Coaching Pedagogy in Inter-County Gaelic Football
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Coaching Pedagogy in Inter-County Gaelic Football Paul Kinnerk, BSc. A thesis submitted to the University of Limerick in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Supervisors: Dr Mark Lyons, Dr Philip Kearney and Prof Stephen Harvey Submitted to the University of Limerick, June 2020 2 Abstract Coaching Pedagogy in Inter-County Gaelic Football Paul Kinnerk This programme of research had two aims which organised the research into two distinct phases. Phase one explored the coaching pedagogy being applied by coaches in the sport of Gaelic football at inter-county level. Informed by phase one, phase two examined the effects of a Game Based Approach (GBA) intervention in an academy inter-county Gaelic football setting. The overall programme of research adopted a theoretical framework informed by Complex Learning Theory. In phase one, quantitative data from a survey of 150 coaches revealed they spent notable time in activities deemed less relevant to game play, along with arranging their practice activities in a linear format (i.e., skills before games). In the follow up study of 12 elite level Gaelic football coaches, an inductive thematic analysis of coach interviews produced two higher order themes (planning and in-session coaching strategies). The results provided a rich description of coaches’ practice, revealing coaches displayed varying levels of sophistication and content knowledge on the many tenets (e.g., questioning, sequence, ownership, game design) of coaching pedagogy. Despite a small number of coaches displaying strong alignment with GBA pedagogy, no coach reported basing their practice on GBAs as outlined in the academic literature. Phase two employed a mixed-methods multiple baseline design with two squads (U14 n=23; U15 n=27) and their coaches (U14 n=2; U15 n=3) to describe the impact of a season-long GBA intervention on players’ performance and coaches’ practices and experiences. Quantitative results obtained using an adapted version of the Game Play Observation Instrument revealed players in both squads significantly improved their decision-making in all four variables (i.e., passing, carrying, shooting and overall) from baseline to post intervention. Results were equivocal with respect to skill execution with the U14 squad improving on two of the four variables (carrying and overall), while the U15 squad showed no improvements in skill. A systematic observation instrument revealed that the coaches’ session structure aligned to GBA characteristics as a result of the intervention. Specifically, there was an increase in coaches’ use of modified games along with a shift in the sequencing of practice activities to games before drills. Despite the requirement in GBAs for the coach to employ periods for questioning, there was little difference in the time players were physically inactive across baseline and intervention sessions. Players favoured the employment of conditions within games and the employment of questioning to develop their understanding of tactical concepts, but noted difficulties within player-led discussion periods. Qualitative data from coach interviews, coach reflective diaries and researcher field notes revealed a thorough commitment by coaches to the intervention process and engagement with GBA pedagogy. To conclude, this research provides a pathway for coaches and coach educators as to what a GBA intervention looks like, how it can be planned and then applied. Although the effective promotion of GBAs within coaching communities requires a substantial investment, GBAs hold considerable potential to positively impact the coaching environment, transform a coach’s practice and develop players’ learning and game performance. i Authors Declaration I hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own, and was completed with the counsel of my supervisors, Dr Mark Lyons, Dr Philip Kearney and Prof Stephen Harvey. This work has not been submitted to any other University or Higher Education Institute, or for any other academic award. Signed: Paul Kinnerk, June 2020 ii Acknowledgements To my supervisory team, Dr Mark Lyons, Dr Philip Kearney and Prof Stephen Harvey. To Mark and Phil, thank you for your support, guidance and for being uncompromising in demanding the highest of standards throughout the course of my research. You both went above and beyond the call of duty which I will forever be appreciative of. To Stephen, thank you for taking an Irish stranger under your wing and broadening his horizons. Thank you for your counsel and the many skype calls and emails. Dr Ciaran MacDonncha, thank you for helping me to initiate the PhD process and for your invaluable contribution to the survey study in this programme of research. To Christopher Walsh. Thank you for the countless hours that you immersed yourself in within this research. Your enormous commitment and work ethic throughout the intervention ensured that this research process was carried out with great rigour. To the high performance coaches, I thank you for providing me with full access to your coaching practice and inviting me to your homes, work places and training grounds. It was an honour and pleasure to spend time with you. Many thanks to the five coaches and 70 players that took part in the intervention study. Without your time and effort, this research would not have been possible. To Limerick GAA, thank you for your support throughout the course of my research. To my friends, thank you for changing the topic and providing the much needed laughs throughout the past six years. To my family. To my brother, Declan, and my sister, Karen, thank you for always being there. To Mum and Dad, you are both my heroes. Thank you for your support throughout this journey and the many before. Your work ethic continues to inspire me and ensured I could always chase my dreams. I am forever indebted to you both. To my wife, Maggie. What can I say but express my complete gratitude for your unconditional support in everything I do. Your patience, understanding and constant encouragement kept me going throughout the past six years. iii Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................... i Authors Declaration ............................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ..........................................................................................................................x List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... xi List of Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... xiii Research Output .................................................................................................................. xiv Chapter 1 – Introduction .........................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................2 1.2 Author Background and Connection to the Research ...................................................2 1.3 The Context: Gaelic Games ..........................................................................................5 1.4 Pedagogy in Team Sports ..............................................................................................8 1.5 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................10 1.6 Aims of the Research ..................................................................................................11 1.7 The Research Process ..................................................................................................11 1.8 Structure of the Thesis .................................................................................................16 Chapter 2 - A Review of the Literature on Game-Based Approaches in Competitive Team Sport Settings ........................................................................................................................18 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................19 2.2 Method.........................................................................................................................21 2.2.1 Identification of Papers .........................................................................................21 2.2.2 Summary of Papers ...............................................................................................22 2.2.3 Participants ...........................................................................................................22 2.2.4 Research Context ..................................................................................................23 2.2.5 Research Design and Data Collection Methods ...................................................24 2.2.6 Theoretical Frameworks .......................................................................................27 2.3