Power and Inclusion in Coaching: The Role of Humour

View/ open
Author
Edwards, Christian
Date
2015Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Within the field of sports coaching, a burgeoning belief exists that sociological thought has the potential to challenge and shape the boundaries of related knowledge. Such enquiry has set about explaining how coaches manipulate their ‘social competencies’ (Lemert, 1997: x) in order to maintain and improve their various contextual relationships (Jones, 2011a). Despite such developments, a paucity of research still exists examining how humour serves as a vital ingredient in establishing, developing and maintaining social interaction within the coaching context. The aim of this PhD thesis, therefore, was to explore what type of humour is used, why it was used and the effects of such humour on the context that it occurs. In adopting an interpretive methodology, through ethnographic methods, data were collected by tracking and observing the coaches and players of Senghenyndd City F.C. (pseudonym) during the course of their domestic season. The ‘coding’ of the results moved away from the traditional inductive theorising and used the constant comparative method to revisit existing ideas in respect of the new data collected. The findings were subsequently subject to a ‘light’ theoretical analysis through Goffman’s (1963; 1967; 1983) presentation of self, impression management and interaction order, and Garfinkel’s (1963; 1967) work on social order to highlight how individuals used varying degrees of inclusionary, shared, self-deprecating and disciplinary humour to manage the often micro-political landscape of sports coaching. The results contribute to the recent investigative upsurge into humour and sports coaching by bringing to light the mundane, taken for granted discourses of interaction evident within the relational, everyday aspects coaching.
Description
PhD Thesis - School of Sport
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
Humour in Sports Coaching: ‘It’s a Funny Old Game’
Edwards, Christian; Jones, Robyn (SAGE, 2018-06-14)The primary purpose of this article was to investigate the use and manifestation of humour within sports coaching. This was particularly in light of the social significance of humour as a critical component in cultural ... -
Hardiness and coping as a function of player roles in rugby union
Lumby, Spencer (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2014)The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of additional specific playing roles in rugby union on hardiness levels and coping strategies. The roles used in this study were identified through the opinion of ... -
An Analysis of Desirable Attributes for Strength and Conditioning Coaches as Perceived by Male and Female Population of Collegiate Athletes
Tiberi, Severiano; Moody, Jeremy A. (2020-05-15)The present study aimed to suggest desirable attributes and characteristics for strength and conditioning coaches as perceived by the male and female population of collegiate athletes and statistically evaluate differences ...