Strategies

A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators

ISSN: 0892-4562 (Print) 2168-3778 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ustr20

Quality Sport Coaching: The Role of the National

Standards for Sport Coaches

Laurie Neelis, Arien Faucett, & Melissa Thompson

To cite this article: Laurie Neelis, Arien Faucett, & Melissa Thompson (2020) Quality Sport
Coaching: The Role of the National Standards for Sport Coaches, Strategies, 33:6, 7-13, DOI:
10.1080/08924562.2020.1812328

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/08924562.2020.1812328

Published online: 30 Oct 2020.

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The Role of the © iStockphoto/Lorado

National Standards for

Sport Coaches
By Laurie Neelis, Arien Faucett, and Melissa Thompson

Volume 33 ∙ November/December  7
S
port participation has the potential to be a
positive environment where athletes thrive and experi-
ence physical and psychological development. The sport
coach plays a central role in creating this positive sport experi-
ence. Therefore, it is important to consider what represents qual-
ity sport coaching and how coaches can frame their learning
around best practices in coaching. The intent of this article will
be to explore these issues. First, the article examines the profes-
sion of sport coaching and the elements needed for the profession
to continue to grow, including the development of professional
standards. Then, the history of establishing standards of quality
coaching is reviewed including the National Standards for Sport
Coaches (NSSC), the International Sport Coaching Framework,
and other quality coaching frameworks. The role of standards
in establishing a foundation of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and
professional knowledge rooted in the integration of scientific evi-
dence and best practices in coaching is also explored. Further, the
article describes how the newly revised NSSC were informed by
a global view of sport coaching and the quality coaching frame-
works. Finally, the article addresses how the standards can be used
by coaches and discusses the importance of context-specific appli-
cation of the NSSC. Ultimately, this article helps coaches under-
stand how to incorporate standards into their own coaching prac-
tice, setting the stage for the remaining articles in the special issue.
When asked, “what does it mean to be a coach?” coaches
at any level are likely to answer with “we wear many hats.” Yet
even that answer would not adequately do justice to what being
a sport coach actually entails. The role of the coach is incred-
ibly complex and requires a considerable amount of knowledge
if it is to be carried out properly. While the rest of this article
explores concepts related to standards of quality coaching and
efforts to define and develop quality coaching in the United
States, we must first understand the coach’s role.
Above all, coaches are responsible for leading and developing
athletes in a safe environment. To do this, coaches must consider
the level of competition and age of the athletes while balancing
their responsibilities regarding the planning and teaching of sport
skills, instilling discipline in the athletes, helping athletes grow
and develop as people as well as athletes, all while having fun and
hopefully winning (Gilbert & Trudel, 2004). For this to occur,
coaches must have sport-specific knowledge, professional knowl-
edge, and an understanding of the psychological and social envi-
ronment in which they work. In breaking down these roles, it is
obvious that the coach is a manager, a teacher, a leader, at times a
counselor, and a role model. It is not enough for a coach to have
the most advanced or expert understanding of the sport in which
they practice. It is not enough for coaches to have a thorough
understanding of their athletes. For a coach to be able to achieve
all these things requires a masterful blend of both the science of
athlete development and the art of working with people.
Quality Coaching
The most comprehensive definition of quality coaching to
date is that proposed by Coté and Gilbert (2009). Through an
examination of a number of theories and models, they con-
8  Strategies
cluded that coaching effectiveness must account for coach
knowledge, athlete outcomes, and the coaching context. The
definition also further clarified that coach knowledge exists in
one of three domains: professional knowledge (game skills
and tactics, administrative responsibilities, etc.), interpersonal
knowledge (how individuals and groups interact), and intra-
personal knowledge (understanding oneself ). To use interper-
sonal knowledge as an example, quality coaches make the effort
to develop relationships with their athletes and other relevant
stakeholders who contribute to the athletes’ well-being. These
relationships are paramount because not every athlete needs the
same thing from their coach. Some athletes will be devastated if
they are called out in front of their peers. Others relish the chal-
lenge of reaching a hard-fought milestone with all eyes watch-
ing. While it is obvious to some coaches, others lose sight of
the fact that all athletes are individuals who need personalized
support through their struggles. Quality coaching is meeting
each athlete where they are and developing a relationship built
on respect and trust so that the goals the athlete has for them-
selves can be reached. An appreciation and understanding of
the psychological impact good coaching can have on an athlete
is absolutely a characteristic of a quality coach.
Athlete outcomes is sometimes overgeneralized as just wins
and losses. However, quality coaching cannot simply be deter-
mined by the number of wins or championships a coach can
claim. Likewise, even if the wins and the championships come,
it does not necessarily mean that the coaching in those situa-
tions was of high quality. Excellent coaches understand their
focus must be on the athlete, the sport experiences they help
create, and the lifelong lessons athletes are able to take from
Excellent coaches
understand their
focus must be on
the athlete, the
sport experiences
they help create, and
the lifelong lessons
athletes are able
to take from their
experience.

