Perceptions on the Focus and Goals at Specific Stages of the Pathway.

Figure 4.3. Coaches perceptions of theirs and stakeholders focus for development of the individual (Q13)

Legend. Vertical axis – percentage of responses per discipline group relating to the five statements in the questionnaire

for the stakeholders (coach, their riders, parents, and other coaches). Horizontal axis presents the answer for the stakeholder groups from today (Today), next week (Nxt wk), next month (Nxt mth) next year (Nxt Yr) and performing well as a senior (A Snr).

Note: The survey question asked coaches, what do you feel is the general focus of, (1) you, (2) your riders who have

potential to make GBCT, (3) the parents/guardians of riders who have the potential to make GBCT, and (4) other coaches at your level who have riders with the potential to make GBCT, when looking at the answer choices i.e., the rider performing well in the session today (Today), next week (Nxt wk), next month (Nxt mth) next year (Nxt Yr) and performing well as a senior (A Snr).

Figure 4.3, (bottom figure), suggests that whilst it appears there is a lack of coherence within the coaching groups, a considerable number of coaches of all three disciplines reported similar views regards to the purposes of coaching, that is, the coaches focus is for the short term, i.e., today, or next week (as per the percentage of responses on the left of the Nxt mth split line). In addition, and in contrast, a notable percentage of the discipline coaches appear to focus on the longer term, i.e., next year or as a senior (as per the percentage of responses on the right of the Nxt mth split line). However, there is similarity in patterns and percentages across disciplines; suggesting

Other Coaches Parent/Guardian Riders You Today Nxt wk Nxt mth Nxt Yr A Snr 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Road Track MTB

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that coaches across the three disciplines are mostly coherent in their perceptions. Additionally, Figure 4.3, (2nd from bottom figure), appears to show that the coaches’ perceptions are not coherent within the disciplines, but are coherent across disciplines regarding their riders’ focus. The results clearly do not align to their own focus, with a proportion of coaches believing the riders focus is on the longer term, i.e., next month, next year and as a senior, whilst the remainder of coaches’ focus is for the short term, i.e., today, or next week (as per the percentage of responses on the left of the Nxt mth split line). These results suggest that coaches across the three disciplines are mostly coherent in their perceptions.

The results in Figure 4.3, (3rd from bottom), appears to show comparable

patterns and percentages across the disciplines that suggests some alignment in terms of the coaches’ perceptions of parents’ focus with a considerable percentage of coaches responding in favour of a short-term focus for parents, i.e., today or next week (as per the percentage of responses on the left of the Nxt mth split line). However, what is evident from the shapes and percentages, is the potential incoherence within the disciplines demonstrated by shift in the number of coaches who perceive parents focus to be to on the next year or as a senior (as per the percentage of responses on the right of the Nxt mth split line). Finally, Figure 4.3, (top), appears to show that the coaches within the disciplines are not generally aligned with their own peers as the focus

suggests to being on the longer term (next month, next year and as a senior). However, the results are relatively comparable for the coaches across the three disciplines,

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Figure 4.4. Coaches perceptions of the most important goals for themselves and other stakeholders for the development

of the individual

Legend: Vertical axis – Rank value (0 – 5), and stakeholders – Coach, Parents/Guardians, Rider, Other coach, and Great Britain Cycling Team. Horizontal axis relating to the five goal statements in the questionnaire, FE - fun and enjoyment, LLP - lifelong participants, NL - next level, RAG - results at their current age-group/level, GBQ - same qualities of current GBCT riders.

Note: The survey question asked coaches to rank in order (0-5), “what they believe are the most important goals in coaching riders with the potential to make the GBCT at your level and discipline”, additionally, the coaches were asked to answer what they believed the goals were for other stakeholders, (parents/guardian, rider, other coach at same level, and GBCT). The five goal statements were: (1) to enable the riders to have fun and enjoyment, (2) to prepare riders to be lifelong participants, (3) to prepare the riders physically, technically, tactically, and mentally for the next level, (4) to support riders to achieve results at their current age-group/level and (5) to develop riders with the same qualities of current GBCT riders.

Figure 4.4, appears to show there is similarity in patterns and percentages across and within disciplines; suggesting that coaches across the three disciplines are coherent in their perceptions regarding focus and goals for the development of the individual. However, this potential coherence is challenged by the incoherence of the stakeholder focus where there are several contrasts within the “other coach” and stakeholders that appear to be shown. GBCT Other Coaches Riders Parents Coach FE LLP NL RAG GBQ 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 Road T rack M T B

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Specifically, Figure 4.4 results suggest that the coaches’ own focus across and within the three disciplines is clearly prioritized in the following order: 1) fun and enjoyment (FE); 2) preparing riders physically, technically, tactically and mentally for the next level (NL); 3) preparing riders to be lifelong participants of cycling (LLP); 4)

supporting riders to achieve results at their current age group/level (RAG), and finally, 5) developing riders with the same qualities of current GBCT riders (GBQ).

However, whilst fun and enjoyment is a constant in the results to varying degrees for stakeholders, the coaches perceive that parents, riders and other coaches prioritise supporting the riders to achieve results at their current age group/level (RAG). The coaches also suggest that the parents’ other foci are to develop riders with the same qualities of current GBCT riders (GBQ) and prepare riders physically, technically, tactically and mentally for the next level (NL). Interestingly, the coaches believe GBCT foci is on developing riders for the NL with the same qualities of GBCT (GBQ) and also to achieve results at their current age group/level (RAG).

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