Mästarcoacherna. Att bli, vara och utvecklas som tränare inom svensk elitfotboll

Abstract

This thesis aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of what it means to learn to become, be and develop as a coach in Swedish male professional football. The theoretical framework is inspired by sociocultural perspectives on learning and the theory of situated learning, particularly Lave and Wengers’ (2005) concept legitimate peripheral participation and parts of Wenger’s (1998) concept communities of practice. In the analysis of the coaches’ perceptions I have used Nielsen and Kvales’ (2000) characteristics of learning resources in communities of practice and some concepts that belong to the sociocultural tradition and the theory of situated learning; legitimate peripheral participation, shared repertoire, situated identities, scaffolding and more capable. Empirically, the thesis is based on semistructured interviews with ten head coaches of teams in superettan or allsvenskan, the two highest football’s leagues in Sweden. The main findings can be summarized in that the coaches’ teams, including assistant coaches and, e.g., fitness coaches, etc., are important for the coaches’ learning and for them to manage an expanded leadership, tough employment conditions and large external demands of success. The coaches’ interaction with each other in the teams also means that they have great opportunities to form primary communities of practice, where large parts of their learning take place. Inexperienced coaches can accordingly be supported in their learning in a community of practice to which he belongs, but important is also that the coach education supports the coaches’ learning, for example through a focus on leadership issues and analysis of the football game.