National Coaching Standards: Perceptions and the Undertaking of Core Responsibilities by Beginner, Intermediate and Elite Sport Coaches

In recent years, the responsibilities of sport coaches have expanded to include more than just directing practices, overseeing training and game management. As a result, a greater focus is being placed on providing coaches with education, knowledge and training in-line with the evolving National Standards for Sport Coaches (SHAPE America, 2019) and the seven areas of core responsibilities: (1) setting vision, goals and standards; (2) engaging in and supporting ethical practices; (3) building relationships with stakeholders; (4) developing a safe sport environment; (5) creating a positive and inclusive sport environment; (6) conducting practices and preparing for competition; and (7) striving for continuous improvement. To understand the current state of sport coaching education in the United States, online survey research of beginner, intermediate and elite coaches (n=1,235) was undertaken about (1) how frequently sport coaches use the knowledge and skills listed in the national standards and (2) in order to be a successful sport coach, how important is it to be able to use the knowledge and skills described in the national standards. Analysis of variance testing for 39 of 42 standards focused on frequency of use found statistically significant differences between the three groups of coaches. Additional analysis of variance testing for the three groups of coaches regarding perceptions of the importance of each standard showed that 36 of 42 comparisons had statistically significant differences. A discussion of the results and implications for sport coaches, coaching educators and national sport coaching standards are provided.