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APA Citation

Gilbert, W. D., Gilbert, J. N., & Trudel, P. (2013). Coaching strategies for youth sports: Part 1: Athlete behavior and athlete performance. Journal of Physical Education, 72(4), 29-33. doi:10.1080/07303084.2001.10605736

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this article was to share the experiences of youth sports coaches.

Research Questions:

What are some of the issues youth sports coaches typically face?

What coaching strategies are used to address these issues?

Which of these strategies are most appropriate and effective?

Hypotheses (If Quantitative):

No hypotheses stated.

Methodology/Res.

Approach/Study Type

Qualitative

Population/Sample

The study’s population included 19 volunteer ice hockey and soccer coaches. Both male and female coaches took part in the study. The coaches had an average youth sport coaching experience of 8.74 years and a range of two to 22 years of coaching experience. Eighteen coaches had obtained at least a basic level of coaching certification and one coach had no coaching certification.

Variables/Instrumentation

Data Collection and Analysis

Results/Findings/Conclusions

Surveys, group interviews, and individual interviews were conducted to gather information for this study.

The issues described by the participants were recorded and grouped into one of the following categories: athlete behavior, athlete performance, personal characteristics, parental influence, and team organization.

Additionally, a review of sport science literature was conducted to provide information on how youth sport coaches can resolve prevalent issues in youth sports.

The article discussed methods used by youth sport coaches to address issues with their athletes’ behaviors. The four most commonly listed issues the participants have with their athlete’s behavior include: attendance, discipline, focus, and morale. Most issues the participants had with their athlete’s performance pertained to issues with their athletes’ technique or understanding of team tactics.

The authors of this article assessed sport science literature to develop conflict resolution strategies youth sport coaches could use to resolve issues with their athletes’ behavior. To resolve youth sport coaches’ issues with their athletes’ attendance, the authors suggested having youth athletes sign contracts, pertaining to their attendance at sporting events. For a youth sport coach to resolve an issue with their athletes’ discipline, the authors suggested holding private meetings with the offending youth athlete. To enhance a youth athletes’ focus, the authors suggested youth sport coaches consider motivational speeches and the development of a pregame routine. To increase youth athletes’ performance, the authors suggested youth sport coaches provide a practice routine that has a balance between consistency and variation.

When resolving any issue with an athlete’s behavior or performance the coach should consider the characteristics of the athlete, because there is no one conflict resolution strategy that is effective for each youth athlete. A conflict resolution strategy may work well for one athlete, but poorly for another.

Validity/Limitations of Study

Further Research Suggested

The study was well-designed, and the data collection and analyses processes were explained in detail. Therefore, the study is credible. However, the study was limited by a lack of participants. The study’s validity could have been benefited by an increased number of participants. Additionally, the study included two sports. The study would have benefited from additional sports being observed. By being able to assess a variety of youth sports, the authors could have obtained an increased understanding of youth sport coaching issues, because an athlete’s mentality differs depending on the sport (ex: football is aggressive, and tennis is passive).

The authors did not suggest further research for this topic. However, the authors did discuss how athletes’ personal characteristics impact a coaches’ conflict resolution strategy. When researching youth sport coaches’ conflict resolution strategies, there was limited data on how a youth sport coach can incorporate their athletes’ personal characteristics into a conflict resolution strategy. Therefore, further research on how a youth sport coach can utilize characteristics of their athletes to aid a coach’s ability to resolve conflicts is necessary.

Overall Assessment of the Study Quality:

Gilbert, Gilbert, and Trudel, (2013) was of high quality. The results were credible, due to the study being well-designed. The study was applicable because the findings, results, and conclusion directly pertained to my research topic. The study was consistent due to the study’s design and results being explained thoroughly (Gilbert, Gilbert, & Trudel, 2013).

Useful Quotes:

“Youth sport coaches must carefully consider the characteristics of the athletes and of the competitive environment before designing and experimenting with coaching strategies” (Gilbert, Gilbert, & Trudel, 2013, p. 32)

Questions I have after reading this study:

Is a youth sport coaches coaching strategy different with male versus female athletes? If so, how is it different?

What can coaches do to better understand the coaching strategy they should use for their athlete based on the athlete’s specific characteristics?

Promising Related References:

Grahn, K. (2013). Alternative discourses in the coaching of high performance youth sport: Exploring language of sustainability. Reflective Practice, 15(1), 40-52. doi:10.1080/14623943.2013.868795