Volunteer sports coaches as community assets? A realist review of the research evidence

It is widely believed that volunteer sports coaches, working in community sports clubs, can make a range of contributions to the social, physical and moral development of individuals, particularly young people. Although there is some existing research on volunteer sport coaches and their role in community engagement, the research base is fragmented and is limited, primarily, to the national contexts of North America and Australia. This paper reports the findings of a systematic analysis of the international research evidence that supports claims for a wider social role for volunteer sports coaches. The analysis suggests that the evidence base for such claims is weak, lacking robustness, rigour, and a clear theoretical foundation. If, therefore, there are growing expectations about the individual and community benefits that volunteer sports coaches can deliver through sports activities, we argue that it is imperative to understand more about the needs, motivations, and priorities of this large volunteer workforce. This research adds new evidence-based critical insights to the issue of community sport as a form of social engagement, and the role of sports coaches as convenient community assets.