THE FUTURE OF SPORTS COACHING IT’S NOT JUST A NUMBERS GAME By Eva Ellmer Many changes have been observed in the sporting landscape over the past decades and, it is continuing to evolve rapidly. An analysis of our local sporting megatrends in a globalised environment by Australia’s peak scientific body – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) –found that participation rates in many organised sports have remained either constant or have experienced some decline. In direct contrast, the involvement of Australians in individual, leisure and fitness activities has become increasingly more likely. This has led to a high and rising demand for action sports within Australia.
A further trend is the increasing popularity of eSports domestically and worldwide. Indeed, this years’ PwC Global Sports Survey identified eSports as having the greatest potential in growing revenue by far (yes, even greater than soccer or basketball).
The popularity of eSports has taken remarkable leaps in 2018, with sellout live stadium events becoming more regular, and broadcasting networks such as ESPN and Sky Sports starting to air dedicated eSports content. So why have these activities become so popular? The suggestion is that many people work longer and atypical working days, leaving less time to commit to structured and scheduled sports.
As such, individuals prefer selfdirected leisure activities that fit better with their available time and provide an alternative to yet another controlled environment (i.e. organised sport). With the self-directed lifestyle trends and a do-it-yourself mindset, many of these modern sports participants turn to self-coaching. With the rise in new and social media technologies, a plethora of knowledge and information are readily available to the consumer to read, watch, listen to, and apply to their own sporting endeavours. Thanks to our smartphones, smart watches and their applications, we can now take our coaching with us wherever we go.
