Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 1 | Page 14

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
Testing a Customised
Learning Needs Analysis
Tool for Coach Development
Beth Thompson
UK Coaching
Abstract
This article presents the key findings from a new
learning needs analysis tool designed, developed
and tested by UK Coaching to provide an evidence
base for future coach learning and development.
Following recent policy developments which marked
the biggest shift in sport for more than a decade, UK
Coaching embarked on a new programme of learning
and insight to ensure it was able to respond quickly
to the changing landscape. A new learning and
development framework was developed, including a
customised learning needs analysis, to identify the
learning and development needs of coaches working
across the sport and physical activity sector. This
article presents the key findings from the first test
of the learning needs analysis, which involved
322 people coaching in over 52 different sports/
activities in the UK. The learning needs analysis
included five overarching categories, considered to
be central to the role of a coach (coaching practice,
people skills, knowledge and understanding,
environment and risk, management and
administration). The results of the learning needs
analysis identified people skills as the area that
should be prioritised for future coach learning and
development. The article considers the suitability
of the tool for wider roll out across the sector. As
far as is known, this is the first study of its kind to
be conducted on the coach workforce in the UK.
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Introduction
The sport and physical activity sector in the UK
is undergoing significant and rapid change. In
2015, the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport published Sporting Future: A New Strategy
for an Active Nation 1 . With a focus on broadening
engagement in sport and redefining success
based on key outcome measures, Sporting Future
marked the biggest shift in government policy
on sport for more than a decade. Sport England’s
response, Towards an Active Nation 2 , set out
a new vision for sport and physical activity,
putting the customer at the heart of decision
making and focusing on those who are the least
active. Coaching in an Active Nation: The Coaching
Plan for England 3 presented a call to action to
modernise coaching and to extend its reach
through a new, broader, definition of coaching.
Further developments, including the launch of
new professional standards for coaching and
an independent review of the United Kingdom
Coaching Certificate (UKCC), indicate there are likely
to be major changes in the near future and have
placed coach learning and development at the heart
of the debate.