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Background: The need to generate empirical evidence regarding the nature of coach development in sports coaching to inform more meaningful coach education programmes is recognised. Understanding the professional development of sport coaches is a developing and growing area of scholarship, with calls for the implementation and evaluation of mentoring programmes that provide "in situ" contextualised mentoring to support coach development. Purpose: This paper provides insights gained from the examination of a coach education programme in Australia run by a state Australian football (AFL: Australian Football League) sporting body that utilised the role of a dedicated coach developer to facilitate community club coach development. Method: The research was guided by an interpretivist perspective and used a qualitative methodology enabling the researchers to make meaning from the data. Focus groups (N = 4: 12 participants) and semi-structured individual interviews (N = 9) were used to collect data. The interviews were analysed utilising inductive thematic analysis. Themes derived from interpretative analysis of the interview data were then analysed using an abductive process of induction and deduction to consider the data through the lens of the theoretical framework: situated learning. Results: The four themes developed were: reliance on volunteers; coach development resources, barriers and facilitators of coach development and club culture. The study found that cultivating coach education as a community of practice is not easy in an environment that is reliant on a volunteer workforce. Conclusion: A club culture that places a focus on a positive player environment through quality coaching tends to invest in a coach and player retention, and parent satisfaction and engagement. The affiliation of positive physical, social and cultural concepts with a positive player environment led clubs to anticipate success in these areas and a translation to the best possible quality in coaching practice, sustainable learning and knowledge acquisition. Further research is warranted to broaden knowledge of the scope of practice across other states in Australia and other sporting bodies.

This paper applies a conceptual model for work-integrated learning (WIL) in a multidisciplinary sports degree program. Two examples of WIL in sport will be used to illustrate how the conceptual WIL model is being operationalized. The implications for practice are that curriculum design must recognize a highly flexible approach to the nature of placements and, as a result, emphasize the necessity to conduct a post-practicum debriefing to support the valuable learning and to continue the duty of care towards the student. We propose the expansion of Martin, Rees, and Edwards model to include both a partnership and debriefing component for sport WIL in Australia. This inclusion will not only provide a sustainable model for sport partnership WIL programs in Australia, but ensure that a focus on duty of care towards students is a core responsibility and moral obligation for universities and placement organizations.

This paper focuses on an Australian university short-term study abroad programme in India part-funded by the Australian Government New Colombo Plan -- an initiative that facilitates transformative people-to-people encounters. Our chief interest is extending our reach, through photo diaries and interviews, to understand how participants' experiences are transformative, how their knowledge production practices contribute towards constructions of global citizenship, and where opportunities to shape future participants' learning may exist. We explore decolonial possibilities for short-term study abroad under New Colombo, contextualising our inquiries historically while exploring the concepts of global citizenship and decoloniality -- ideas that provide a framework for analysis. Although short-term ventures are problematic for enabling two-way benefits, we contemplate how such programmes may still offer space for moving toward decoloniality.

The aim of this research was to investigate the current life skills education programs offered by the Australian Football League (AFL) for elite footballers in order to determine the retention of life skill knowledge and transfer beyond sport. Life skill education in sport is an increasing phenomenon. Life skills sport programs are capable of delivering positive outcomes when nurtured through a deliberately designed curriculum and purposeful teaching strategies. However, it is not known how life skills are learned and importantly what the impact of life skills education on long term behavioural changes is. It is apparent from the literature that there is a need to identify how knowledge is acquired and importantly retained through life skills education programs. This was a qualitative research project from a life history perspective. Twenty footballers who had been delisted from an elite Australian football club and had subsequently returned to a South Australian state-based football club took part in semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed through an inductive thematic analysis. Two themes emerged from the data: football related development and holistic development. It was clear that football clubs placed importance on the development of life skills that transfer beyond the sport. However, given the footballers in this research have not fully transferred into life after sport, their perception of the broader transferability of their life-skill development beyond sport is limited. This research concludes that the current format of life skill education (delivering content) that the players in this study were exposed to was not effective because the players failed to be able to make connections from the program to life outside of football. Therefore, the programs are unlikely to have any long-term benefit to player health and well-being during their post-elite football life.

