The Influence of Occupational Socialization on Coaches' Perceptions of Values-Based Coaching

This dissertation explored how coaches' beliefs, values, and practices related to Values-Based Coaching (VBC) are shaped by their personal experiences, educational experiences, and the cultural and organizational settings in which they work. Conducted as a trilogy of interrelated qualitative studies, the research investigated the influence of occupational socialization on coaches' understanding, perception, and delivery of VBC within the Football 4 Peace (F4P) program across three diverse settings: Northern Ireland, England, and The Gambia.Guided by Occupational Socialization Theory, each study examined four key phases of influence, acculturation, professional socialization, secondary professional socialization, and organizational socialization, on coaches' pedagogical approaches to delivering F4P's five core values: Trust, Respect, Responsibility, Equity, and Inclusion. Primary data were gathered through semistructured interviews with a total of 26 coaches, supported by artifact analysis and ideal program submissions. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns across each socialization phase and to compare how coaches espoused and enacted the VBC model in their respective contexts.Findings revealed that while all coaches supported a full or full+ version of the VBC model in principle, the actual delivery varied considerably based on contextual and structural factors. In Northern Ireland, coaches navigated tensions between ideal and practice, with some delivering diluted or implicit versions due to evolving program support and funding limitations. In England, coaches demonstrated greater consistency between belief and practice, aided by a stable training infrastructure. In The Gambia, all coaches implemented a full+ model, reinterpreting VBC through local values, oral traditions, and gender equity concerns to enhance relevance and impact.This dissertation contributes new insight to both sport pedagogy and the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) literature by demonstrating how coaches act as critical mediators between theory and practice. It highlights the need for coach education programs that are not only grounded in sound pedagogical principles, but also flexible enough to respond to the unique sociocultural dynamics of the communities they serve. The findings suggest that recruitment and the effectiveness of the coaches should not be based in their playing level and ability but in their experiences and motivations.