Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 3 | Page 11

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2019, Vol. 3
Morning workshops
After the first keynote, delegates were able to
attend a selection of exciting workshops of choice.
James Mitchell, Lecturer for the University of
Derby, provided intriguing insight into the potential
of eye-tracking technology to inform observational
analysis in coaching. Coaches use observation
as a fundamental tool in informing a lot of their
coaching practice. James spoke around the novel
technology and shared how it can help to shape the
future of coaching.
Coach Development Officer Chris Foreman from
the Albion Foundation presented alongside UK
Coaching to share the initial findings and lessons
learnt from a longitudinal project communities of
practice's on camera: setting up and evaluating a
community of practice for sports coaches. Three
communities of practice were set up in different
football settings to measure the impact they had
on the coaches involved. Examining the extent to
which communities of practice provide coaches
with the opportunity to learn and develop, the
interim findings are positive, with the three
communities of practice's reporting that the project
had influenced their coaching by:
• enhancing their knowledge and understanding of
areas of interest
• providing more opportunities to reflect
• developing their practice by being challenged
and supported.
The detailed findings of this research are presented
later in this journal.
Mark Scott, Lead Officer for Modern Learning at UK
Coaching, said: “Recently, a growing number have
become more autonomous, engaging in deepened
conversations, by meeting up in a coffee shop on
Wednesdays.”
Dr Leanne Norman of Leeds Beckett University
presented an exploration around the topic of
improving coach well-being through addressing
the diversity of the coach, namely exploring how
improving gender equity in sports coaching can aid
coach well-being. Delegates were able to reflect
on how diversity in coaching can be improved and
explored strategies towards addressing inequalities
in their own workforces.
An energetic workshop was delivered by Dave
Hembrough, Sports Science Officer at the Centre
of Sport and Exercise Science (Sheffield Hallam).
Powerbelle – women who lift: a community model
of female empowerment and development of
self-efficacy through sport explored the experiences
of women participating in a female-only community
strength training programme. The novel programme
is held at Hallam Barbell Strength and Fitness
Club, of which Dave is the head coach, and is
aimed at developing women’s self-efficacy and
confidence. The Active Lives Survey from Sport
England underpins the programme, with evidence
suggesting that fewer women than men play sports.
The programme was designed and developed to
attract more women to take part in exercise in a less
conventional context.
The programme is the club’s busiest with over 80
women training every week, and in Dave’s words
provides “a safe community space for women
to enjoy training together without the many
distractions and disruptions that they might find in
a traditional strength training area of the gym”.
In technology enhanced coach education and
development: why nothing works everywhere
for everyone, Liam McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in
Physical Education, Sport and Youth Development at
St Mary’s University, Twickenham and Tom Hounsell,
Lecturer in Physical and Sport Education at St
Mary’s and Academy Coach at Fulham Football Club,
aimed to have a wider debate about technology
and the role it plays in coach development. A key
message to transpire from the session was that
technology may not be a ‘magic bullet’ when it
comes to coach education.
Liam and Tom discussed a 12-week module,
whereby students from St Mary’s and the University
of Central Lancashire engaged with each other
through an online community of practice. The group
blogs allowed students to come together from a
distance and find solutions to problems and have
conversations about common interests. Technology
was used to supplement face-to-face learning.
“We wanted to create debate and see what
would happen next from an informal learning
perspective,” said Tom. “We looked at the analytics:
‘What did they look at? How long did they engage?
How frequently? Who were they collaborating with
and who were their critical friends that they were
having discussions with around their practice?’”
Liam and Tom concluded that while the use of
technology can enhance coach education and coach
practice, it is not the solution to everything.
UK Coaching provided an overview of research
into the importance of well-being among paid
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