PEAK - - Policy, Evidence and Knowledge in Coaching

PEAK is a new international project aiming to develop coaching policy recommendations for use by sport federations, coaching bodies and governments.

Funded by the European Union ERASMUS+ programme, PEAK project brings together a unique consortium of expert partners including the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), German Sport University, European Elite Athletes Association, Finnish Olympic Committee, Sport Ireland Coaching, Swiss Federal Institute of Sport and the Foundation of Sport Education and Information, Estonia.  The project is led by International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE).

Uniquely, PEAK will offer a comprehensive portrait of coaching and coach education across Europe and beyond. It will inform the industry about coaching roles, responsibilities, and status, as well as policies, programmes and decision-making processes. The project will also report on strategies to increase opportunities for women in coaching and enhance the effectiveness of good governance measures (such as transparency of decision-making, democratic and inclusive decision-making processes) in the practice of sport coaching.

The PEAK consortium has met twice already: once at the kick-off meeting in Leeds, and more recently in Ireland preceding a PEAK Symposium at which 40 local and 18 international participants attended from 7 countries.

Dr Richard Bailey (representing ICSSPE) delivered a presentation offering some simple ways of telling the difference between science and nonsense, suggesting some urgent steps that sports organisations need to take to fully realise the future of sport coaching.

Dr Karen Petry (representing German Sport University) presented an overview of coaching policy across a selection of European countries, summarising key elements of coaching policy, and using the findings to map out a framework to inform good practices in coaching policy.

Hayley Harrison (representing Sport Ireland Coaching) gave a presentation highlighting the scale and responsibility levels of volunteer female coaches in Ireland.  Questions were posed to delegates for consideration regarding the way forward for female coaches in Ireland.

Overall the PEAK Symposium was successful, and a key milestone in the project so far.