Parents play a major role as enablers and motivators of their children's sport participation and retention. However, parents are often not considered in the data collection pertaining to youth sport coaching initiatives. We investigated parent perceptions of community youth sport coaching within the context of a Coach Developer Program which was trialled across 6 community sport clubs. 17 parents contributed qualitative data via interview. Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in the themes: expectations of coaching; limitations in coach development; parents' ability to notice change, and sustainability of coach development programs. There was a mismatch between parent expectations of coaches and their recognition that the coaching role is multi-faceted with coach development difficult where coaching is largely undertaken by novice volunteers. Findings from this study add to the limited literature that considers the role of parent perceptions and expectations of coaching when providing coach development programs in community youth sport settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The need to generate empirical evidence regarding the nature of coach development in sports coaching to inform more meaningful coach education programmes is recognised. Understanding the professional development of sport coaches is a developing and growing area of scholarship, with calls for the implementation and evaluation of mentoring programmes that provide in situ contextualised mentoring to support coach development. Purpose: This paper provides insights gained from the examination of a coach education programme in Australia run by a state Australian football (AFL: Australian Football League) sporting body that utilised the role of a dedicated coach developer to facilitate community club coach development. Method: The research was guided by an interpretivist perspective and used a qualitative methodology enabling the researchers to make meaning from the data. Focus groups (N = 4: 12 participants) and semi-structured individual interviews (N = 9) were used to collect data. The interviews were analysed utilising inductive thematic analysis. Themes derived from interpretative analysis of the interview data were then analysed using an abductive process of induction and deduction to consider the data through the lens of the theoretical framework: situated learning. Results: The four themes developed were: reliance on volunteers; coach development resources, barriers and facilitators of coach development and club culture. The study found that cultivating coach education as a community of practice is not easy in an environment that is reliant on a volunteer workforce. Conclusion: A club culture that places a focus on a positive player environment through quality coaching tends to invest in a coach and player retention, and parent satisfaction and engagement. The affiliation of positive physical, social and cultural concepts with a positive player environment led clubs to anticipate success in these areas and a translation to the best possible quality in coaching practice, sustainable learning and knowledge acquisition. Further research is warranted to broaden knowledge of the scope of practice across other states in Australia and other sporting bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative project explores the meanings young boys ascribe to sport experiences and how understandings and perspectives of sport differ between parent(s) and child. Thirteen five-year-old boys and their parent(s) (n = 17) took part in semi-structured interviews focusing on meanings associated with their sport and physical activity experiences. The boys undertook a drawing exercise as part of the interview to elicit their experiences as distinct from those of their parent(s). The seventeen parents were interviewed about their motivation for encouraging their sons to be active. The results indicated that the parents' and boys' constructions and understandings of the boys' sport experienced differed in two important ways; the gendering of the sport experience, and the way in which the sport experience is conceptualized. KEYWORDS gender, masculinities, visual methods, organized sport, unstructured play, The belief that sport can contribute positively to development is widespread (Coakley 2011). Sport can provide an avenue for the development of motor and sport specific skills, and also of [...]

How integrity is understood depends on the context. This paper explores the idea of integrity of sport, specifically the sub-elite South Australian National Football League competition. This mixed-methods study utilized both surveys and interviews to understand the issues that threaten the integrity of the South Australian competition. Threats emerged regarding financial remuneration, competition fairness and demands for semi-professional athletes. Athletes competing at sub-elite levels are expected to uphold the same standards as those competing in the national elite competition without the same financial remuneration. This potentially motivates players to leave the sub-elite competition in favor of lower leagues where there are fewer commitments and higher pay. Sub-elite footballers also engage in some high-risk behaviors, which can undermine the community's trust in the sport, thereby threating its integrity. Further research regarding the integrity of football supporters is warranted to maintain the integrity of the overall competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies a conceptual model for work-integrated learning (WIL) in a multidisciplinary sports degree program. Two examples of WIL in sport will be used to illustrate how the conceptual WIL model is being operationalized. The implications for practice are that curriculum design must recognize a highly flexible approach to the nature of placements and, as a result, emphasize the necessity to conduct a post-practicum debriefing to support the valuable learning and to continue the duty of care towards the student. We propose the expansion of Martin, Rees, and Edwards model to include both a partnership and debriefing component for sport WIL in Australia. This inclusion will not only provide a sustainable model for sport partnership WIL programs in Australia, but ensure that a focus on duty of care towards students is a core responsibility and moral obligation for universities and placement organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized a mixed method approach to examine youth retention in Australian Football. It aimed to investigate the factors contributing to initial and sustained engagement with Australian Football as well as the reasons why children disengage with the sport. Questionnaires along with qualitative interviews were conducted in junior football clubs across South Australia. Two themes emerged from the data: ‘sustained engagement with Australian Football’ and ‘Alienation and Disengagement’. Findings suggest that there are two critical age ranges where disengagement with Australian Football occurs; both correspond with changes in level of competition. This research raised two critical questions: Is Australia witnessing a shift away from Australian Football in terms of junior participation rates? and will this have an impact on the way in which the sport is perceived as being an integral part of its national identity? The increase in popularity of other sporting codes is a significant barrier in the retention of participants in Australian Football. Therefore, there is a need for junior Australian Football clubs to comply with the game day structures that achieve the expectations of children and youth in order to improve retention in the sport. This research adds to the body of literature on junior sport retention and will enable strategies to be developed in order to retain participants in Australian Football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Athletes are expected to be good role models, compete fairly and allow the public insight into their personal lives away from sport. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review on integrity, ethics and well-being in elite level sport. Methods: A systematic search of SPORTDiscus, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis and Informit was conducted. The selection criteria were; published between 2006-2016, full-text availability, peer reviewed and English language. Twenty-three articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review and were analysed through an inductive thematic synthesis approach. Results: Three themes emerged through the inductive thematic synthesis approach; sportspersonship and ethics, scandal and well-being. The concept of sportspersonship extends beyond the rules of sport and is strongly linked to the character of athletes. Sports environments are a key factor in the well-being of athletes and contribute to the expectations placed on athletes, particularly with regard to winning. Conclusions: Ethics, integrity, sportspersonship and well-being are interrelated concepts in elite sport. Expectations placed on athletes may be unrealistic and may have negative consequences on well-being. It is important to understand the factors contributing to athlete well-being in order to develop strategies to minimize the adversities faced by athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]