Through coaching
examining a socio-ecological approach to sports coaching
pp. 89-107
in: Brian Wattchow, Ruth Jeanes, Laura Alfrey, Trent BROWN (eds), The socioecological educator, Berlin, Springer, 2014Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to critically examine contemporary sports coaching, and to consider how social ecology might provide a valuable framework for critiquing current expectations placed on coaches, and how a socio-ecological approach may improve coaching practice. There are significant and diverse demands now being placed on the "grassroots' community coach that are under-researched and under-theorised within the academic community and rarely considered by coach educators and policy makers. This chapter firstly uses a socio-ecological framework to deconstruct some of the assumptions which underpin 'sport for social good" projects. Secondly, a socio-ecological approach is presented as a possible alternative way to underpin sports coaching that is seeking to lead to certain wider social outcomes. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the holistic vision encouraged by a socio-ecological framework can offer a great deal for conceptualising of effective sports coaching.