International Sport Coaching Journal
An Official Journal of the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE)
ISCJ launched in replacement of the Journal of Coaching Education
Indexed in: Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar
Print ISSN: 2328-918X
Online ISSN: 2328-9198
2023 Impact Factor: 1.7
2023 CiteScore: 3.1
The International Sport Coaching Journal (ISCJ) is a peer-reviewed journal designed to advance the research and development of sport coaching globally. ISCJ seeks to publish sport coaching original research studies and papers regarding practical advances that expand our understanding of the coaching process, coaching environment, coach education and development, coaching practices, and coaching profession.
ISCJ is a non-proprietary venture of the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) and is published by Human Kinetics. It was launched in 2014 as volume 1, replacing the Journal of Coaching Education (JCE), for which there were six volumes published. To view JCE content, click here.
ISCJ publishes three times per year: January, May, and September.
Mission
The mission of the International Sport Coaching Journal (ISCJ) is to advance the research and development of sport coaching world-wide. This mission is pursued through a specific focus on the practice and process of coaching, with consideration also given to the many factors that influence coaching. Thus, ISCJ publishes peer-reviewed scientific research studies and articles about practical advances about, with, and for coaches.
Ethics Policy
Duties of Editors
Editors are the stewards of journals. Most Editors provide direction for the journal and build a strong management team. They must consider and balance the interests of many constituents, including readers, authors, staff, publishers, and editorial board members. Editors have a responsibility to ensure an efficient, fair, and timely review process of manuscripts submitted for publication and to establish and maintain high standards of technical and professional quality.
Actions
An Editor's decision to accept or reject a paper for publication should be based on the paper’s importance, originality, and clarity, and the study’s relevance to the remit of the journal. Consideration should be given without regard to race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, seniority, citizenship, professional association, institutional affiliation, or political philosophy of the author(s).
All original studies should be peer reviewed before publication, taking into full account possible bias due to related or conflicting interests. This requires that the Editor seek advice from Associate Editors or others who are experts in a specific area and will send manuscripts submitted for publication to reviewers chosen for their expertise and good judgment to referee the quality and reliability of manuscripts. Manuscripts may be rejected without review if considered inappropriate for the journal.
Editors must treat all submitted papers as confidential. The Editor and editorial staff shall disclose no information about a manuscript under consideration to anyone other than those from whom professional advice regarding the publication of the manuscript is sought. The Editors or editorial staff shall not release the names of reviewers.
Editors should consider manuscripts submitted for publication with all reasonable speed. Authors should be periodically informed of the status of the review process. In cases where reasonable speed cannot be accomplished because of unforeseen circumstances, the Editor has an obligation to withdraw himself/herself from the process in a timely manner to avoid unduly affecting the author’s pursuit of publication.
Where misconduct is suspected, the Editor must write to the authors first before contacting the head of the institution concerned.
Editors should ensure that the author submission guidelines for the journal specify that manuscripts must not be submitted to another journal at the same time. Guidelines should also outline the review process, including matters of confidentiality and time.
Editors transmit to Human Kinetics (specifically, the journal’s managing editor) the manuscripts accepted for publication approximately three months ahead of the publication date.
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest arise when Editors have interests that are not fully apparent and that may influence their judgments on what is published.
Editors should avoid situations of real or perceived conflicts of interest, including, but not limited to, handling papers from present and former students, from colleagues with whom the Editor has recently collaborated, and from those in the same institution.
Editors should disclose relevant conflicts of interest (of their own or those of the teams, editorial boards, managers, or publishers) to their readers, authors, and reviewers.
Peer Review
Peer reviewers are external experts chosen by Editors to provide written opinions, with the aim of improving the works submitted for publication.
Suggestions from authors as to who might act as a reviewer are often useful, but there should be no obligation for Editors to use those suggested.
Editors and expert reviewers must maintain the duty of confidentiality in the assessment of a manuscript, and this extends to reviewers’ colleagues who give opinions on specific sections.
The submitted manuscript should not be retained or copied.
Editors should require that reviewers provide speedy, accurate, courteous, unbiased, and justifiable reports.
If reviewers suspect misconduct, they should write in confidence to the Editor.
Dealing With Misconduct
The general principle confirming misconduct is the intention to cause others to regard as true that which is not true. The examination of misconduct must, therefore, focus not only on the particular act or omission, but also on the intention of the researcher or author.
Editors should be alert to possible cases of plagiarism, duplication of previous published work, falsified data, misappropriation of intellectual property, duplicate submission of manuscripts, inappropriate attribution, or incorrect co-author listing.
