Self-experimentation coaching as a resource for life skills development in sport

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to apply a self-experimentation coaching approach to the development of life skills in sport. A sports administrator (self-researcher), a postdoctoral student (researcher) and two university professors (critical friends) participated in the research. Self-experimentation coaching occurred over a year, in two phases, over 23 sessions held online. The sessions were recorded, transcribed and broadcasted. The results showed benefits to self-organisation, both at the external and internal levels of the self-researcher. Participants also experimented with some elements of self-study and self-experimentation. Findings showed that self-experimentation coaching can be an effective alternative approach for sport administrators’ personal and professional development.

Keywords:

• Self-experimentation
• self-study
• sport coaching
• life skills

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded through the FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the scope of the project UIDB/05198/2020 (Centre for Research and Innovation in Education, inED).

Notes on contributors

Patrícia Gaion

Patrícia Gaion is a postdoctoral fellow at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil who is focused on positive youth development in and through sport, as well as novel approaches towards coaching.

André Luiz Castro Teixeira

André Luiz Castro Teixeira is affiliated with Minas Tennis Club, a sport organization in Brazil, and through his practice attempts to infuse positive youth development through sport and positive coaching behaviors into programming.

Fernando Santos

Fernando Santos is an associate professor at the School of Higher Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Portugal and a member of the Center for Research and Innovation in Education. His interests lie in positive youth development, coaching and coach education.

Michel Milistetd

Michel Milistetd is an associate professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina and member of the Sports Pedagogy Research Center (NUPPE-UFSC). His interests lie in sports pedagogy, particularly in coaching and coach education.