Public Qualities of National Sports Coaches - Scope of Qualification in Japan

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that make "national coaches" who participate in the Olympic Games have official recognition (qualifications). The qualification of coaches has not been institutionalized by Japan's traditional volunteer thinking, despite its public value. It would be a problem of education and employment society in Japan, which encompasses everyone from local coaches to professional coaches. As a study method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight former national coaches, either face-to-face or online (Zoom). In the interview, we asked about (1) planning and execution of international competition, (2) use medical and sport science, (3) international collaboration, (4) expansion of job opportunities, and (5) sports promotion. The results were organized by a co-occurrence network analysis using KH Coder. Results showed the following three points. First is that the importance of "management" and "communication" is pointed out in all the questions. Second is that the improvement of international competitiveness would affect not only the spread of the sport high performance but also the public value of expanding the job opportunity in the society. Third is the fragility of the "job" of the national coach. In this interview, coaches talked about the job of national coach as a "one-way ticket", and this is a long-standing issue. These three points are important when considering the qualification of national coaches. The value of sports could be reaffirmed in times of social unrest. Coaches should always have a range of values about social contribution, so that society might see as a public presence. More specific recommendations for policymakers should include the definition of an evaluation body that identifies eligibility criteria, what kind of career paths are specifically proposed, and the identification of policy organizations for parliamentary legislation.