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It is unknown what teaching styles (range of pedagogies) coaches are employing during coaching sessions and whether these teaching styles are associated with recommended pedagogical principles advocated by sport and coaching scholars. It is unknown whether twenty years of coach education has shifted coaching practice as the insights into the pedagogical diversity and preference of teaching styles that underpin and inform the coaches’ decisions to employ particular teaching strategies during coaching sessions are undetermined. This paper addresses these unknowns in the field of tennis coaching in Australia by reporting the findings of a study that address the lack of information on the teaching styles employed by tennis coaches by asking the following research question: What teaching styles are junior coaches in Australia actually using during coaching sessions? This study used The Spectrum (Mosston & Ashworth, 2008) of teaching styles as a tool to assess the observed teaching styles of twelve junior coaches. Contrary to the educational convictions of Australian sport coach education materials the results from this study indicated that the coaches in this study potentially did not offer players developmental opportunities beyond a limited range (i.e., motor skill development in the physical learning domain) due to a narrow pedagogical mix in their coaching.

Background. The aim of this study was to explore junior tennis coaches' insights in relation to teaching styles they employ as well as the motivations and reasons that underpin these practices.Methods. The research consisted of implementing interviews with the 13 tennis coaches. It employed purposive or theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews commenced with a prearranged group of questions to permit scope in direction so that the interviewer may follow what is considered as pertinent to the interviewee. The coaches were filmed during three 30 minute sessions. Prior to the interviews, each of the coaches was requested to view a portion of their video-recorded sessions. The interview data were analysed via deductive content analysis.Results. The results highlighted a lack of knowledge concerning the theoretical and practical application of various teaching styles required for coaching tennis to junior players. The coaches lacked self-awareness with regard to their own coaching performance and were incapable of accurately describing the reasons why they implement particular ways of coaching. Coaches used an assortment of terms to identify the way they coach and that their decision to employ certain ways of coaching did not alter as a function of the age group, skill level or ability of the players they were coaching. Observing and/or discussing aspects of coaching with a mentor as well as playing experience had a greater influence on current coaching behaviour than attending an accreditation course.Conclusion. The finding from this study is that the personally anticipated coaching behaviour of the coach was not what they realised upon observation of their coaching.

ANZ Tennis Hot Shots es el programa oficial de desarrollo de Tennis Australia diseñado específicamente para la iniciar en el tenis a los escolares de entre 5 y 12 años. En el centro del programa hay una filosofía innovadora y práctica llamada “Aprendizaje por medio del juego”. Esto significa que jugar al tenis o versiones modificadas de éste, es clave en todas las sesiones. El uso del material adaptado, incluyendo las canchas más pequeñas y las pelotas con menor presión, asegura que los niños ingresen al tenis en un entorno adecuado para sus edades y niveles de habilidad. Este método hace que el aprendizaje del tenis sea divertido y más fácil, y como resultado, habrá más niños jugando con un mejor nivel.

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