Understanding dis/ableism in sport coaching

Robert C. Townsend, Kelsey M. Randrup, Olivia Clare and William M. Roberts

Chapter 17 in Handbook of Sport Coaching Research, 2026, pp 191-202 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter provides an overview of the rapidly evolving field of coaching in disability and para sport. In adopting a critical position, we argue that coaching in disability sport is more than adapting practice—it requires a critical understanding of the social and cultural factors shaping disabled athletes’ experiences in sport and the role coaching plays in either resisting or reinforcing dominant narratives of disability. We provide readers with the theoretical language to interrogate the intersections of disability, sport, and coaching, drawing from Critical Disability Studies (CDS) to introduce the concepts of disablism and ableism, and how these are implicated in coaching discourse, practice, and coach education. In providing researchers and practitioners with a sensitising framework drawn from critical disability studies, we argue for more participatory and inclusive approaches to coaching research—ensuring that the field collectively moves beyond accommodation and towards transformation.

Keywords: ableism; able-bodied privilege; disablism; participatory research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035341634
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