Hammond, Andrew (2022) The Relationship between Disability and Inclusion Policy and Sports Coaches’ Perceptions of Practice. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14 (3). pp. 471-487. DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2022.2074515
Hammond, Andrew (2022) The Relationship between Disability and Inclusion Policy and Sports Coaches’ Perceptions of Practice. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14 (3). pp. 471-487. DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2022.2074515
Hammond, Andrew (2022) The Relationship between Disability and Inclusion Policy and Sports Coaches’ Perceptions of Practice. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14 (3). pp. 471-487. DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2022.2074515
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore how disability-inclusive policies (e.g., the 7 pillars of Inclusion and the Inclusive Swimming Framework) were enacted in practice by eight swimming coaches in Australia. The purpose of this study was to explore how these individual coaches experienced including disabled athletes within their practice and how they balanced elite- and mass-participation objectives. Coaches in this study worked in a variety of settings as either full-time employees of a swimming club, independent contractors, or employees of private schools that ran school and community swimming programs. Theoretical concepts of policy enactment, drawn from policy sociology in education, guided the analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with coaches. Participants reported coaching individuals competing at the state, national, and international level. Findings showed that coaches in this study ignored, adjusted, and re-worked official policies so they would fit with the contextual and cultural constraints of their organizations. Coaches were generally ambivalent towards people with disabilities; however, all were ‘willing and able’ to work with disabled athletes. Furthermore, findings indicated that the disconnect between coach development and inclusion policy development at Australian Swimming is affecting coaches, as these coaches did not see the promotion of inclusion as part of their coaching role. Therefore, it is posited that disability education should be included within broader coach education and development curriculum in line with broader governmental and Australian Swimming inclusion policy agendas aimed at improving participation of people with disabilities in sport. Implications for research, educators, and policy are discussed.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Implementation; policy; change; coach |
Divisions: | Faculty of Science and Health Faculty of Science and Health > Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, School of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 30 May 2022 12:53 |
Last Modified: | 05 Aug 2022 21:01 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/32678 |
Available files
Filename: The relationship between disability and inclusion policy and sports coaches perceptions of practice.pdf
Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0