The Coach Feedback Analysis System: Getting Under the Bonnet of Coach Feedback

Rationale, Aims and Objectives How coaches provide feedback may impact athlete learning and performance. Research has demonstrated that coaches may lack self-awareness in the types of feedback they provide, by up to 40%. Systematic observation (SO) is a method which identifies coaches' behaviours and has been used extensively in coaching research. SO typically observes a variety of coach behaviours such as instruction, questioning, feedback etc., however tools that help coaches understand their use of specific behaviours (e.g., feedback) may be beneficial. To date no valid and reliable SO tool of coach feedback exists, therefore this research sought to develop a valid and reliable tool that captures specific forms of feedback coaches use. Research Findings Following a five-stage validation and reliability procedure including the observation and analysis of hurling, rugby, Australian rules football and soccer coaches, the Coach Feedback Analysis System (CFAS) was developed. The CFAS gives coaches and coach developers the ability to analyse any feedback unit under six categories and eighteen feedback types. These include valence (positive, neutral or negative), information (descriptive or prescriptive), level (self, task, process or self- regulation), autonomy (autonomy supportive, neutral or controlling), audience (full group, small group or individual) and timing (concurrent, post or stopped). Each category and type is included based on a literature review highlighting feedback types shown to impact feedback quality in sport and education. Policy Implications The development of the CFAS has important implications for researchers and practitioners alike, allowing the collection of nuanced data on coach feedback. Specifically, given the ability of the CFAS to analyse any feedback unit under six categories and eighteen feedback types, we suggest that this may more easily allow coaches to gauge relationships between feedback types used and athlete outcomes and behaviours. This may be important for coaches as a means of understanding how feedback they provide may be classified and given the established links between certain feedback types with more positive learning and performance outcomes this may help us to understand the possible impact of the feedback coaches use. Industry Recommendations We suggest that the CFAS be used as a stimulus for understanding and reflection to support coaches to explore the relationship between their intended and observable use of feedback. This may allow coaches to consider more broadly why they do, what they do, the way that they do it, and what benefit that brings. The CFAS can then be used longitudinally as a means of helping coaches explore whether their intended actions are observable within their practice. Such processes may be of particular benefit to coaches engaged in coach education pathways or as part continuing professional development programmes within sporting organisations.