Coaching Practices in Elite Volleyball in Iraq: A Mixed Methods Case Study

This study investigated elite volleyball coaching in Iraq from the perspective of players and coaches from four elite level volleyball teams located in northern Iraq. Quality of the coaching experience has been shown to be a critical factor for assisting players to realise their athletic potential, and for improving team performance. Players themselves value certain kinds of coaching approaches and practices and their experience of coaching influences their engagement in sport and sports performance. This case study of elite players in two men’s teams and two women’s teams, along with the perceptions of their male coaches about volleyball coaching and of coaching practices was undertaken using a mixed-method, sequential explanatory research design. For the purposes of this study, the ‘case’ comprised volleyball players and coaching staff of teams competing in an advanced level volleyball competition, from which players were eligible for selection for Iraq’s national and international competition teams. Following the mixed-methods sequential explanatory approach, quantitative data was collected using an internationally validated sports psychology questionnaire, the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP), administered to all players from the four participating teams. Audio-visual recordings were then made of one coaching session for each of the four participating teams (n = 4). The final phase of data collection involved semi- structured interviews conducted with head and assistant coaches from the four participating teams (n = 8) and four players each of the teams (n = 16). Quantitative data collected from the PSPP was analysed using descriptive statistics and single variable ANOVA. Video recorded data was analysed using video observation and notational analysis. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The theory of practice architectures informed the study’s theoretical framework and assisted with the analysis of qualitative data. Findings
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School Educ & Professional St
Arts, Education and Law
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