Developing Recommendations for European Sport Coaching Policy: The PEAK Project

Abstract

Sport coaching policies in Europe lack a guiding framework, and there is limited knowledge about good practices within those policies. This lack of guidance stands in stark contrast to the growing role and importance, from both a practical and a policy perspective, that coaches play in Europe. It is against this background that the Policy, Evidence, and Knowledge in Coaching (PEAK) project was initiated to strengthen the policy foundations of sports coaching in Europe. To do so, the Policy, Evidence, and Knowledge in Coaching project aimed to develop coaching policy recommendations for national authorities and sport federations on the European continent. In the following, we present the main policy recommendations for national authorities as well as the extensive process that led to the formulation of those recommendations. Based on this work, nine recommendations featuring a total of 61 indicators were developed. Overall, we contend that the policy foundation for an effective coaching system includes clarity on who the policies are for, how the results of the policy will be measured, the education, regulation, and support of the workforce, and addressing the inclusion of underrepresented groups.