Perceptions on the Overall Goals and Design of the Full Pathway.

Figure 4.1. Coaches perceptions on the balance of independence, adaptability, and resilience desired by British Cycling

in senior riders (Q27-29).

Legend. Vertical axis – percentage of responses per discipline group relating to Adaptability, Independence, and

Resilience. Horizontal axis presents the answer choices regarding the balance in percentage terms coaches believe GBCT require in senior riders.

Note: Three survey questions asked coaches to select the balance in percentage terms, i.e., 100 - 0, 75 - 25, 50 - 50, 25

- 75 and 0 -100 between scenario A or B, covering: (1) Adaptability, (a) senior cyclists who can call upon a host of race tactics/styles and respond to a range of challenges or (b) senior cyclists who can rely upon a trademark tactic/style and can get the most out of training consistently the same way. (2) Independence, (a) senior cyclists who can follow programmes, sessions and evaluations that are given to them or (b) senior cyclists who can lead on their own programmes, sessions, and evaluations. (3) Resilience, (a) senior cyclists who use themselves to bounce back from setbacks and persist when things are difficult or (b) senior cyclists who use the support of others to bounce back from setbacks and persist when things are difficult.

Figure 4.1, (top) appears to show that the coaches across all three disciplines reported similar views on what they thought GBCT desired in terms of adaptability. In fact, the patterns and percentages for adaptability within the three disciplines appear to show the participants largely believe that the goal of the pathway was to develop senior riders who can call upon a host of race tactics/styles and respond to a range of different challenges (as per the higher percentage of responses to the left of the 50/50 split line in all discipline groups), as opposed to developing riders for GBCT that rely on a

trademark tactic/style and riders that consistently train the same way.

The results for independence Figure 4.1, (middle) suggests the coaches within each discipline are potentially incoherent, however, reporting little agreement with their

Percentage 100-0 75-25 50-50 25-75 0-100 Adaptability Independence Resilience 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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views on the balance required for a senior cyclist (i.e., one who can follow programmes, sessions and evaluations that are given to them or a senior cyclist who can lead on their own programmes, sessions, and evaluations: based on the general ‘20%-30%-20%’ pattern across the middle three response options). However, there is similarity in patterns and percentages across disciplines; suggesting that coaches across the three disciplines are coherent in their perceptions.

Additionally, the results for resilience in Figure 4.1, (bottom) indicate that most coaches believe GBCT desire riders that are generally able to bounce back themselves as much as, or often more than, relying on support from others (as per the higher percentage of responses to the left of the 50/50 split line in all three disciplines; with this most evident within the Track coaching group).

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Figure 4.2. Coaches perceptions on the extent of similarity or variation required throughout the pathway (Q30). Legend. Vertical axis – percentage of responses per discipline group relating to the four statements in the questionnaire

and outlined above. Horizontal axis presents the answer choices regarding level of agreement or disagreement, i.e., Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), Neither Agree or Disagree (NA or D), Agree (A) and Strongly Agree (SA) relating to the four statements.

Note: The survey question asked coaches, “how much do you agree or disagree with the following four statements”: (1) riders require different coaches at different level and stages of their development, (2) a rider should work with the same coach for as long as possible if they are getting results, (3) coaches throughout the pathway should use the same methods and practices, (4) coaches throughout the pathway should use the same methods and practices as those in the GBCT.

Figure 4.2, (top left) shows that the majority of participants through the

disciplines appear to believe that there should be variation on the pathway with regards to riders requiring different coaches at different levels and stages of their development (as per the percentage responses for agree/strongly agree). The second statement, Figure 4.2, (top right) “a rider should work with the same coach for as long as possible if they are getting results”, suggests the coaches within and across the disciplines are incoherent with little agreement with their views based on the patterns and percentages in the figure. What is evident within the results for this statement is the extent of variation across the disciplines with a notable percentage of MTB coaches disagreeing (left of centre line- NA or D) and a similar number of coaches in the Road and Track disciplines agreeing (right of centre line- NA or D) that a rider should work with the same coach for as long as possible if they are getting results. In addition, Figure 4.2, (bottom left) appears to show that a considerable number of coaches across all three disciplines reported disagreement regarding the statement, “should coaches throughout

Different coaches at levels and stages Same coach if getting results

Same methods and practices Same methods and practices as GBCT SD D NA or D A SA SD D NA or D A SA SD D NA or D A SA SD D NA or D A SA 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Road Track MTB

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the pathway use the same methods and practices”. Specific results show similar patterns and percentage across the disciplines where a sizable percentage of coaches disagree with the statement suggesting variation of methods and practices on the pathway is required. Interestingly, this statement saw a high percentage of all coaches within the disciplines reporting as neither agreeing nor disagreeing (NA or D).

Of final note from Figure 4.2, (bottom right), is the significant contrasting beliefs reported by the coaches within the three disciplines regarding the statement “coaches throughout the pathway should use the same methods and practices as those in GBCT”. Interestingly, the patterns and percentages are somewhat similar (three

disciplines generally disagreeing or agreeing with the statement) except for the Road discipline coaches who have the largest percentage of coaches reporting as neither agreeing nor disagreeing (NA or D).

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