This book highlights the latest advances in coach education and development through collaborative research co-ordinated by the English Football Association, the only national governing body of sport to run a coaching research programme. It presents the first set of studies generated by this programme that display how research has informed policy and practice within the FA. Each chapter includes sections that examine current issues, suggest considerations for other governing bodies and pose key questions. Bringing together a unique set of studies covering every level of football, this book is essential reading for any serious sports coaching student, researcher or coach educator.

1. The FA's coach education and development programme: research informing practice Part 1: Contextual Issues 2. Benchmarking sport coach education and development: using programme theories to examine and evolve current practice 3. CPD provision for the football coaching workforce: What can we learn from other professional fields and what are the implications? 4. Quality Assurance Procedures in Coach Education Part 2: Development and Support 5. Task Analysis of Coach Developers: Applications to The FA Youth Coach Educator Role 6. The application of reflective practice: reflective learning in the education and practices of FA football coaches 7. Delivering The FA Grassroots Club Mentor Programme: mentor's experiences of practice Part 3: Impact and Practice 8. What do coaches learn and can new knowledge be effectively applied? 9. Examining impact of The FA Youth Coach Education Programme: Evidence of change? 10. Practice activities during coaching sessions in elite youth football and their effect on skill acquisition 11. Coaching disabled footballers: a study of the coach journey 12. The progression of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) footballers into coaching in professional football: a case study analysis of the COACH bursary programme 13. Candidates' experiences of elite FA coach education: tracking the journey 14. Future Direction in Coaching Research