Coach Development: Practical Recommendations for Collegiate Sport

Abstract

Coaching at the collegiate level requires a varied skill set in a competitive environment, where coaching positions have a high turnover rate. Preparing to work as a coach at the collegiate level is often self-driven and aligns with how coaches learn in other contexts. Research on the career progression of collegiate coaches is scant and tends to focus on gender differences or one’s desire to become a head coach. Recently, research has expanded to examine the preparation of coach developers and their role in guiding coach development activities in a variety of contexts. Therefore, guided by the literature on coach development, the role of the coach developer in collegiate sport, and insight gleaned from a descriptive study on the career path of collegiate head coaches, this best practices article offers practical recommendations for coach developers to best serve collegiate coaches along their coaching journey.