The Good Coach as an Enlightened Generalist

When it comes to shaping the norms and values within a sports culture, coaches play a pivotal role as primary agents of socialization. They are responsible for fostering skill development and setting performance standards and for establishing both explicit and implicit moral and normative frameworks that underpin practice and competition. The question arises: how can coaches effectively shoulder the responsibility and seize the opportunities inherent in their role? What competencies and qualities are required to coach successfully and morally? The chapter addresses these inquiries, focusing on the realm of competitive sports in which performance development is a key goal. More specifically, the discussion explores three key competencies needed for coaches in dealing with ethical challenges: a scientific and mechanistic understanding of human performance, an understanding based on phenomenology, and insights from socio-cultural perspectives. In the final part, it is discussed how these three competencies are interconnected and form the foundation upon which the good coach weighs norms and values in ethical dilemmas. Above all, the good coach embodies what Aristotle referred to as ‘phronesis’—practical wisdom. A case is made for conceptualizing the good coach as an enlightened generalist.