intake. Eighty-three patients were approached and 70 consented to participate (usual care n = 36, intervention n = 34). Participants in the intervention group were significantly more likely to attend CR intake (p = 0.048). Participants were highly satisfied with their coaching experience; they found the information provided to be helpful with goal setting, action planning and assisted them in their interactions with their health care providers. Barriers to attendance identified included transportation, health concerns, timing and lack of physician endorsement. Most common resources identified included problem solving support, assistance with communication with physicians and information concerning CR. The evidence obtained from this pilot trial suggests that a telephone coaching intervention designed to enhance self-management is feasible and may improve attendance at CR intake for women following hospital discharge with a cardiac event.

The benefits of horse riding for people with disabilities have been recognised for centuries, however, there has been very little research that explores the significance and meaning of Riding for the Disabled (RDA) for riders and there are no studies of parents of riders. This thesis is based upon ethnography and interviews with riders and riders' parents at a Riding for the Disabled Centre in Sydney, Australia. It explores the perceptions and experiences of riders and also analyses the role of parents in influencing their child's experience of the RDA. It examines parents' experiences of the RDA and the impact that it has had on them and their family. This thesis is premised on three research questions. The three questions are; 'how do riders perceive and experience the RDA and how and why do these perceptions differ?', 'how do parents perceive the RDA and its impact on their child with an impairment' and 'how do parents perceive the RDA's impact on their family and themselves?' The study draws on a feminist framework and utilises the work of feminist theorists working in Disability Studies to 'broaden' the social model of disability. This framework facilitates the exploration of personal experiences of riding as it privileges the voice of the participants and also acknowledges the diversity of RDA experiences that exist amongst them. It also allows room for the physical, bodily experience of riding to be investigated. Furthermore, this research responds to Shakespeare's (2006) call for further research on the 'social relations of disability' - it investigates the relationships between volunteers who do not have an impairment, and the riders who have an impairment. The central argument that emerges is that Riding for the Disabled is a unique individual experience that holds varied meanings for riders. For some Riding for the Disabled is a central feature of their lives and has altered their world. For others, it is one activity among many and its impact is limited. The type of impairment an individual rider had was often a key determinant of how they experienced the RDA. For parents of riders the RDA exposes them to parents with similar experiences and enables practical knowledge and information to be exchanged.

Coaching is highly complex and dynamic, especially at the high performance level when the work demands and expectations are significant (Lyle, 2002). High performance coaches have to systematically plan, monitor and evaluate their programmes. At the same time, they have to manage a complex performance environment, including support systems (e.g., sports sciences, logistics and officials), to ensure that their athletes perform and achieve successful results (Knowles, Tyler, Gilbourne, & Eubank, 2006; Lyle, 2002; Potrac, Brewer, Jones, Armour, & Holf, 2000). Accordingly, I have substantiated throughout this thesis that there is a need to: (1) understand how the Singapore high performance basketball coaches develop to their current position, (2) examine what the perceived important work tasks of these coaches are as perceived by the team managers, players, coaches and experts in basketball, (3) develop a context-specific tool to evaluate basketball coaches’ work, and (4) engage coaches in reflection and to guide them through the reflection process, with the aim of enhancing their coaching practices, and subsequently improving players’ performance and satisfaction level in the Under-18 national team. Research showed that there is a strong correlation between the experiences/background of coaches and the way they coach (e.g., Erickson, Côté, & Fraser-Thomas, 2007). Study 1 identified the coaching pathways of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore to enhance understanding of how these experiences may have influenced and shaped their coaching behaviour. The result supports the benefits of diversified sports participation during early childhood. Qualitative data also shows that all coaches involved in this study perceived benefit from diversified sports participation during early childhood. Such exposure to a variety of physical activities was considered beneficial for later sports specialization during adolescence as some of the concepts and skills were transferrable (e.g., Erickson et al., 2007). A point that is consistently emphasized throughout this thesis is that coaching is context-specific. The work tasks performed by the high performance basketball coaches in Singapore may not be congruent with coaches in other countries and sports. Therefore, it is my view that there is a need to examine the important work tasks of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore, and consequently, to develop a sport and context-specific instrument to capture and evaluate their work appropriately. Study 2 sought to examine the key tasks of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore using the Coach Behaviour Scale for Sports (CBS-S; Côté, Yardley, Hay, Sedgwick, & Baker, 1999). The CBS-S (Côté et al., 1999) was developed from research conducted on high performance gymnastic coaches and athletes. It was subsequently used in a few countries in different sports to measure the perception of athletes and their satisfaction level with regard to the coaching they have received. Seventeen participants (national coaches, team managers, players and other experts) took part in the study in which quantitative (CBS-S) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data were collected. The quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (Version 15.0) and the qualitative data were content analysed by three experienced researchers in sport psychology and coaching. The findings revealed that the dimensions and items from the CBS-S were considered mostly relevant in evaluating the work of Singapore’s high performance basketball coaches. Nevertheless, some modifications were made to the CBS-S to make it more specific to the basketball context in Singapore based on conceptual, theoretical and empirical considerations. The final version of the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) has 10 dimensions with 104 items as opposed to the original CBS-S with 8 dimensions and 77 items. Overall, the findings from this study were consistent with the literature on coaches’ work. There are benefits for engaging in the reflection process. As stated in Chapter 3, reflective practice has gained popularity in many contexts such as