Coaches’ Migration: Decisions and Perceived Importance of International Experience

Abstract

The migration of coaches is a topic that has seen increasing research interest in recent years. Discussions are evolving around the factors driving coaches' migration, their experiences, and perceptions held by other sports stakeholders. This study aimed to explore the decision-making processes of coaches regarding migration and their views on the phenomenon. A total of 68 coaches, both with and without international experience, participated in the study. Data collection involved an online survey comprising closed-ended questions. For data analysis, we employed a One-Way ANOVA to draw comparisons across independent variables. Interestingly, coaches with international experience have been more frequently approached with offers than their counterparts without such experience. Nevertheless, the majority of the coaches did not perceive foreign coaches as essential to sports development. Coaches with international backgrounds expressed a belief that native coaches should exclusively coach their national teams. Overall, coaches did not highly value international placements or experience. These unexpected findings have significant implications for coach training programs globally. The results are further explored in the context of the expertise required to work in a globalised sports setting and interact with stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds.