| dc.description.abstract | Despite an increased interest in the potential of mentoring in coach development, little empirical research has focused on mentoring in coach education. The purpose of this thesis was to identify what characterizes a successful mentoring and facilitates the relationship between the mentor and mentee. In collaboration with the Norwegian FA, I explored the role of mentoring in the context of the UEFA A-license program, through the perspectives of experienced mentors. The study was designed as a qualitative case study.
Seven mentors were purposefully sampled. Data was collected through semistructured interviews and the data was analyzed through an inductive and deductive approach. The overall findings portrayed the successful mentoring relationship through five different themes: (1) characteristics of the relationship, (2) primary tasks in mentoring, (3) characteristics of the ideal mentor, (4) characteristics of the ideal mentee, and (5) mentoring in practice. Moreover, and within each of the themes, the findings identified some of the specific behaviours, types of interactions, important tasks, needs, desirable personal qualities in mentor and mentee, and observation techniques.
The results are discussed in relation to relevant literature and its practical application. The findings from this study may have practical implications for current mentors and mentees. Policy makers can use the findings to improve and structure mentoring in coach education, while course instructors can utilize the knowledge to reflect on how it relates to their own practice, and use it in the development of current mentors and tutoring of new mentors. However, due to limited nature of the data collection, more research is needed. Future research may focus on the experiences of the mentees and utilize a wider variety of data collection methods such as participant observation, journal-writing, and focus group interviews. | nb_NO |
