THE COACH AS EDUCATOR: CONTENT AND PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORKS

Despite an increase of academic activity directed at sport coaching it continues to lack conceptual frameworks that address the complex realities of the coaching environment. Present practice largely rejects the proliferation of research regarding inadequacies of traditional methods for enhancing athlete learning. Dominant coaching practices forego recognition of the complex responsibilities that a coach has within the cognitive, social, cultural and moral, dynamics of the coaching environment. This article argues that first and foremost a coach is an educator. Given this role, sport coaching needs to develop and align itself with more contemporary developments in education. In this alignment, conceptual frameworks need to be developed. In this development, two questions immediately need to be addressed. First, if the coach is an educator what content can they draw from to educate the athlete in a holistic sense? Second, ‘what pedagogy/pedagogies will enhance this content delivery in order to maximise holistic athlete development?’ Drawing on the supportive arguments of scholars it is suggested that Olympism provides a useful content related coaching framework. In addressing the second question it is suggested that a pedagogical constructivist framework utilizing psychological, social and critical components of constructivism provides the ‘best of constructivist worlds’ The conceptualisation of the two frameworks; An Olympism based content framework and a synthesised constructivist pedagogical framework gives due focus to an overall coaching framework that is educative, engaging and moving coaching in a more professional direction. It consolidates the coach as educator in an environment which is progressive, educationally sustainable and with a strong focus on meaning-making, reflection and reciprocity.