art (e.g., Roberts, 2001), education (e.g., Smyth, 1991) and sports (Gilbert & Trudel, 2001; Kidman, 2001) just to name a few. Reflection, if done properly, has the potential to enhance performance. The aim of Study 3 is to use the data collected from the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) to guide coaches in their reflection, with the aim of enhancing the quality of their coaching practices. Feedback was given to these coaches at the end of pre-season and during training sessions. Qualitative data showed that both coaches in this study were involved in different forms (e.g., Gilbert & Trudel, 2004; Knowles, Gilbourne, Borrie, & Neville, 2001; Schön, 1983, 1987) and levels of reflection (Van Manen, 1977) as suggested in the literature. There was sufficient evidence to suggest that both coaches had made adjustments to their coaching behaviours and methods after the pre-season feedback session. Nevertheless, post-season results from the men’s team players revealed that their coach has made significant improvement in his coaching; whilst players from the women’s team felt otherwise. The difference in results may be closely linked to the coaching philosophy, athletic and coaching background of the two coaches who were involved in this study. These factors may have shaped the way they reflected and addressed the coaching issues. Post-season qualitative data showed that coaches and players affirmed the benefits of the feedback process, using the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) as an objective tool to gather data. Such findings will have significant impact on the future of Basketball coaching in Singapore at the high performance level.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Although the field of coaching psychology has witnessed some theoretical and empirical advances in recent years, this has yet to translate into a commonly accepted theoretical and empirical foundation for coaching practice. Rather, coaching practice has run well ahead of related theory and research, and resulted in the establishment of an industry that lacks firm foundations. This doctoral dissertation reports on a series of reviews and empirical studies designed to further the development of evidence-based coaching practice (EBCP). A review of the relevant literature revealed that the development of solid evidence-based foundations is critical if coaching is to realise its promise and potential. As events surrounding the decline of the human potential movement (HPM) in the 1960s and 1970s indicate, the absence of theoretically-based rationales and solid research support may be a reliable predictor of decline for particular treatment modalities. Whilst the development of EBCP has important implications for the formal preparation of coaches, pedagogical recommendations to industry educators are difficult whilst the characteristics of the coaching industry remain hidden. In order to develop the profile of the Australian coaching industry, a survey was conducted of 148 practicing coaches. The results of this study revealed the presence of a diverse local industry. Despite the existence of a small core of highly experienced practitioners, the majority of coaches appeared to have little coaching experience and greatly varied skills and experience. Interestingly, only 20% of respondents reported any formal training in psychology or the other helping professions. Given recent data that suggests mental health issues may sometimes be encountered in coaching (Green, Oades, & Grant, 2006; Spence & Grant, in press), it is concluded that the majority of coaches lack the skills and knowledge to identify and deal effectively with such eventualities. As the development of an informed strategy for dealing with mental health issues would move the practice of coaching onto a more professional footing, it is recommended that coaches receive basic training in the identification and appropriate referral of such issues. Much of the work presented in this dissertation is based on the presupposition that client outcomes can be optimised through the use of EBCP. However, as this assumption has yet to be empirically tested, a total of 63 participants took part in a 10-week life coaching program. The results showed that when life coaching was conducted by coaches trained in cognitive-behavioural solution-focused (CB-SF) coaching methods (i.e. professional coaching), as opposed to untrained peers (i.e. peer coaching), participants were more engaged in coaching and reported significantly greater goal attainment, goal commitment and environmental mastery. Effective goal-directed self-regulation requires that individuals remain focused on their goals overtime, whilst managing a steady stream of disturbances that can destabilise goal directed effort. In this regard, the construct of mindfulness has much conceptual relevance. Mindfulness reflects the unique human capacity for directing conscious awareness via the controlled deployment of attention. After an extensive review of the scholarly literature, three alternative conceptualisations are presented (i.e. Eastern religious, socio-cognitive and cognitive-attentional perspectives), accompanied by a description of the mindfulness skills training practices associated with each. A total of 72 participants then took part in a study to assess the impact of three mindfulness training (MT) programs on mindfulness, goal-directed self-regulation, mental health and wellbeing. The results revealed that all the MT programs were effective in significantly increasing mindfulness and a variety of mental health and wellbeing indicators. Importantly, MT was also found to significantly increase goal attainment; suggesting that MT may be a valuable addition to EBCP. Goal attainment is a key dependent variable in coaching research. However, the measurement of goal attainment has yet to receive much attention in the coaching literature. As most empirical coaching studies have reported findings based on measures that rely exclusively on subjective measures of performance (measures that are susceptible to several forms of distortion and bias), some key issues relating to the measurement of goal attainment are reviewed and explored in detail. From this review, goal attainment scaling (GAS) is identified as a potentially useful methodology with which both researchers and practitioners can document and evaluate coaching outcomes. The final study pulls together the threads from work presented to that point, and integrates them into a practice framework for coaching. A total of 42 participants took part in this study, which investigated the efficacy of using MT and CB-SF coaching to facilitate the attainment of health goals. The results showed that the delivery of MT prior to (rather than after) CB-SF coaching was more effective in facilitating these outcomes. This suggests MT may be important in coaching for helping people prepare for change.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2002. / "Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)" Bibliography : leaves 357-377.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2007. / Adviser: Juliana Lachenmeyer. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, May 2009. / Major professor: Sharon K. Stoll. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-99). Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.