Insights Call to Action
Support Innovative and Rigorous Coaching Research
We need research that advances our understanding of how coaching impacts kids’ overall health, well-being, and development. This supports studies that are strong in design and bold in approach. The goal is to build clear, useful evidence that helps stakeholders see what works, who it works for, and in what settings, so we can improve sports experiences for everyone.
→What this looks like when we get it right: Coaching is evidence-informed, youth-centered, widely studied, and drives better outcomes for kids, coaches, and communities.
→Who can drive this change? Data & Research, including Higher Education, Researchers, Institutes; Government, including policymakers; Non-Government Funders & Subsidies
Why This Issue
To raise the standard of youth sport and create better experiences for athletes and coaches, we need continued investment in research that shows what works, who it works for, and why it matters.
Getting Started
Build on what we know. We already have some strong models for athlete and coach development, and decades of youth sport coaching research. Now is the time to build on that foundation and scale proven strategies with youth while using innovative, rigorous research to better understand what drives lasting impact.
Make coach development evidence-informed. Everyone involved in youth sport must work together to help build a stronger, research-driven evidence base for coach development. Research only succeeds if it works for coaches. Studies show that well-trained coaches improve outcomes for kids – better skill development, more enjoyment, and longer participation. And the benefits go both ways. Coaches who feel supported are more satisfied, less likely to burn out, and more likely to stay in the game.
Level up the research. For researchers, this means going beyond participation numbers. We need stronger studies, including:
- Long-term studies that track outcomes over time
- Randomized controlled trials that test coaching strategies and training efficacy
- Research showing how dosage, delivery, and technology affect coaching
- Mixed-methods studies that include coach and athlete voices, especially youth
- Samples that reflect the full diversity of young people and coaches in the U.S.
- Collaborative brainstorming of innovative research ideas
- Studies on the link between policy, coach behaviors, and athlete experiences
Make youth sport research an investment priority. Nearly six in ten American kids participate in organized sports. The opportunity to conduct large-scale national research studies is massive, but research is still underfunded. Funders have immense opportunities to invest in studies that leverage sport and coaches as tools for prevention and intervention to support youth development and mitigate the risks of poor public health outcomes.
When grantmakers, public agencies, and government leaders see youth sport as a strategic investment in public health and community well-being, everyone wins.
Pay attention to the high cost of doing nothing. Without strong research, we miss the chance to scale what works – whether it’s improving mental health or social and emotional learning, boosting long-term physical activity, or supporting positive behaviors in and out of sport.
Together, we can build a youth sport system where coaching supports the whole child and where every decision is guided by evidence that makes a real difference.
Game Changing Content
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Sport-based youth development initiative at The Ohio State University that focuses on research, outreach and teaching |
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Interdisciplinary teaching and research program at the University of Washington that focuses on coaching, youth sports and leadership |
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Million Coaches Challenge research partner studying implementation of training and disseminating best practices |