EXPLORING THE PRINCIPLES AND MECHANISMS OF COHERENT COACHING ON TALENT PATHWAYS by VINCENT WEBB A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the degree of Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance at the University of Central Lancashire October 2019 STUDENT DECLARATION Type of Award: Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance - School: School of Sport and Well Being 1. Concurrent registration for two or more academic awards I declare that while registered as a candidate for the research degree, I have not been a registered candidate or enrolled student for another award of the University or other academic or professional institution. 2. Material submitted for another award I declare that no material contained in the thesis has been used in any other submission for an academic award and is solely my own work. I can confirm that I have been the primary author for the following journal article that contributes to this thesis. Webb, V., Collins, D., & Cruickshank, A. (2016). Aligning the talent pathway: exploring the role and mechanisms of coherence in development. Journal of sports sciences, 34(19), 1799-1807. 3. Use of a Proof-reader No proof-reading service was used in the compilation of this thesis. Signature of Candidate: Print name: Vincent Patrick Webb ii ABSTRACT Although our understanding of psychological and social factors in talent development continues to expand, knowledge of the broader system that underpins entire talent pathways is relatively limited. Indeed, little work has moved beyond the recognition that coherence in this system is important to consider how this may be achieved; particularly in relation to coherent coaching. Accordingly, this thesis sought to explore levels of coherence or incoherence, through an entire set of coaches in the British Cycling (BC) talent pathway to understand how they can best deliver desired outputs (e.g., adaptable, independent and resilient senior performers). Therefore, to advance practice in my own domain, this thesis firstly presents several key, theoretically-based principles and mechanisms of coherent coaching in the context of British Cycling’s and other sport organisations’ talent pathways. Secondly, after defining and contextualising coherence in whole talent pathways, including barriers to attainment, the thesis discusses how an understanding of coach epistemology can provide a basis for integrating collective coach coherence and, consequently, a coherent performer experience. From this foundation, the principles and mechanisms presented were used to explore the coherence of the BC talent pathway, both vertically (i.e., coherence up and down age groups), and horizontally (i.e., across three Olympic disciplines: Road, Track, and MTB) as measured through coach perceptions. More specifically, the first study reviewed the available literature and determined a number of key principles and mechanisms of coherent pathways that informed study two and three. Both these studies explored coherence and incoherence through a qualitative approach, utilising a self-report questionnaire that enabled the studies to reach a large pool of cycling coaches. Results from these studies found that the coaches had a level of coherence but also unexpected incoherence in a number of areas. Findings suggest the coaches’ iii epistemological positions are influencing their delivery and, in turn, are heavily influenced by the NGB and their social milieu. Given that the coaches’ perceptions suggested a level of coherence, and indeed incoherence in the pathway, the final study of this thesis explored key stakeholder perceptions of the coaching pathway and potential models for coach education that could further align the talent pathway in BC. More specifically, this study used a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews to generate a useful breadth and depth of opinions from active stakeholders. This study revealed that a level of coherence was present across key stakeholders that suggests a remodelling of the coach education provision is required to further align the talent pathway in BC. Overall this work has contributed to a clearer understanding of what is required to align the talent pathway in BC in regard to coherent coaching; indeed, the findings have prompted a review and re-design of the whole coaching pathway; a summary of which is presented in the closing stages of this thesis. Finally, this work has also contributed to research on talent development in that it has explored an area that has had little, if any attention and, furthermore, it offers principles, mechanisms and methods by which other sports can investigate and optimise the levels of coherence on their own pathway. Keywords: talent development, coherence, epistemology, coach development, rider- development. