In New Zealand's diverse sporting environments, multilingual coaches play a vital role in bridging language and cultural gaps. Rather than being seen as a challenge, coaching in different languages should be recognised as a unique strength that enhances accessibility and inclusion in sport.
New Zealand is home to a growing number of demographics that are underrepresented in team sports. Recent and long term migration trends highlight Asian and Pasifika of those migrating here, as well as a growing number of the next generation identifying as part of those demographics. Multilingual coaches have a unique ability to connect with these athletes and their families, making sport more welcoming and inclusive.
The Strengths of Multilingual Sports Coaching
Building Trust and Connection
For many athletes and parents' different cultural backgrounds, language can be a barrier to fully engaging in sports. A coach who incorporates different languages can create an immediate sense of belonging, making it easier for athletes to ask questions, understand feedback, and feel comfortable on the court. Studies have shown this doesn't need to be a fluent exchange! Rather the effort of communicating in the participants language was the source of these outcomes. (Cohen et al, 2012)
Enhancing Learning and Retention
Just as multilingual teachers break down language and cultural barriers in education, multilingual coaches can simplify complex instructions, ensuring all athletes - regardless of their English proficiency - can understand and engage in the activity. This leads to better skill development, greater confidence, and a more enjoyable experience. (Clouet et al, 2006)
Encouraging Participation from Migrant Communities
Many migrant and minority communities hesitate to participate in organized sports due to language barriers or unfamiliarity with the system. Research highlights that creating inclusive sporting environments requires more than just access to play; it involves fostering positive relationships, establishing respectful norms, and providing spaces beyond the game for connection and cultural exchange. (Corvino et al, 2022) Having coaches who reflect their backgrounds and can communicate in their native languages not only encourages participation but also helps create a sense of belonging, cultural pride, and opportunities for reflection on challenges beyond the sports field.
Inspiring Future Coaches and Leaders
Representation matters. When young athletes see coaches who share their language and background, they are more likely to believe they, too, can become leaders in sports. This helps create a pipeline for future coaches, referees, and administrators from diverse communities.
How to Incorporate a Multilingual Approach to your Coaching
Here's some of the approaches we take at Skillset Basketball to support our multilingual community (Even when we're not fluent)
Learning Key Phrases: Hi, Bye, Run Faster, Good Job. Start with simple terms that are easy to incorporate into your training.
Visual Aids: The word might be different but the actions, hand signals and a bit of charades can bridge the gap when words don't quite cut it.
Encourage Peer Support: Pairing athletes with a bilingual teammate can help them feel more included
Enunciate: When you're learning a new language sometimes it takes a bit longer to process the meaning. If your player asks for you to repeat - slow down, enunciate or explore if there's a specific term that they're struggling with.
Engage with Families: Encouraging and supporting athletes' parents with drills and skills can help whole family units to feel more comfortable and engaged in the sport.
Skillset Basketball: Multilingual Coaches and Pathways
A huge passion at Skillset Basketball is to make it accessible and fun for any background and level to come and be active. Currently in our coaching team we cover four languages: Maori, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean and Samoan. That flexibility has allowed us to cater to a diverse community of players both new and returning in our Wellington and Auckland Programs.
If your interested in joining us as a player or a coach come along and check us out for a trial. And help us keep bringing families together, one skill at a time.
Community Poll: How many languages does your family speak?
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