Using mixed methods to gauge perceptions of coaching efficacy: Case study of the training received by soccer coaches

This article presents an original, mixed methods approach to analyzing the experiences of soccer coaches, incorporating perceptions of coaching efficacy. This methodological choice directs responses to the need highlighted by the coaching program designers of the soccer federation. This need refers to optimizing training by identifying the conditions most conducive to developing perceptions of efficacy. Adopting an anthropo-psychological approach leads us to engage with different dimensions of the training experience, moving beyond the limitations of self-reporting practices. Achieving a more comprehensive vision of the meaning of experiences requires the use of a variety of tools, whose theoretical and methodological interactions are explored in the present article. On the one hand, the results demonstrate the effects of training devices on the perceived efficacy of coaches, measured using questionnaires. On the other hand, the training conditions liable to nurture this development are identified using self- confrontation interviews. In particular, the vicarious experiences acquired in training centers appear to be a significant resource for the professional development of trainee coaches. In our discussion section, we discuss the risk of order bias associated with this mixed methodology.