their experience. With a focus on all athlete outcomes (i.e.,
winning, enjoyment, self-confidence, etc.), coaches are able to
develop a climate where the goals of sport participation become
more about learning and growing (Duda et al., 2018). To fa-
cilitate this development, coaches take dedicated time planning
practices designed with the development of the identified skills
in mind. By understanding that each practice session serves as
an opportunity to get better and cultivating this mindset in ath-
letes, coaches are able to instill an appreciation of what athletes
are able to accomplish through intentional, dedicated effort.
Quality coaches acknowledge that it is their responsibility to
provide the opportunity for athletes to grow in a safe environ-
ment and that this responsibility does not have to compete with
the desire to win.
The third component of the definition of quality coach-
ing, coaching context, refers to the complex organizational en-
vironment in which the coach is working (Gilbert & Trudel,
2004). Some coaches are operating in highly competitive
environments that have large stakes (e.g., Division I athlet-
ics), while others are coaching in a youth recreational league.
Of course, the mission of these two programs differ. Quality
coaches are able to align their personal goals and values with
those of their organization to provide a quality sport experi-
ence for every athlete with whom they work and do so with
the upmost moral and ethical standards. The comprehensive
definition of coaching effectiveness offers a strong ground-
ing for the parameters of what sport coaching is as the pro-
fession emerges.
© iStockphoto/HAYKIRDI
Coaching as a Profession
As noted, high-quality coaching is achieved through the
application of a number of scientific principles in a dynamic
and complex environment. The ability to achieve such qual-
ity does not occur by happenstance, but rather is a long-term
path of development toward expertise (Duffy et  al., 2011).
This path requires individualized support with a high volume
of contextually specific practice; resources typically reserved
for specialized professions. However, the limited requirement
for training and credentialing in sport coaching limits the
advancement of the practice of coaching. To create the best
possible sport environment for athletes, better coaches must
be developed. Further, until coaching is recognized as a pro-
fession, the potential for subpar coaches to operate in sport
only hinders the progress of the field of coaching. As with
any occupation, elevation to a profession requires, among
other things, career structure and pathways, professional ed-
ucation, a distinct and specialized body of knowledge, clarity
and definition of roles, and a clear set of ethical standards
(Lyle, 2002). Further examination of these characteristics
supports the notion that sport coaching is on a path toward
being recognized as a profession.
While a considerable amount of one’s development as a
coach happens through experience, formal coach develop-
ment pathways also exist in most sport governing bodies.
These pathways are typically created to support coaches over
time as they progress in their coaching career. For example,
Volume 33 ∙ November/December  9
many sport governing bodies have established coach devel-
opment pathways that require formal educational experi-
ences with varying levels and requirements as part of a coach
certification program (e.g., U.S. Tennis Association, USA The NSSC, through
Hockey, USA Swimming). These career pathways are gen-
erally established through examination of the skills and re- a set of information
sponsibilities of coaches at all levels of play. Sport coaching
also has a distinct and growing body of research to support and guidelines, serve
practice (North, 2017). As this body of research continues
to evolve, so does our understanding of the complexity of as a road map to
the coaching process. We have also recently seen a clarity
around the role and responsibility of the sport coach with assist with planning,
the release of the International Sport Coaching Framework
