High School Coaches’ Continuing
Education: Content Preferences
Brooke E. Forester, Ph.D.
Shelley L. Holden, Ed.D.
Christopher M. Keshock, Ph.D.
University of South Alabama
By the Numbers
• 7.6 million high school athletes in the US (NFHS.org,
n.d.)
• Over 200,000 sport coaches (BLS.gov, n.d.)
• Mixed emotions regarding continuing education
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–
–
–
–
Is continuing education needed?
If yes, is it worthwhile?
What content should be included?
Best delivery format?
Hindrances to continuing education?
So many options…
• NFHS
– Sport specific courses (13 total, $50-$75)
– Elective courses (4 total, $20-$50)
– Core courses (2 total, $35-$85; Fundamentals of Coaching
and/or First Aid, Health and Safety)
– Free courses (11 total; Ranging from Sportsmanship
content to NCAA Eligibility Requirements)
• (NFHSLearn.com, n.d.)
Options…
• American Sport Education Program (ASEP)
– Delivered by Human Kinetics
– Sport specific courses (11 total, $50-$70 average price)
– General coaching courses (3 total, $50-$100 depends on
partnering organization)
– Youth sport coaching courses
• (ASEP.com, n.d.)
Options…
• USA Track & Field, US Soccer, US Football
• Various colleges offer “coaching certificates”
– Drake University
– University of South Alabama
– Florida State University
National Council for Accreditation of
Coaching Education (NCACE)
• “NCACE provides leadership and guidance
to coaching education providers, sport
administrators, and the public regarding the
knowledge, values, and skills of effective coaches”
(qualitycoachingeducation.org, n.d., para. 3).
• To date, 19 accredited organizations and 2 domainspecific provider organizations
NASPE Coaching Domains
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Philosophy and Ethics
Safety and Injury Prevention
Physical Conditioning
Growth and Development
Teaching and Communication
Sport Skills and Tactics
Organization and Administration
Evaluation
What are the requirements?
• Varies by state and/or school district
• Most require current CPR certification, NFHS
concussion course yearly, coaching fundamentals
course, sport specific rules course
• In most cases, after initial certification there are no
“continuing education” requirements other than
CPR/AED annual renewal and/or concussion course
– All 50 states have “return to play” laws specifically
addressing concussions and high school athletes.
– May opt out of requirements with teaching certificate
Example: California
• CPR & First Aid
• Must complete NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching
course or its equivalent within first season of being
hired
• Concussion training for all high school coaches every
two years
• No recertification required
Example: Kentucky
• CPR with AED training
• Must be current in First Aid portion of Sports Safety
Course
• Complete NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Course
within one year of initial assignment or prior to legal
start of practices
• KHSAA Sport Safety course – all coaches required,
recertify every 2 years
Example: Alabama
• CPR, First Aid Course, and Fundamentals of Coaching course
• First time coaches may substitute fundamentals course from
applicable degree program
• Course options: NFHS Coaches Education Program, state
Activities Association training, or undergraduate/graduate
degree program coursework within two years
• 2014-2015 - Fundamentals of Coaching and First Aid, Health
and Safety for Coaches before performing any assigned
coaching duties and becoming eligible to apply for a coach’s
card
Where and how do coaches’ derive
their knowledge?
• Experience and observation of other coaches is
primary source (Cushion, 2001; Gilbert & Trudel 2001; Gould,
Gianinni, Krane, & Hodge, 1990; Salmela, 1996)
• Athlete  Novice Coach/Assistant  Head Coach
• Pat Summit: “My time learning from Coach
Wooden—sitting and asking him questions, soaking
up his answers—has provided some of the most
significant lessons in my life. Any way you can be
mentored by a giant like him… will provide great
lessons for you, too” (Yaegar, n.d., para. 16).
Literature Review
• Limited body of research specifically focusing on
continuing education of high school coaches
• Vargus-Tonsing (2007) – Explored youth sport
coaches’ preferences for continuing education
preferences
• Gould, et al. (2006) – Understanding high school
coaches’ view and needs; More concerned with
personal and social issues vs. continuing education
Literature Review cont.
• Gilbert, et al. (2009) – Developmental profile of
successful high school coaches
– What elements of a coaches’ developmental profile were
associated with coaching success
– Positive relationship between time spent as an athlete in
the sport currently coaching and five measures of coaching
success (related to post season appearances and
performances, such as regional, state, finals, etc.)
– Developmental sport coaches acquire the vast majority of
their coaching knowledge via informal, unmediated
learning situations
Purpose of Study
• Examine high school coaches’ preferences of
continuing education content topics
• Offer insight “from the trenches” regarding content
preferences
Method
• Researchers contacted the principals at various high
schools, representing four school districts, and
requested permission for coach participation
• Principals or athletic directions then emailed a
survey link to the their coaches
• Quantitative survey which took approximately 15
minutes to complete
• SurveyMonkey
Survey - Demographics
•
•
•
•
Age
Gender
Head or Assistant Coach
Years Coaching
– High School Years
– Years total
Sample
•
•
•
•
74 male, 29 female coaches, N = 103
62 head coaches, 40 assistant coaches
Current high school coaches in Southeastern US
Variety of high school sports (basketball, football,
baseball, soccer, track and field, etc.)
