Training Coach-Educators in a Smart Ecosystem: A Conceptual Model of Professional Competence in the Digital Transformation of Sports Education

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose. The article substantiates the theoretical foundations of training coach-educators within the Smart EcoSystem in the context of the digital transformation of sports education. The purpose of the study is to develop a conceptual model for forming the professional competence of a coach capable of functioning effectively in a digitalized educational and sports environment by integrating pedagogical, analytical, and digital tools into the training process. Methods. The methodological framework includes epistemological analysis to clarify the essence of professional and digital competence of coaches; comparative analysis of international coach education models to examine approaches to the professionalization of coaching; a systemic-structural approach to consider coach training as a holistic pedagogical system; pedagogical modeling to construct a conceptual model of professional preparation; and conceptualization to integrate theoretical approaches into a unified pedagogical-digital system. Results. The study proposes a conceptual model for training coach-educators in a Smart EcoSystem, viewing professional development as a multi-level pedagogical-digital system of continuous growth. The model structure comprises competency-based, digital-technological, pedagogical-methodological, and value-humanistic components supplemented by a continuous professional development framework. The findings demonstrate that integrating digital platforms, sports analytics, blended learning technologies, and networked interaction enables the personalization of training processes, enhances pedagogical effectiveness in athlete preparation, and supports the development of reflective professional practice. It is substantiated that digital competence, data literacy, online interaction management, and individualized training design form the foundation of a coach’s professional readiness in the digitalized sports education environment. The theoretical significance lies in shaping a new understanding of coach professional competence as an integrative construct combining pedagogical, psychological, digital, and analytical dimensions, while the practical significance involves the application of the proposed model in modernizing coach education programs and implementing digital technologies in sports education.