Analyzing continuous coach education courses in Portugal: Implications for youth development

Abstract

Continuous coach education courses (CCEC) are considered a crucial vehicle for exposing coaches to topics (e.g., nutrition, mental health, positive youth development) not addressed in their initial coach training. CCEC can help coaches develop well-rounded coaching practices based on youth's physical, social, emotional, and psychological needs. The purpose of the study was to analyze the distribution of CCEC offered in Portugal between 2014 and 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze (a) the number of CCEC offered; (b) hours devoted to each topic; (c) the types of organizations who delivered CCEC; (e) the format of CCEC (i.e., online or in-person); (f) the geographical distribution of CCEC throughout Portugal; (g) the number of coach participants per topic. The results indicate that courses addressing mental health, social justice, positive youth development, and sleep hygiene are seldomly delivered in Portugal, meaning that coaches have few opportunities to be exposed to and learn about these important topics. Thus, our results suggest CCEC in Portugal may not be extending coaches’ knowledge much beyond topics covered in their initial coach training. The lack of breadth in training may help perpetuate the emphasis on the technical, tactical, and physical development of youth with the Portuguese youth sport system. Based on the results, implications for youth development are offered.