The science of skill acquisition guides coaches to design and deliver effective practice sessions. In this study, nine senior coaches from the British Para swimming (BPS) World Class Programme were observed and interviewed in relation to their application of skill acquisition. Numerous mismatches were observed between coaches’ practice and best practice recommendations from the skill acquisition literature. The interviews indicated that coaches had limited knowledge of key skill acquisition principles. Overall, the results highlight potential gaps in understanding on the side of both research and applied practice, and illustrate the potential benefits of collaborations between coaches and skill acquisition practitioners.
Powell, D., Wood, G., Kearney, P., & Payton, C. (2021). Skill acquisition practices of coaches on the British Para swimming World Class Programme. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17479541211026248
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