THE COACHING MODEL - A GROUNDED ASSESSMENT OF EXPERT GYMNASTIC COACHES KNOWLEDGE

An expert system approach (Buchanan et al., 1983) was used to identify and conceptualize the knowledge of 17 Canadian expert high-performanc e gymnastic coaches. The knowledge elicitation process consisted of op en-ended questions and various questioning methods to unveil, explore, and prove important information (Patton, 1987; Spradley, 1979) about coaching. All coaches' interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the u nstructured qualitative data were inductively analyzed following the p rocedures and techniques of grounded theory (Strauss and Corbin, 1990) . The inductive analysis process allowed the meaning units of the inte rview transcripts to be regrouped into properties, categories, and com ponents. The components emerging from the analysis consisted of (a) co mpetition, (b) training, (c) organization, (d) coach's personal charac teristics, (e) gymnast's personal characteristics and level of develop ment, and (f) contextual factors. These components were further develo ped into a model representing coaches' knowledge.