Tactical and assessment competency gaps in pre-service coaches: evidence from a game-based implementation
Scientific Reports, cilt.16, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1038/s41598-026-53681-3
- Dergi Adı: Scientific Reports
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals, Zoological Record, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Tactical competency, Assessment competency, Coach education, Pre-service coaches, Game-based implementation, Mixed methods
- Uşak Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examined tactical and assessment competency gaps in pre-service coaches within a structured game-based implementation context. An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods design was employed. In the quantitative phase, 40 pre-service candidates (24 Physical Education Teacher Education [PET], 16 Coach Education [CE]) were evaluated using the Educational Game Playing Skill Observation Scale, assessing preparation, implementation, and evaluation competencies. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with expert academics to provide contextual explanation of the quantitative findings. Results indicated that CE students outperformed PET students in game management and organizational dimensions. However, both groups demonstrated substantial deficiencies in higher-order tactical and assessment competencies, particularly in reflective evaluation, post-game analysis, and in-game tactical facilitation. Effect sizes were in the small-to-medium range yet consistently indicated structural competency gaps extending beyond technical proficiency. These findings suggest that current coach education pathways insufficiently develop tactical facilitation and evaluative expertise within game-based instructional practices. Systematic curricular integration of practice-based modules explicitly targeting tactical intervention and performance evaluation is recommended.