Solving the Grassroots Retention Crisis
Coaches know what to do. But under pressure, competency collapses….and retention suffers.
My research shines a light on the hidden reasons behind retention issues.
The Grassroots & Community Sport Retention Crisis
Why coaches know what to do but struggle to do it when it matters most.
Retention is NOT a technical coaching problem. It’s a systemic failure of leadership capability under stress. Current training & development certifies competence yet is lacking when it comes to building capability.
This is where I help sports organisations to address, and bridge, this gap.
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Players drop out at critical transitions. Volunteer coaches burn out. Development programs struggle to translate to practice. Current approaches invest heavily in coach education….yet retention keeps getting worse. Why?
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Through my MSc dissertation at Manchester Metropolitan University (Distinction, 2025), I interviewed coaches with 12-30 years of experience in the world's largest amateur sports organisation. I identified five interconnected leadership competency gaps that emerge under pressure:
1. Authenticity Collapse Values disappear when politics intensify
2. Emotional Intelligence Deficits Self-regulation fails under stress, alienating players
3. Managing Upward Challenges No training to navigate federated governance
4. Connection Beyond Performance Professional methods in amateur contexts create embeddedness failure
5. The Knowing-Doing Gap Front-loaded development doesn't prepare for pressure moments These aren't isolated issues.
Notably. they're an interconnected system. i.e. they perpetuate and propagate each other.
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Evolved development approaches that address these gaps systematically:
✓ Diagnostic-led pathways
✓ Communities of practice
✓ Experiential learning
✓ Differentiated development (coach vs. head coach vs. manager)
✓ Just-in-time support
Currently piloting with organisations across Ireland, UK, and Europe.
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