Questioning Sport Coaching Knowledge - Dr Christian Thue Bjørndal (Pt1) - Meaningful Sport Series

Physical Activity Researcher

Today we explore sport coaching knowledge from a critical socio-cultural perspective and ask question about what implications it can have for youth athletes' experiences and meanings assigned to sport, both on personal and collective level.

It is somewhat paradoxical that although significant advances have been made in scientific understandings in the areas of sport coaching and sport medicine, sports injuries remain at a high level in many sports. Does it have to do with the lack of integration of different disciplinary knowledge bases, the power imbalances inherent in the coach-athlete relationship, and/or the need for youth athletes to perform a certain type of identity to maximise their chances to continue in the talent pathway?

Dr Christian Thue Bjørndal is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sport and Social Science at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Christian’s work has focused on interdisciplinary perspectives on athlete learning and development with a special emphasis on sociocultural perspectives and ecological dynamics. In the podcast, we have an opportunity to look into some of the latest work he has produced on these topics.

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Tim Jones on social and emotional learning in football academies

Francesca Champ on balancing performance and well-being in football academies

Colum Cronin on caring coaching