Coaching player decision making in rugby union

Exploring coaches espoused theories and theories in use as an indicator of effective coaching practice

Bibliographic Data

ID21784076
AuthorsMichael Ashford (0000-0002-7723-5153, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author), Ed Cope (0000-0002-6554-504X, Loughborough University), Andrew Abraham (0000-0001-7380-1050, Leeds Beckett University), Jamie Poolton (0000-0003-4551-573X, Leeds Beckett University)
Year2025
Volume30
Issue1
Pages28-49
Publication date2025-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhysical Education and Sport Pedagogy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1740-8989 • E-ISSN: 1742-5786
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17408989.2022.2153822
OpenAlexW4311966783
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited93

Introduction: Researchers exploring how coaches can best support the development of their players decision making within team invasion sports have often been conducted from a cognitive or ecological approach, which differ in their views regarding the presence and absence of memory representations. This difference has, in turn, resulted in practical implications that are theoretically different, but not pedagogically different. Research has categorised such approaches to coaching decision making into intentional decision making training or incidental decision making training that offer different suggestions for how coaching methods may be used within their practice. Sometimes, these categories of training have been offered as the way coaches should operate over the careful selection of coaching methods given their intentions for impact. Instead, within this study we aim to explore the pragmatic nature of coaching practice, rather than adherence only to theoretical principles or beliefs. Materials and Methods: In this study five English Regional Academy Rugby Union Coaches participated in a semi-structured interview, three categorised systematic observations of their coaching practice and a self-confrontation interview to explore; (i) the espoused theories coaches believe they use in practice; (ii) the theories in use within their coaching practice and; (iii) the alignment and misalignment between their espoused theories and theories in use during their coaching practice

Coaching · Medical education · Pedagogy · Psychotherapist · Applied Psychology · Medicine · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Physical Education and Pedagogy · Psychology · Sport Psychology and Performance

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Open DOIOpen Access