This study explores grassroots coaches’ (GCs’) perceptions of the content of a one-day coach education workshop, the programme’s applicability, their use of the content, and the perceived barriers to implementing the programme in their coaching practice. One hundred and thirteen GCs completed follow-up questionnaires, while 12 of them were also interviewed. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analyses were conducted. The quantitative results indicate that the GCs were mainly positive about the programme content and found it easy to apply and adapt to. However, few GCs seemed to apply the programme principles to a great extent. The qualitative results illustrate that the GCs reported barriers that seem to relate to programme characteristics, in particular a lack of follow-up; individual factors, such as a lack of time; and organizational factors, like the lack of a shared understanding of the programme with their co-coaches, and lack of support from club officials. Thus, the findings imply that there is a need for an extended focus on organisational factors, especially support by club officials, when implementing coach education content in youth sports. Future recommendations for implementation of coach education workshops for youth grassroots coaches have been suggested, where support for the coaches is a key issue.
Barriers in Implementing Coach Education in Grassroots Youth Football in Norway
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Margaret L. Søvik is an associate professor at the Department of Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Radiography at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. She has a PhD in health promotion, which comprises an evaluation of the implementation of a coach education programme in Norway.
Torill Larsen is a professor at Department of Health Promotion at University of Bergen. She has extensive experience with evaluation and implementation research within health promotion among children and youth, and has been a consultant for NGO`s, as well as educational and health authorities.
Hege E. Tjomsland is an associate professor in the Department of Sport and Physical Education at Inland University of Applied Sciences in Norway. She is also a senior advisor at the Norwegian National Center for food and physical activity.
Oddrun Samdal is professor at the Department of Health Promotion and Development at the University of Bergen. She has long-term experience in evaluating implementation and effect of intervention programmes aiming at promoting children’s health, well-being and health-related behaviours. She has published widely, also towards the practice field, and has through all of her career been involved in giving policy advice to ministries of health and education.
Bente Wold is a professor at the Department of Health Promotion and Development at the University of Bergen, Norway. She has published more than 150 articles and book chapters, and has managed several large-scale international research projects. Her main research interests concern health promotion with young people, with a particular interest in positive youth development based on developmental, social and health psychology, as well as behavioural epidemiology.
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