Promoting thriving environments in the university sport system through a pilot credential of coaching excellence

Objective: Scholars have recently integrated person-centered theory (Rogers, 1959) and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) to propose the humanistic framework for thriving through interpersonal relationships in sport (McHenry & Zakrajsek, 2023). Within this framework, there are many levels in sport systems at which to intervene to promote thriving. Given the significance of the coach in facilitating contextual enablers of thriving (e.g., secure attachment in coach-athlete relationships, McHenry et al., 2022; creating fear-free environments, Brown & Arnold, 2019), one critical entry point for intervention is the education and professional development of coaches. This presentation will discuss evaluation findings of a pilot program through which 60 American college coaches of men’s and women’s soccer earned a credential of coaching excellence.

Method: The credentialing program curriculum was delivered through 20 in-person educational sessions, 12 Zoom educational sessions, and 28 hours of self-paced assignments. Realist evaluation methodology was adopted to test elements of the program’s context, mechanisms, and outcomes with quantitative and qualitative analyses (e.g., repeated measures t-tests; constant comparative, abductive analysis; Pawson & Tilley, 1997) of data collected through pre- and post-program surveys.

Results: The program theory proposed that engagement in the curriculum would support coaches’ own self-regard, connection to other coaches, and thriving while providing coaches with tools to impact contextual enablers of thriving within their sport programs. Preliminary results support the program theory with statistically significant increases from pre- to post-program in coaches’ self-regard, thriving at work, sense of belonging in their professional association, trust-building behaviors, and person-centered attitudes.

Conclusion: Results will be discussed with attention to relationships between the program’s context (e.g., promotion, timing, and access), mechanisms (e.g., instructional design and learning processes), and outcomes (e.g., pre- and post-program measures). Implications offer new insights for applying the humanistic framework for thriving to coach education to enhance thriving sport environments.