• Average age: 38
• 24 participants with over 15 years high school
coaching experience, average of 10-15 years
coaching total
Survey - Content Areas
1. Athlete Injury Prevention
2. Advanced First Aid
3. Communication with
Parents
4. Communication with
Athletes
5. Sportsmanship
6. Life Skills
7. Visualization Techniques
8. Advanced Instructional
Drills/Training
9. Athlete Conditioning
10. Coach Stress
Management
11. Athlete Stress
Management
12. Sport Psychology
13. Addictive Behaviors
Survey - Content Areas
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Sport Nutrition
Drugs in Sport
Risk Management Training
Basic Sports Medicine
Kinesiology/Biomechanics
Rules Training
Other
Results
• Participants valued Advanced Instructional
Drills/Training (96%) and Injury Prevention (94%) as
the most important content areas
• The least important content areas were Sport
Psychology (22%) and Coach Stress Management
(19%)
Results, cont.
• Independent samples t-test was used to compare
male and female coaches’ content preferences
• No significant difference related to total years
coaching or age
Topic
t-test
Male
Female
Life Skills
t = 2.64, p<.010
M = 4.57 ± .684
M=4.10 ± 1.05
Visualization
Techniques
t=2.14, p<.035
M=4.09 ± .953
M=3.66 ± .897
Coach Stress
Management
t=2.53, p<.013
M=3.91 ± 1.08
M=3.28 ± 1.25
Discussion
• The counties included in the current study have
athletic training coverage provided by local hospitals
and/or orthopaedic groups (certified athletic
trainers).
• Even with certified athletic trainers, coaches still
placed a high value on content focusing on injury
prevention
Discussion, cont.
• Based on current sample, age, and years coaching
(total and high school years) has no bearing on
content preferences
• Because coaches rely on experience and mentorship
as the primary source of knowledge – “how to
coach” – interesting to note which two topics were
most popular
– Advanced Instructional Drills/Training (96%)
– Athlete Injury Prevention (94%)
Discussion, cont.
• With only three content areas showing a significant
differences for males vs. females, important to note
coaches seem to have similar preferences regardless
of sex (and age).
• Ongoing qualitative research (in progress) seems to
support quantitative results thus far
Discussion, cont.
• Risk management?
• Litigious society
– In 2002, over 200 lawsuits non-injury related sports
lawsuits in the US against coaches, leagues and school
districts (ABC News, 2003)
– 3.8 million concussions each year due to sport and physical
activity; sport related concussions represent 46% of all
concussions in 14-19 years olds (NATA.org, 2014)
– School districts shifting responsibility to coaches (requiring
certification)
Future & Ongoing Research
• Preferred delivery method(s) for continuing
education?
• Barriers?
• Need? Efficacy of training/education?
• Preferences vary based on level of coaching?
• Qualitative component – coach interviews
– Methods for example, live courses/training most preferred
yet presents the biggest challenges to overcome (time,
fees, and travel costs)
References
• ABC News. (n.d.). Angry parents take school coaches to court.
Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/
AmericanFamily/story?id=124886&page=1
• American Sport Education Program. (n.d.) Courses. Retrieved
from http://www.asep.com/
• Cushion, C.J. (2001). Coaching research and coach education:
Do the sum of the parts equal the whole? SportaPolis
(September). Retrieved from http://www.sportsmedia.
org /Sportapolisnewsletter4.htm.Gilbert & Trudel 2001
References
• Gilbert, W. D., Lichktenwaldt, L., Gilbert, J. N., Zelezny, L., &
Côté, J. (2009). Developmental profiles of successful high
school coaches. International Journal of Sports Science &
Coaching, 4, 415-431.
• Gould, D., Gianinni, J., Krane, V., & Hodge, K. (1990).
Educational needs of elite U.S. National Pan American
and Olympic coaches. Journal of Teaching in Physical
Education, 9, 322-344.
• Gould, D., Chung, Y., Smith, P., & White, J. (2006). Future
directions in coaching life skills: Understanding high
school coaches’ views and needs. The Online Journal of
Sport Psychology, 8(3), 28-38.
References
• NATA. (2014). NATA Issues New Position Statement on the
Management of Sport Concussion. Retrieved from
http://www.nata.org/News%20Release/ nata-issuesnew-position-statement-management-sport-concussion
• NFHS Learn. (n.d.) Courses. Retrieved from
http://www.nfhslearn.com/Courses.aspx
• Quality Coaching Education. (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.qualitycoachingeducation.org/
References
• Salmela, J. H. (1996). Great job coach! Getting the edge from
proven winners. Ottawa, ON: Potentium
• Vargus-Tonsing, T. (2007) Coaches’ preferences for continuing
education. International Journal of Sports Science &
Coaching, 2(1), 25-35.
• Yaegar, D. (n.d). Mentors Never Die. Success Magazine.
Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/mentorsnever-die
High School Coaches’ Continuing
Education: Content Preferences
Brooke E. Forester, Ph.D.
Shelley L. Holden, Ed.D.
Christopher M. Keshock, Ph.D.
University of South Alabama