Coach Education for Youth Development: An Ecological Perspective Meta-Analytic Review

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Coaching, Leadership, and Organizational Culture in Youth and College Sport

Abstract

Nearly six in ten American kids participate in organized sport. While accumulating evidence supports the effectiveness of coach education programs, the extent to which these programs foster sport-based youth development remains underexplored. Athlete-level outcomes (k = 193) were extracted from 27 studies (N = 4,345) conducted over the past two decades. Using frequentist and Bayesian meta-analytic approaches, we found that coach education positively impacts athlete-level outcomes, with effect sizes mainly ranging from small to moderate across individual to microsystem level. The results underscore the critical role of trained coaches in creating a safe, mastery-oriented climate that fosters learning, social interaction, and skill development. The findings will inform future coaching research to facilitate whole child development.

Authors

• Longxi Li, University of Washington

• Irina Tereschenko, University of Washington

• Julie A. McCleery, University of Washington