The coaching journey: Learning as lifelong and life-wide

Coach development has evolved considerably from the days of undertaking ‘coaching badges’ to a system, albeit informal in many instances, of recognising the importance of continuous learning through immersion in the task. This has challenged coach developers to reconsider how the coaching journey, and quest for new knowledge, can be redefined. Jarvis’ (2009) theory of human learning has been used to examine this in sport coaching and offers the view that all experiences can be invaluable learning opportunities, especially in an unstructured and idiosyncratic context. Coaches need to value all experiences, but may not recognise this value until they have accrued sufficient knowledge. We are advocating a lifelong and life-wide learning approach to coach development rather than traditional professional development adopted by many sports. As such, using relevant literature, this chapter will critically evaluate coaches’ learning journeys, how they are immersed in practice, the sources of support available to them, and the subsequent implications for coach development.