“What Should I Do?” 10 Steps to Making an Ethical Decision as a Coach or Athletic Director

The notion of ethical coaching exists within many current coaching frameworks, such as the United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USA), the International Council for Coaching Excellence (International), and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (UK). More recently, ethical coaching has received increased attention due to serious unethical practices (i.e., safeguarding malpractice) in the media. However, for athletic directors (ADs) and practicing coaches, there is, to date, little practical guidance on how to make ethical decisions within a coaching context. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to offer a model for ADs and coaches to view how and why (un)ethical coaching may arise, as well as a “worked example” of a real-world ethical situation for a coach. A step-by-step process outlines how ADs and coaches should approach the problem, whom they might turn to for advice, and how best to present the decision to all stakeholders. The article is intended to support real-world coaching practitioners who face complex challenges as part of their day-to-day practice.