In cases of other misconduct, such as redundant publication, deception over authorship, or failure to declare conflict of interest, Editors may judge what is necessary in regard to involving authors’ employers. Authors should be given the opportunity to respond to any charge of minor misconduct.
The following sanctions are ranked in approximate increasing order of severity:
- A letter of explanation to the authors, where there appears to be a genuine misunderstanding of principles.
- A letter of reprimand and warning as to future conduct.
- A formal letter to the relevant head of the institution or funding body.
- Refusal to accept future submissions from the individual, unit, or institution responsible for the misconduct, for a stated period.
- Formal withdrawal or retraction of the paper from the scientific literature, informing other editors and the indexing authorities.
Editor
Bettina Callary
Cape Breton University, Canada
Editors Emeriti
Pat Duffy (2014)
Wade Gilbert (2014–2019)
Associate Editors
Gordon Bloom
McGill University, Canada
Brian Gearity
University of Denver, USA
Andrew Gillham
Sanford Sports Science Institute, USA
Steven Rynne
University of Queensland, Australia
Digest Editors
Ian Cowburn
Leeds Beckett University, UK
Tom Mitchell
Leeds Beckett University, UK
Editorial Board
Andrew Bennie, Western Sydney University, Australia
Marte Bentzen, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Norway
Diane Culver, University of Ottawa, Canada
Chris Cushion, Loughborough University, UK
Louise Davis, Umeå University, Sweden
Lea-Cathrin Dohme, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK
Larissa Galatti, University of Campinas, Brazil
Lori Gano-Overway, James Madison University, USA
Sophia Jowett, Loughborough University, UK
Clayton Kuklick, University of Denver, USA
Koon Teck Koh, National Instit. of Education, Singapore
Nicole LaVoi, University of Minnesota, USA
Michel Milistetd, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Lee Nelson, Edge Hill University, UK
Julian North, Leeds Beckett University, UK
Donna O'Connor, University of Sydney, Australia
Scott Rathwell, University of Lethbridge, Canada
Fernando Santos, Polytechnic Institute of Porto and Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Anna Stodter, Leeds Beckett University, UK
Rob Townsend, University of Waikato, New Zealand
Pete Van Mullem, Lewis-Clark State College, USA
Amy Whitehead, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Mariya Yukhymenko, California State University, Fresno, USA
ICCE Research Committee
Kristen Dieffenbach, West Virginia University, USA (co-chair)
Christine Nash, University of Edinburgh, UK (co-chair)
Torsten Buhre, Mälmo University, Sweden
Larissa Galatti, University of Campinas, Brazil
Ntwanano Alliance Kubayi, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Donna O'Connor, University of Sydney, Australia
Gethin Thomas, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK
Don Vinson, University of Worcester, UK
Bettina Callary, Cape Breton University, Canada (ISCJ member)
Sergio Lara-Bercial, Leeds Beckett University, UK (ICCE appointed member)
Social Media Manager
Kath O’Brien, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Human Kinetics Staff
Marielena Morgan, Journals Managing Editor
Prior to submission, please carefully read and follow the submission guidelines detailed below. Authors must submit their manuscripts through the journal’s ScholarOne online submission system. To submit, click the button below:
Page Content
Authorship Guidelines
The Journals Division at Human Kinetics adheres to the criteria for authorship as outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors*:
Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content. Authorship credit should be based only on substantial contributions to:
a. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
b. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
c. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
d. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Conditions a, b, c, and d must all be met. Individuals who do not meet the above criteria may be listed in the acknowledgments section of the manuscript. *http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html
Authors who use artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technologies (such as Large Language Models [LLMs], chatbots, or image creators) in their work must indicate how they were used in the cover letter and the work itself. These technologies cannot be listed as authors as they are unable to meet all the conditions above, particularly agreeing to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Open Access
Human Kinetics is pleased to allow our authors the option of having their articles published Open Access. In order for an article to be published Open Access, authors must complete and return the Request for Open Access form and provide payment for this option. To learn more and request Open Access, click here.
Manuscript Guidelines
All Human Kinetics journals require that authors follow our manuscript guidelines in regards to use of copyrighted material, human and animal rights, and conflicts of interest as specified in the following link: https://journals.humankinetics.com/page/author/authors
The International Sport Coaching Journal (ISCJ) is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes both Original Research studies and papers on Practical Advances in coaching. These manuscript types are described below.
Manuscript Types
Original Research
Original, peer-reviewed scientific research is intended to develop and innovate sport coaching world-wide. Manuscripts should be formatted with a review of relevant literature and theoretical frameworks to rationalize the purpose of the study followed by an explanation of the methodology, sample/participants, methods (including data collection, data analysis, research ethics), results, and discussion/implications. A variety of research designs are welcomed, though manuscripts should not exceed 35 double-spaced pages (including abstract, references, tables, and figures).
