College of Health

This observational study addresses physical activity levels among youth sport participants as influenced by coaching experience and coaching efficacy. It describes the proportion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per sport contextual factor by years of coaching experience and coaching efficacy. Physical activity levels of youth (n = 146) were measured via accelerometer. Contextual factors of practice and physical activity were obtained via direct observation. Coaching experience and efficacy of volunteer coaches (n = 26) were measured by a demographics questionnaire and the coaching efficacy scale. Practices averaged 69.81 min (SD = 13.12) with 39.7% (SE = 1.7) spent in sedentary behavior, 32.2% (SE = 1.5) in MVPA, and 20.6% (SE = 1.2) in vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA). Spearman-rho coefficients suggest no significant relationship between coaching efficacy and %MVPA (rs = 0.337, p =0 .092) or %VPA (rs = 0.200, p = 0.327). Repeated-measures analysis of variance found a significant relationship between direct observation MVPA and practice contextual factors, but not by coaching experience or efficacy. Multiple regression found no significance of either variable in predicting MVPA. Coaching experience and perceived coaching efficacy do not appear to influence MVPA behavior during sport practices; however, it is unclear whether coach education training in this area would. Emphasis on implementing coach training standards to enhance coaches’ confidence to motivate children to be more physically active during practice and opportunities to do so, may improve youth health through physical activity