Developing the use of explicitation techniques in team games as a pedagogical tool for coaching practice

Previous research has examined the use of phenomenological interviews post-performance with the aim of gaining subjective knowledge of the lived experience of players. However, to date, explicitation techniques have not been used within actual coaching sessions to enable the coach to gain greater insight into players’ decision-making experiences. The aim of the study was to develop the use of explicitation techniques as a pedagogical tool within coaching sessions. As the coach, I (the first author) was one of the participants in the study. I recruited five Korfball players (M = 2, F = 3, aged between 21 and 26 years) as participants to develop my use of explicitation techniques with. The study used an Action Research (AR) approach and data collection methods included audio recordings of the explicitation techniques, fieldnotes, analytic memos and focus groups. Thematic data analysis was used to identify trends and patterns and make sense of the multiple sources of data. The findings were focused on the pedagogical strategies and adaptations used to develop the use of the explicitation techniques in coaching practice. These revealed that facilitating an evocative state through questioning requires practice and experience but is beneficial for coaching practice to understand players’ lived experiences. The approach enabled me to gain greater insight into the players’ reactive decision-making processes and a better understanding of what they were seeing and feeling in decision-making moments. It is anticipated that in turn, this will enable myself and other coaches to design and facilitate better coaching sessions.