Practical Advances
These manuscripts include practical and applied perspectives on coaching and coaching-related topics. These manuscripts may focus on best practices of specific documented efforts, ideas, or evidence-based guidelines that can be used to improve coaching. They may focus on well-reasoned and effectively articulated insights and commentaries intended to stimulate thought and prompt open dialogue about coaching while (potentially) making contributions to new lines of study in coaching. Perspectives of coaching and coach education in different countries and cultures are also welcomed with an in-depth look at the sport coaching organizations, systems, and key features that define coaching in that part of the world. While adopting an applied orientation, these papers should still be written in an academic style that includes citations as well as other applied evidence to support and develop ideas. Papers that are Practical Advances in the field will typically be between 15–25 double-spaced pages (including abstract, references, tables, and figures). Practical Advances encompasses ISCJ legacy article types of Best Practices, Insights, and Coaching In.
Style
In preparing manuscripts for publication in ISCJ, authors should use British spelling and follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed., 2020). Writing should be concise and direct. Avoid unnecessary jargon and abbreviations, but use an acronym or abbreviation if the spelled-out version of a term is cumbersome. Avoid abbreviations in the title. Formats of numbers and measurement units, and all other style matters, including capitalization, punctuation, references, and citations, must follow the APA Publication Manual.
Key Points
Authors should provide 2–3 key points that describe the novel results or highlights of their research as a separate document. The key points are intended for a general audience, no more than 30 words, and in sentence format.
Cover Letters
Upon submission, authors must upload a separate cover letter that lists (1) the title of the manuscript, (2) the date of submission, and (3) the full names of all the authors, their institutional or corporate affiliations, and their e-mail addresses. In addition to this essential information, the cover letter should be composed as described on pp. 382–383 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed., 2020), including clear statements pertaining to potential fragmented publication, authorship, and other ethical considerations.
Author Biographies
Upon submission, authors must include a separate Word file that provides biographies for all authors to be included in the final published version of the paper. Biographies should include name, rank, department, institution, and a brief statement about research expertise in 50–75 words.
Editorial Decisions
Submissions that are rejected (i.e., that do not receive a minor or major-revision decision and invitation to resubmit) should not be resubmitted without editor invitation to ISCJ per the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed., 2020, p. 381), which reads that any manuscript "that has been rejected by a journal may not be revised and resubmitted to that same journal".
Manuscript Format
All manuscripts must be written in English, with attention to concise language, a logical structure and flow of information, and correct grammar. We appreciate that some of our authors do not speak English as their first language and may need assistance to reach the standards required by the journal. In addition, some younger authors may not be experienced in scientific writing styles. Since manuscripts that fail to meet the journal’s writing standards will not be sent out for review, such authors should ensure that they seek assistance from native English speakers and/or experienced colleagues prior to submitting their paper. Many journals acknowledge the existence of companies that offer professional editing services. Use of an editorial service is at the discretion and cost of the authors and will not guarantee acceptance for publication in ISCJ. An example of such services can be found at https://www.aje.com/. This information does not constitute endorsement of this professional editing service.
The manuscript must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document. Other file formats, including PDF documents, are not accepted for the main (text) document. The manuscript should contain no clues as to author identity, such as acknowledgments, institutional information, and mention of a specific city. Thus, information that might identify the author(s) should be omitted or highlighted in black. The first page of the manuscript should include only the title of the manuscript and date of submission. All manuscripts must include an abstract of 150−200 words and three to six keywords chosen from terms not used in the manuscript title. Line numbers should be embedded in the left margin to facilitate the review process. For studies involving humans, the participants section must include a statement certifying that the study received institutional approval and that the participants’ informed consent was obtained. Manuscripts should not exceed the page length mentioned for each article type above.
Figures and Photos
If figures are included, each figure must be numbered in consecutive numerical order. A figure should have a caption that is brief and self-explanatory, and that defines all nonstandard abbreviations used in the figure. Captions must be listed separately, on a page by themselves; however, each figure must be clearly identified (numbered), preferably as part of its filename. Artwork should be professional in appearance and have clean, crisp lines. Hand drawing and hand lettering are not acceptable. Figures may use color. Shades of gray do not reproduce well and should not be used in charts and figures. Instead, stripe patterns, stippling, or solids (black or white) are good choices for shading. Line art should be saved at a resolution of 600 dots per inch (dpi) in JPEG or TIFF format. Photographic images can be submitted if they are saved in JPEG or TIFF format at a resolution of 300 dpi. If photos are used, they should be black and white, clear, and show good contrast. Any figures or photos from a source not original to the author must be accompanied by a statement from the copyright holder(s) giving the author permission to publish it; the source and copyright holder must be credited in the manuscript. See additional figure guidelines here.
