A Multi-Method Exploration of Coaches’ Implicit and Explicit Approaches to Life Skills Development and Transfer in Youth Sport

Abstract

Sport is considered a viable context for positive youth development, including the acquisition of life skills. However, research indicates that sport participation alone does not necessarily amount to consistent developmental outcomes (Coakley, 2011). Therefore, it is important to understand how sport can be structured by coaches, as direct influencers of the structure and delivery of sport programs, to facilitate the development of skills that youth can use to thrive in life. Using the Bean et al. (2018) continuum, this thesis explored coaches’ implicit and explicit approaches to life skills development and transfer in youth sport. A multiple case study design was employed comprised of nine cases, each consisting of one coach and at least two of his/her athletes, who were members of a youth sport team (i.e., baseball, rugby, soccer, and sailing), operating in the National Capital Region. Data were collected from the coaches via pre- and post-season interviews and in-season journaling, as well as from athletes via post-season interviews. The results indicated that the coaches went beyond the implicit/explicit dichotomy. The coaches were found to predominantly and consistently use implicit approaches and inconsistently use explicit approaches, with dilemmas and factors reported influencing their explicit practices. The results have implications for future research and applied efforts towards coaches’ integration of the explicit approaches to teaching youth life skills development and transfer within their coaching practices to maximize positive youth development through sport.