(International Council for Coaching Excellence [ICCE], preparing, organizing,
the Association of Summer Olympic Federations, and Leeds
Metropolitan University, 2013) and the Quality Coaching
Framework (United States Olympic & Paralympic Com-
implementing, and
mittee, 2020). With these, and other trends, sport coaching
continues to progress toward recognition as an established
evaluating coaching.
profession.
Professional standards are the hallmark of many pro-
fessions and often serve as a way to ground many of the
aforementioned components. For example, standards are
The document was renamed the National Standards for
generally created by examining the foundational literature
Sport Coaches (National Association for Sport and Physi-
that influences practice. In turn, standards help organiza-
cal Education, 2006). The national standards were adopted
tions define the boundaries of practice in a profession (i.e.,
as part of the accreditation process for coach education pro-
what is coaching and what is not?). They also serve as the
grams. With the recognition that the research landscape in
foundation for professional education, informing content
coaching was rapidly expanding, SHAPE America commit-
and practice. Finally, standards can serve as an evaluation
ted to revising the standards on a 10-year cycle. Thus, a task
tool for examining effectiveness and prompting professional
force was convened in 2017 to update the standards. With
development. Therefore, it is important to briefly trace the
the growth of sport coaching internationally, this group was
history of the national standards for sport coaching, which
tasked with considering how the International Sport Coach-
have existed for more than 25 years, and how they influence
ing Framework (ISCF, 2013) aligned with national stan-
coaching practice.
dards for coaches in the United States as well as evidence-
based practice that had emerged since the previous revision
History of the National Standards for (see Gano-Overway et  al., 2020 for details about the revi-
Sport Coaches sion process). The result is an updated set of 42 standards
grouped into seven overarching categories of core coaching
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the industry saw a boom responsibilities. The NSSCs are meant to broadly encompass
in the publication of sport coaching research (Gilbert & the ISCF (2013), representing all coaching responsibilities
Trudel, 2004). Immediately following, the original version, the and contexts, resulting in a document that is useful for orga-
National Standards for Athletic Coaches, was released as a nizations at every level of sport. The remainder of this article
publication of the National Association for Sport and Physical provides a general overview of these seven responsibilities
Education (an entity under the umbrella formerly known as the and how coaches incorporate them into their work.
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation,
and Dance). These standards were meant to serve as a guid-
ing document for those training coaches and included more
than 300 competencies for athletic coaches. Not long after, in The Application of the National Standards
1997, the ICCE was established with the mission of leading As coaches, we do not always have the right answer, right
and establishing sport coaching globally. This spurred the inter- response, or even all the knowledge needed to effectively guide
national conversation around quality sport coaching. athletes to reach their potential. Luckily, as with most things
Ten years after the original national standards were pub- today, information exists at our fingertips to support the prac-
lished, a task force was commissioned to update the stan- tice of coaching. The NSSC, through a set of information and
dards. Using the most current research at the time, the task guidelines, serve as a road map to assist with planning, pre-
force updated the content, resulting in a set of roughly 200 paring, organizing, implementing, and evaluating coaching.
benchmarks under 40 standards, organized into 8 domains. As a tool for everyone in the sport setting (athletic directors,

