Coach and Athlete Relationship - Special Academic Support

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20th-century sports have made coaching a critical profession. The coach is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring individuals or teams success in any sport. In athletics, the coach influences both the sense of personal fulfillment and the performance of an athlete (Jowett and Cockeril, 2002). In team sports, a coach plays the key role of influencing team cohesion and culture. During the coaching process, many interpersonal relationships are formed. This essay is more interested in the coach-athlete relationship. The relationship formed between the coach and athlete during the process of coaching is vital in determining the performance (Jowett and Cockeril, 2002). A coach-athlete relationship forms the foundation of coaching and is entrenched in the complexity and dynamism of the coaching process (Jowett and Cockeril, 2002). This essay, therefore, seeks to provide an insight into the coach-athlete relationship.

The coach-athlete relationship is characterized by a high level of interdependency. This is manifested in the athletes and coachs cognition, affect and behaviors and in the athletes desire for skill and knowledge from the coach, the coachs desire to impart knowledge, expertise and experience to the athlete, and for both the coach and athlete to translate this into positive outcomes like performance success (Antonini, Philippe and Seiler, 2006). The athlete-coach relationship is fundamental in the coaching process because its nature not only determines the performance accomplishments of an athlete but also the athletes satisfaction and self-esteem (Jowett and Meek, 2000).

The nature of the coach-athlete relationship can have a profound impact on the efficiency of their training sessions. Consequently, this may directly or indirectly influence such important factors as motivation, enjoyment, satisfaction and performance (Jowett and Poczwardowski, 2007). Besides, the nature of the interaction between the coach and an athlete can determine coaching quality and the dyadic athletic relationship between the coach and an athlete (Jowett and Pocswardowski, 2007). The effective coach-athlete relationship is holistic in that it places emphasis on positive development and growth as a coach/athlete and as a person (Jowett and Pocswardowski, 2007). Despite the significance of the coach-athlete relationship in coaching, factors that may potentially lead to effective relationships between the coach and an athlete remain unknown.

Research on coach-athlete relationship dynamics has been studied from a leadership point of view since the 1970s (e.g. the multidimensional model by Chelladurai, 1993). This approach is, however, limited in that it emphasizes coach leadership and fails to address the mutual relationship between a coach and an athlete.

This apparent gap triggered the development of various relationship-oriented conceptual models in the recent past as evidenced on Jowett and Cockerill (2002), Poczwardowski et al. (2002) and Wylleman (2000) among other studies. However, most of these models focus on the interpersonal behavior between the coach and athlete leaving out other important non-behavioral elements of relationships.

Recent studies have shifted their approach to more relevant conceptual models of Co-orientation and 3 Cs (Jowett, 2007; Jowett and Chaundy, 2004; Olympiou et al., 2005; Jowett and Clark-Carter, 2005). Such conceptual models allow for a broader study of the subject to explore other elements of coaching apart from performance output.

In conclusion, the relationship between the coach and athlete is significant not only to the career development of an athlete but also to the athletes personal development. While most studies focus on positive coach-athlete relationships, there is a need to explore factors that may lead to effective coach-athlete relationships. A comprehensive study that focuses on other important elements of coaching except for performance is highly recommended.

References

Antonini Philippe, R. A., & Seiler, R. (2006). Closeness, co-orientation and complementarity in coach-athlete relationships: what male swimmers say about their male coaches. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 7, 159171. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Jowett, S. & Chaundy, V. (2004). An investigation into the impact of coach leadership and coach-athlete relationship on group cohesion. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research and Practice, 8, 302311. Washington DC, USA: American Psychological Association.

Jowett, S. & Clark-Carter, D. (2005). Perceptions of empathic accuracy and assumed similarity in the coach-athlete relationship. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Jowett, S. (2007). Interdependence analysis and the 3þ1Cs in the coach-athlete relationship. In S. Jowett, & D. Lavallee (Eds.), Social psychology in sport (pp.1527).Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Jowett, S., & Cockerill, I. M. (2003). Olympic medallists perspective of the athlete coach relationship. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 4, 313331. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Jowett, S., & Meek, G. A. (2000). The coach-athlete relationship in married couples: an exploratory content analysis. The Sport Psychologist, 14, 157175. Italy: Edizione l Pozzi

Jowett, S., & Poczwardowski, A. (2007). Understanding the coach-athlete relationship. In S. Jowett, & D. Lavallee (Eds.), Social psychology in sport (pp. 314). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Olympiou, A., Jowett, S. & Duda, J.L. (2005). Psychological needs as mediators of social contexts and role ambiguity. Symposium on interpersonal relationships in sport and exercise. Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Manchester.

Poczwardowski, A., Barott, J.E. & Peregoy J.J. (2002). The athlete and coach: Their relationships and its meaning Methodological concerns and research process. The Sports Psychology, 33, 98115.Italy: Edizione l Pozzi

Smoll, F.L. & Smith, R.E. (1989). Leadership behaviors in sport: A theoretical model and research paradigm. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19, 15221551.

Wylleman, P. (2000). Interpersonal relationships in sport: Uncharted territory in sport psychology research. The Sports Psychology, 31, 555572. Italy: Edizione l Pozzi

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