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDENT DECLARATION ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xii LIST OF TABLES xiii LIST OF FIGURES xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xvi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Overview 1 1.2. My Background and Current Role 2 1.3. The Context of Organised Cycling in Britain 6 1.4. The World Class Performance Programme and Talent Pathway in 10 British Cycling: An Overview of Current Systems and Processes 1.5. My Current Role and Responsibilities: A More Detailed 12 Consideration 1.6. Adopting a Pragmatic Research Philosophy 14 1.7 Objectives and Structure of the Thesis 17 CHAPTER 2: ALIGNING THE TALENT PATHWAY: EXPLORING THE ROLE AND MECHANISMS OF COHERENCE IN DEVELOPMENT 20 2.1. Introduction 20 2.2. Coherent Talent Pathways: What do They Look Like? 22 2.3. Coaching Specific Markers of Coherence 25 2.4. If It Were Only That Easy: Common Challenges to 26 (and Derailers of) Coaching Coherence 2.5. Promoting and Protecting Coach Coherence: Using Personal 28 Epistemology as a Mechanism for Goldilocks Pathway 2.5.1. Personal Epistemology 29 v 2.5.2. Sophisticated Epistemologies 30 2.5.3. Naïve Epistemologies 31 2.5.4 Applying Coach Epistemology to the Bandwidth 32 Principle 2.6. Setting the Bandwidth and Managing the Ping-Pongs: Defining, 33 Aligning and Integrating Coach Epistemologies 2.6.1. Strategic Recruitment and Placement of Coaches 33 2.6.2. Coach Education and Development 35 2.6.3. Agents of Change 35 2.6.4. Working Through the Social Milieu 35 2.6.5. Cross-Level Communication 36 2.6.6. Epistemology-Focussed Reflections and Evaluations 37 2.7. Summary and the Next Steps 37 CHAPTER 3: EXPLORING VERTICAL COHERENCE IN THE BRITISH CYCLING PATHWAY 41 3.1. Introduction 41 3.2. Purpose of Study 47 3.3. Methodology 48 3.3.1. Design 48 3.3.2. Participants 49 3.3.3. Questionnaire 51 3.3.4. Procedure 53 3.3.5 Data Analysis 54 3.4. Results 55 3.4.1. Perceptions on the Overall Goals and Design 57 of the Full Pathway 3.4.2. Perceptions on the Focus and Goals at Specific 61 Stages of the Pathway vi 3.4.3. Perceptions on the Coaching Delivery at Specific 65 Stages of the Pathway 3.4.4. The Nature and Spread of Coaches Epistemologies 74 3.4.4.1. Coaches Own Responses and Beliefs 75 3.4.4.2. Coaches Responses and Beliefs Regarding other 76 Coaches 3.5. Discussion 77 3.5.1. The Take Homes 78 3.5.2. Why I Might Have Found what I Found 82 3.5.3. Epistemological Reasons for the Results 83 3.5.4. Structural/Environmental Reasons for the Results 84 3.5.5. Coach Education Reasons for the Results 86 3.5.6. Socio-Cultural Reasons for the Results 86 3.6. Summary and the Next Steps 88 CHAPTER 4: EXPLORING HORIZONTAL COHERENCE IN THE BRITISH CYCLING PATHWAY 92 4.1. Introduction 92 4.2. Purpose of Study 97 4.3. Methodology 97 4.3.1. Design, Questionnaire, Procedure and Data Analysis 97 4.3.2. Participants 98 4.4. Results 99 4.4.1. Perceptions on the Overall Goals and Design 100 of the Full Pathway 4.4.2. Perceptions on the Focus and Goals at Specific 104 Stages of the Pathway 4.4.3. Perceptions on the Coaching Delivery at Specific 108 Stages of the Pathway 4.4.4. The Nature and Spread of Coaches Epistemologies 114 vii 4.5. Discussion 115 4.5.1. The Take Homes 116 4.5.2. Why I Might Have Found what I Found 122 4.5.3. Epistemological Reasons for the Results 123 4.5.4. Structural/Environmental Reasons for The Results 125 4.5.5. Coach Education Reasons for the Results 128 4.5.6. Socio-Cultural Reasons for the Results 130 4.6. Summary 132 4.7. Strengths, Limitations and the Next Step 134 CHAPTER 5: KEY STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS AND POTENTIAL MODELS 137 5.1. Introduction 137 5.2. What I Did Next: Summary of my Professional Action 139 5.3. Purpose of Study 141 5.4. Methodology 142 5.4.1. Design 142 5.4.2. My Role in the Research Process 143 5.4.3. Participants 143 5.4.4. Interview Guide 144 5.4.5. Procedure 146 5.4.6. Data Analysis 146 5.4.7. Addressing Trustworthiness 147 5.5. Results 149 5.5.1. Improving the Alignment of the Coaching Pathway 149 Moving Forwards: Areas of Agreement 5.5.1.1. Limited Investment and Engagement in the 149 Current Pathway 5.5.1.2. Need for More Appropriate Streams 152 viii 5.5.1.3. Progression Beyond Level 3 153 5.5.1.4. Coach Development 155 5.5.1.5. Licensing/Auditing 158 5.5.1.6. Content for Developing Coaches 159 5.5.2. Improving the Alignment of the Coaching Pathway 160 Moving Forwards: Areas of Disagreement 5.5.2.1. Discipline Specific Units: When to Specialise 161 5.5.2.2. APL/APEL: How Much, What of and When 162 5.5.2.3. Common Level 1: Relevance to All? 163 5.5.3.