PEAK Framework and Handbook Published

ICSSPE and partners have successfully finalised the PEAK-project with the publication of the PEAK Framework for Coaching Policies and the PEAK Handbook for Coach Education.

Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and coordinated by ICSSPE, the project had the aim to develop coaching policy recommendations for the use by sport federations, coaching bodies and governments and was completed after three years of work. For the first time, PEAK also offered a comprehensive picture of coaching and coach education across Europe and beyond.

The research reports and outputs published include the research report, good practice recommendations and a good practice analysis report, the framework, handbook and self-assessment tool. The Framework and the Handbook are available for download in English, French and German on the project website https://www.peak-coachingeu.com/findings/

The PEAK Framework for Coaching Policies includes model policies related to the different elements of coaching systems. This includes coach education standards, licensing, recruitment of under-represented groups into coaching (e.g. women, coaches of athletes with a disability, newcomers, etc.), coaching ethics and child protection, coach representation and quality assurance as well as a set of policy recommendations for governments, national and international federations and coaching bodies.

The PEAK Handbook provides sport federations, governments and coaching organisations with a recommended process to develop a coaching policy collaboratively. A self-assessment tool is included to allow the assessment of the status of the existing coaching system and to identify priorities for improvement.

The project ran from January 2019 to March 2022 and was successfully completed in collaboration with the European Elite Athletes Association, the Finnish Olympic Committee, the Estonian Foundation of Sports Education and Information, the German Sport University Cologne - Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies, the International Council for Coaching Excellence, Sport Ireland Coaching, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM).

For more information head to the PEAK website.