10  Strategies
coaches, parents, and athletes), the NSSC promote a positive
and enjoyable experience for all (Gano-Overway et al., 2020).
Following is a brief look at each of the seven core responsibili-
ties with the expectation for coaches within that responsibility.
Set vision, goals, and standards for sport program
Leaders in any field construct their own personal approach
to their position, and coaches are no different. At all levels
of play, coaches should have a well-thought-out philosophy
that is distinct to them personally and that aligns with the
mission of their organization. This philosophy will serve as
a guide for the many decisions the coach will make. For ex-
ample, if a coach receives a small booster club donation, the
vision and goals that have been established for the program
can help them determine the best use of the gift. Once es-
tablished, coaches should share their approach openly with
those who have a vested interest in the success of the pro-
gram (e.g., athletes, parents, boosters). Writing and sharing
the philosophy is one way by which coaches can inform all
stakeholders of what will be their approach to leadership. But
simply writing and sharing this is not enough; coaches must
enact their philosophy. Often coaches use their philosophy as
the foundation to which they ground personal and team goals
and to help establish guidelines for the athletes to follow.
Referring back to the vision and philosophy frequently can
help coaches behave consistently and in alignment with their
goals. Of course, with experience and time, the coach will
continue to refine and evolve their philosophy. Each of the
standards in this category can help coaches reflect on their
vision and philosophy.
Engage in and support ethical practices
Coaches are incredibly influential in the lives of athletes
and hold a much greater responsibility for engaging in ethi-
cal behavior. Coaches model and instill ethics, morals, and
values to athletes on a daily basis. Athletes learn a consider-
able amount of technique, conduct, judgement, and decision-
making by how coaches model it for them, even when those
models are inappropriate. Therefore, coaches should, when
appropriate and with specific intention, talk through their deci-
sion-making with athletes as a way to demonstrate the under-
lying thought processes used. To further teach ethical behavior,
coaches might systematically implement a character-building
program into their season. For coaches of adult athletes, open
conversation about ethical grey areas is more appropriate. In
all circumstances, the coach must understand that they have
great influence over athletes. Therefore, they should not coerce
athletes in any way, rather they should rely on the ethical guide-
lines provided by sport governing bodies. When displayed be-
havior is inappropriate or unacceptable by set standards, rules,
or expectations of the stakeholders, coaches will be held ac-
countable for the actions and behaviors of those involved with
the program. Reviewing the standards in this category can help
coaches identify their underlying values and the coaching deci-
sions with which they might struggle. It is a simple reminder
for coaches, we communicate through word, action, and deed,
and there is always someone watching.
Build relationships
Effective coaches build working relationships with many di-
verse groups of people. Having an understanding of one’s lead-
ership style is an invaluable tool for coaches that helps them
better understand how to fulfill the many responsibilities of
their role. However, they do not just interact with the athletes
they lead. Coaches must have the ability to effectively interact
with athletes, administrators, assistants, trainers, parents, staff,
as well as officials. The foundation of these relationships is effec-
tive communication, through spoken word, listening, body lan-
guage, and, written outlets (e.g., email, text, social media, etc.).
This ability to communicate is a skill that can be developed
and will help coaches navigate different personalities and situ-
ations. Coaches recognize that being a skilled communicator,
having the ability to be an active listener, and developing their
sociocultural competencies will allow for better understanding
and the ability to develop strong, positive working relationships
with everyone involved with their program.
Develop a safe sport environment
Coaches have a multitude of safety guidelines and issues,
based on their chosen sport, they must be aware of and pre-
pared to manage. This requires that coaches consistently moni-
tor their environment, educate all involved, facilitate open
dialog, and maintain a safe climate in order to provide a safe
and enjoyable experience for all. Coaches have a legal duty to
ensure athletes are in a safe environment and treated equally,
which enables athletes to reach their potential, both on and off
the field of play. What this means for coaches is that they must
be well versed in first-aid and CPR; can employ proper training
techniques/principles; encourage self-care like proper nutrition
and sleep; have the ability to maintain a safe practice/play area;
recognize environmental, psychological, and emotional threats;
and provide reliable, accurate information about the use of
drugs and supplements. While this is a considerable responsi-
bility, coaches should work to build a network of others to sur-
round the athlete who can offer help, inform, and counsel (e.g.,
athletic trainers, doctors, sport psychology consultants, nutri-
tionists, strength coaches, athletic director). There are numer-
ous agencies that provide sound educational materials in each
of these areas that help coaches promote and enact a safe sport
environment (e.g., SafeSport, TrueSport, National Strength
and Conditioning Association, American Medical Society for
Sports Medicine).
Create a positive and inclusive sport environment
Athletes at all levels want to have fun, be part of program
where they are challenged, and push themselves to be better.
But most importantly, they want to belong and have a positive
sport experience. Coaches in every sport need to stay abreast
of best practices to ensure athletes are given the best chance
for skill enhancement within a positive, enjoyable experience
Volume 33 ∙ November/December  11

