Differences in behaviour and interactive decision-making between experienced and inexperienced basketball coaches in secondary schools

There has been an increasing growth of external coaches employed by schools in Singapore to train and prepare their athletes for inter-school competitions. As these coaches come from different educational and professional backgrounds, their standard of coaching has varied. This study focused on the behaviour and interactive decision-making of experienced and inexperienced basketball coaches. A review of the literature revealed that there are differences between experienced and inexperienced teachers / coaches both in the classroom and in the sports setting. This study compared five experienced and five inexperienced secondary school male basketball coaches as they planned and executed a 30-minute "Pick and Roll" practice session. All practice sessions were videotaped. Interval recording procedures (four second observe / one second code) were employed with the Arizona State University Observation Instrument (A.S.U.O.I) to collect coach behaviour data. Coaches were also interviewed and audiotaped immediately after the practice session. Their responses were analysed using Sherman's Model of Interactive Decision-making instrument, to determine coaches' decision making patterns.Master of Educatio