ABSTRACT
The journey toward expert performance in sport is long and complicated, with many variables impacting the final outcomes. Baker and Horton (2004) categorized these variables as primary and secondary factors. Primary factors are those that have a direct impact on one’s ability to attain expert status. Included among these are genetics (e.g., height), training (e.g., amount of deliberate practice), and psychological factors (e.g., intrinsic motivation). Secondary factors moderate or mediate primary factors, thus the impact on one’s expert development is indirect. The most discussed secondary factors in research are sociocultural (e.g., the value a society places on a sport) and contextual influences (e.g., one’s birthdate/birthplace). While most researchers are primarily concerned with understanding the primary and secondary factors that impact athletes’ expertise, a smaller group of researchers dedicate their attention to coaches and officials, which will be the populations of focus in this chapter. Specifically, we are interested in the secondary factor of the use of observation by coaches and officials for their personal development along the pathways to expertise.
