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Research in coaching science continues to grow and as such, there is a need for rigorous tools to help make sense of the rapidly expanding literature. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed description of a systematic review methodology that can be used to summarise literature in coaching science. To do so, we present a test case of a systematic review we conducted on the sport coaching experiences of global Indigenous populations. More precisely, we conducted a systematic review of English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Portuguese peer-reviewed journal articles, spanning twelve databases (e.g., Sport Discus, ERIC, and Scopus) from 1970 to 2014. ENTREQ and COREQ guidelines were followed to report the results of the systematic review, and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was used as a theoretical framework to extract and synthesise relevant findings from the included articles. In sum, this paper presents a robust methodology for systematically reviewing research in coaching science and provides practical insights for those who endeavour to conduct rigorous literature searches in this domain.
Andrew Bennie is the director of the Health and Physical Education program at Western Sydney University. His research interests include sports coaching and coach education; Indigenous sport participation; and teaching and learning in health and physical education. He is currently leading a team of collaborators who are exploring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sport coaches in Australia.
Nick Apoifis is a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at UNSW. He has diverse research and teaching interests across the disciplines of sociology, international relations, politics, and sport coaching. He is currently working on a project exploring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sport coaches in Australia.
Jeff Caron is a postdoctoral research fellow in sport and exercise psychology in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at McGill University. His research focuses on promoting and fostering safe and healthy social environments in the context of sport-related concussions, coach and athlete leadership, and individuals with physical disabilities.
William Falcão is a sport psychology doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education at McGill University. His research focuses on coaching strategies that promote personal development, health, and well-being of athletes through sport. His research emphasises the experiences of coaches and athletes in low-socioeconomic settings as well as the parasport context.
Demelza Marlin is the higher degree research learning advisor for social sciences at Macquarie University. She has diverse research and teaching interests across the disciplines of sociology, cultural studies, and health sciences. She is currently working on a project exploring the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sport coaches in Australia.
Enrique García Bengoechea is a visiting fellow in the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living at Victoria University, Melbourne. His research interests include school- and community-based physical activity and health promotion, and youth development through sport. He has been a member of the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project, which was awarded the 2010 Canadian Institute for Health Research Partnership Award, in recognition of advancing Indigenous-researcher ethical agreements.
Koon Teck Koh is an assistant head for graduate programmes in the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. He has extensive experience working with athletes and coaches to improve coaching practice and performance. He holds key appointments at international and local levels, including: executive board member of World Association for Basketball Coaches, and executive board member of Asia Association of Coaching Science.
Freya MacMillan is a lecturer in health science at Western Sydney University. Her research focuses on the development and evaluation of lifestyle interventions using qualitative and quantitative research techniques. She also has expertise in conducting systematic reviews to guide the development of evidence-based interventions.
Emma George is a lecturer in health and physical education at Western Sydney University. With a background in physical activity and health promotion, her research aims to promote lifelong physical activity and improve health outcomes in populations including middle-aged men, sport fans, older adults and culturally diverse groups. She has a particular interest in community engagement and health promotion initiatives delivered through sport.