Tables
When tabular material is necessary, it should not duplicate the text. Tables must be formatted using Microsoft Word’s table-building functions. (Using spaces or tabs in your table creates problems when the table is typeset and may result in errors). Tables should be single-spaced on separate pages and include their brief titles. Explanatory notes are to be presented in footnotes, below the table. The size and complexity of a table should be determined with consideration for its legibility and ability to fit the printed page.
Video Clips
Short video clips may be submitted to illustrate your manuscript. Files may be submitted through ScholarOne for review as part of the manuscript; each digital video file should be designated and uploaded as a “supplementary file,” and should be no larger than 15–20 MB (or 5–10 seconds, depending on compression). Video should be submitted in either .WMV or QuickTime (.mov) format with a standard frame size of 320 × 240 pixels and a frame rate of 30 frames per second. You also should indicate in the cover letter accompanying your submission that you have submitted a video file.
Digital material from a source not original to the author must be accompanied by a statement from the copyright holder giving the author permission to publish it; the source and copyright holder must be credited in the manuscript. Human Kinetics will inspect all video submissions for quality and technical specifications, and we reserve the right to reject any video submission that does not meet quality standards and specifications.
Manuscript Review
All manuscripts are evaluated via masked review and are reviewed by an editorial board member and at least one other reviewer. Submissions will be judged on the basis of the manuscript’s interest to the readership, theoretical and empirical contribution, adherence to accepted scientific principles and methods, and clarity and conciseness of writing. There are no page charges to authors. Manuscripts may not be submitted to another journal at the same time. Authors of manuscripts that are accepted for publication must transfer copyright to Human Kinetics, Inc. Exceptions to this copyright transfer rule will be made for government employees. Additional exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
Desk Rejection Policy
Before full review, submissions are examined at the editorial level. If the Editor and an Editorial Board Member believe the submission has extensive flaws or is inconsistent with the mission and focus of the journal, the manuscript may receive a desk reject decision.
Submit a Manuscript
Authors should submit manuscripts electronically as a Microsoft Word document via the ISCJ ScholarOne site (see submit button at the top of this page). ScholarOne will manage the electronic transfer of ISCJ manuscripts throughout the manuscript review process, providing step-by-step instructions. Problems encountered on the ScholarOne site can be resolved by choosing “Help” in the upper right corner of the screen.
Please review the APA checklist for manuscript submission before submitting your manuscript. Authors of accepted manuscripts must obtain and provide the managing editor all necessary permissions for reproduced figures, pictures, or other copyrighted work prior to publication. The authors also will need to complete and sign the copyright agreement, which will be provided to authors.
Special Issue Guidelines
Special issue topics need to be diverse and inclusive of different perspectives; the topic itself should be resonating with coaching researchers at a particular time for a particular reason. The following guidelines are intended to help prepare a special issue proposal for ISCJ. In 4 pages or less, the proposal needs to address the following questions using the headings provided. Please send your completed proposal to Editor Bettina Callary at Bettina_Callary@cbu.ca.
1. Synopsis
- In 150 words or less, what is your special issue about?
- Be sure to include its main themes and objectives.
2. Rationale
- What are you proposing to do differently/more innovatively/better than has already been done on the topic (in ISCJ specifically, as well as in the field more generally)?
- Why is now the time for a special issue on this topic?
- Why is ISCJ the most appropriate venue for this topic?
- List up to five articles recently published on the topic that show breadth of scope and authorship in the topic?
3. Outline of Special Issue
- How will each type of ISCJ paper (Original Research, Practical Advances) be integrated into the special issue?
- How many papers do you envision for the special issue?
- Names of authors who will be invited to submit papers, and paper topics?
- A list of up to 20 individuals with expertise in the topic who the special issue editors could recruit to act as reviewers?
4. Qualifications
- Are you proposing to serve as Guest Editor for this special issue?
- If so, please provide a copy of your vitae with the proposal.
- If not, do you have suggestions for a potential Guest Editor?
5. Timeline
- Given that it takes approximately 12 months to complete a special issue, please provide a detailed timeline including estimated dates or time frames for the following steps:
- Call for papers
- Submission deadline
- Review process (averages 4 months)
- Revision process (averages 3 months)
- Final editing and approval from ISCJ editor
- Completion and submission to Human Kinetics (needs to be at least 2 months prior to the issue cover month; e.g., completion by March 1 for the May issue)
*Note: All submissions must meet the standard ISCJ submission guidelines.
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