Coaches should look
to the NSSC for
guidance on what
their responsibilities
are and attempt to
apply those to their
specific role and
setting.
that is inclusive for all individuals. This inclusiveness should
encompass athletes from differing skill levels, backgrounds, as
well as those who have disabilities (both visible and hidden)
who may need special accommodations. Coaches may need to
consult with administrators and other support staff about how
to best structure more inclusive environments, including con-
sidering what the barriers to participation might be and how to
overcome them. The key here is for coaches to actively seek to
develop an environment that promotes inclusivity.
Conduct practices and prepare for competition
The bulk of coaching happens during practices and com-
petitions. Therefore, using this time effectively is essential for
a coach at any level. Ultimately, coaches are teachers. Thus,
practices require considerable planning, organization, and
analysis. They should also build on each other in a logical flow
to develop physical and mental skills and tactics over time.
For example, coaches should consider when the right time
to introduce a new play would be based on when the athletes
achieve the necessary skills to carry out that play. The best
coaches also know how to keep practice fun by incorporating
games and new drills, using a variety of practice sequences,
and allowing athletes some say in what they are doing. For
example, a popular method of instruction uses a games-
based approach to teach skills. This approach allows athletes
to learn skills within the context of the game and to learn
how to problem solve with minimal feedback from the coach.
Competitions, then, can be seen as an opportunity to test out
what the athletes have been working on with the addition of
a competitive environment. Coaches can use the information
gathered in competition to make decisions about alterations
to the training plan. If coaches are able to communicate this
to athletes, the stakes of competition become more about test-
12  Strategies
ing their developing skill and continuing to improve. Devel-
oping this mindset in athletes helps avoid situations where
athletes might otherwise play down to their competition and
instead allows them to focus on playing their personal best.
In summary, coaches are continuously going through a cycle
of analysis of what is developed in practice, how it’s imple-
mented in competition, and thus what should be worked on in
practice. To do this effectively, coaches need to be up-to-date
on strategies of the sport, technical and tactical skills, proper
progression of skill development, and basic mental skills that
can enhance athlete performance. Using this information,
they adjust their coaching accordingly.
Strive for continuous improvement
Coaches are always looking for the next skill adjustment
that will help an athlete get just a little better. But they should
also be doing this for themselves. Engaging in self-reflection
preseason, during-season, and postseason allows a coach to ex-
amine things that work well and those that do not. When ap-
proached systematically, it enables a coach to take an honest
look internally to examine and evaluate all aspects of the pro-
gram. This reflection is beneficial for recognizing and work-
ing to improve any issues that need to be addressed. Reflec-
tion, however, does not have to happen in isolation. Coaches
should seek out advice, evaluations, and support from peer
coaches. Discussing what works well for others might just be
the needed piece for their success. Coaches should also strive
to stay abreast of any new tactics, strategies, and rule changes
through ongoing professional development. For example,
many governing bodies offer coaching conventions to share
information and best practice. Alternatively, coaches can en-
gage in self-study through books and online materials. Gone
are the days when coaches simply implemented their way of
“doing things” and repeatedly did the same thing from year to
year. Today’s coach is ever evolving and working to stay on top
of their coaching game. While coaching is a passion for many,
it is also an occupation with high stress and excessive time de-
mands. Thus, coaches are at risk for burnout and related health
complications if they are not intent on caring for themselves.
Coaches should consider ways to preserve balance in their
life through regular exercise, healthy eating, and strategies for
mental health (e.g., a weekly social meal, hobbies), because be-
ing the best version of yourself is the only way to get the best
from your athletes.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article was to describe the nature and
utility of the NSSC. Because the standards are broad in nature,
they do allow coaches to adapt them to their own unique con-
text. While volunteer youth coaches have the breadth of respon-
sibilities identified in the standards, they do not necessarily have
the depth of responsibility. Thus, one’s coaching context be-
comes paramount. Therefore, coaches should look to the NSSC
for guidance on what their responsibilities are and attempt to
apply those to their specific role and setting. The remaining ar-
ticles in this special issue will identify the specific applications
of the NSSC in youth-sport, interscholastic, intercollegiate, and
high-performance contexts. These articles will explore cases in
coaching that demonstrate the application of the NSSC with
contextually specific variables. As the knowledge base in coach-
ing continues to evolve, so too will our understanding of the
roles and responsibilities of coaches. This will only serve to help
coaching gain traction as a recognized profession that will serve
to further elevate the sport experience.
ORCID
Melissa Thompson http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0355-
5939
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Lyle, J. (2002). Sports coaching concepts: A framework for coaches’ behav-
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Laurie Neelis (Laurie.Neelis@usm.edu) is an associate teaching professor in
the School of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Southern Mis-
sissippi in Hattiesburg, MS.
Arien Faucett (Arien.Faucett@usm.edu) is a doctoral candidate in the
School of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Southern Missis-
sippi in Hattiesburg, MS.
Melissa Thompson (M.Thompson@usm.edu) is a professor in the School of
Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Southern Mississippi in
Hattiesburg, MS.
Volume 33 ∙ November/December  13