APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2020 , Vol . 6
Data analysis and discussion Thematic analysis was applied to the transcripts which seeks to establish patterns and emerging themes as a result of the questions used . As a result of this approach , participants identified impact in the areas of creativity , communication , empowerment , decision-making , clarity of purpose and reflective practice .
Creativity Coaches in this study reported being very surprised by the way in which athletes faced the challenges generated by the cards . This was both in terms of perception / action and in the subsequent dialogue that proceeded the activity . Athletes felt better able to express their creativity toward solutions within the practice design ( ie free thinking without constraints ). This contrasted to ‘ normal ’ training which they regarded as a space where they were trying to achieve what they perceived the coach wanted them to . There was evidence of ‘ co-creation ’ of ideas , where the cards acted as a stimulus to provoke thought and influence change .
C2 reflected on the use of the ‘ Use your head ’ card : Complete a course without the paddle crossing any gateline . Canoe slalom rules still apply .
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They ’ re trying so hard to do exactly what you ’ ve said , rather than as soon as you play
( use ) a card like that and give them a bit more ownership : 1 ) Some more creativity comes out of them and 2 ) When you direct that creativity to where you want it , I think they feel more relaxed about it .
This resonates with Becker ’ s ( 2009 ) research into athlete experiences of great coaching , which identified that the strength of the professional coach-athlete relationship was one which allowed the athlete to have ownership and to be “ integrated into the decision-making process ” ( p . 107 ).
The message this offers to coaches and coach developers responsible for creating and influencing learning environments may be to further acknowledge the benefits of allowing greater ‘ voice ’ and empowerment for those who are coached . As De Souza and Oslin ( 2008 ) found , an athlete-centred approach which involves them in the decisionmaking and problem-solving process leads to increased engagement and a heightened ownership of performance . They claimed these factors help foster conditions to enhance creative thinking .
Learning through purposeful practice One of the key principles to consider when designing any coaching practice is to ensure that the task and environment are closely representative of competition aspects ( Brunswik , 1956 , cited in Pinder , Davids , Renshaw and Araujo , 2011 ). A further consideration is that practice settings are related to a shared coach-athlete vision and goals . The application of these principles contributed to the perceived success of the cards .
The following example is from the ‘ Playtime ’ coach card : Work on a technical skill through the use of a game and give no technical feedback ( eg one point for one stroke upstream , two for sweep , three for back blade sweep ).
The card provoked thought around the question , ‘ If I [ the coach ] only have one moment with learners , where is my impact at its most effective ?’ C1 remarks , “ it forces them to really think about what they ’ re trying to achieve in the session ” thus ensuring greater focus on the clarity of purpose for the coaches ’ actions .
This card proved very powerful in giving the coach time and space to allow clarity of thought and the ability to observe things more clearly without feeling the need to fill the space with feedback . As C1 elaborated further : “ You have to really think , okay , what exactly is it I want them to get better at here ?” and incorporate that skilfully into the session design . Further reflection from the coaches in this study also demonstrated that specific cards had created enhanced space for thinking and allowed greater focus , thus enabling more transformational interactions .
The opportunity to create a ‘ shared meaning ’ between coach and participant is arguably critical to enhancing learning . This collective understanding by both of ‘ what are we trying to achieve , how shall we develop a suitable approach and how we will reflect ’, are powerful for athlete and coach motivation . This reflects Pritchard ’ s ( 2015 ) thoughts that learning is enhanced when it is situated in a familiar context and therefore has greater authenticity .
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