The Coach development framework for the International Ice Hockey Federation

The here presented Master’s Thesis had as its objective to create a Coach Development Framework (CDF) for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The main phases of the thesis work included benchmarking of well-developed and extensive coach education frameworks from countries that have a well-established sport governance such as the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa, as well as the International Sport Coaching Framework and the European Sport Coaching Framework by the International Council For Coaching Excellence. The literature review included besides the different sport frameworks also peer-reviewed articles for certain chapters of the IIHF CDF as well as books by renowned experts on coaching topics. The benchmarking of this coach development literature was the foundation for the creation of the thesis product, the International Ice Hockey Federation Coach Development Framework (IIHF CDF). The IIHF CDF was reviewed by a number of experts from different countries whose comments and suggestions were gladly incorporated in the final stage of the work before submission. The IIHF CDF is presented in its entirety in the appendix to this thesis. The result of the thesis work is the actual IIHF CDF (see appendix). Introduction, background, work progress, literature review, Coach Development System/Programme recommendations, discussion and conclusions are presented in the present document. Concluding it can be said that athlete development is only possible when the coaches working with the athletes possess the necessary core competences and capabilities, understand the premise of athlete-centred coaching and internalize life-long learning