Abstract
The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore situations in which athletes perceived communication with their coach to be important and determine the effect of this communication on the athletes. Literature on the communication process in sports emphasizes the distinct characteristics of each sports and its setting. However, previous research has not studied various settings in detail, and archery is yet to be explored. The qualitative process included an in-depth, semi-structured interview with eight Olympic archers. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Athletes perceived communication with coaches to be important during their performance, while dealing with psychological crises, and during their training. Our analysis suggests that, depending on the communicative actions, a coach may positively or negatively impact an athlete’s self-awareness, self-confidence, anxiety, autonomy, and motivation. A noteworthy finding of this study is that archers perceive communication with coaches about the selection and management of equipment as important. This study emphasizes the critical role of an athlete’s communication with the coach in various situations and discusses the theoretical and practical implications in the context of sports performance.
Highlights
For athletes in elite sports to achieve professional success, talent and a high level of performance skills are important prerequisites
Sports psychologists unanimously agree that the coach–athlete relationship is a crucial predictor of successful coaching [1]
The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the coach–athlete communication process specific to archery
Summary
For athletes in elite sports to achieve professional success, talent and a high level of performance skills are important prerequisites. The coach–athlete relationship can be defined as an interaction in which the cognition, feelings, and behavior of the coach and the athlete are mutually and causally interrelated and change over time [2]. Studies conducted on successful Olympic athletes have revealed that the trust and friendship between the coach and the player and constructive feedback are factors that have a positive effect on the athlete’s performance [3]. Mutual respect and effective communication between the coach and athlete are important factors that establish a successful relationship [1,4,5]. Lack of trust between the two, assertiveness of the coach, and disrespectful behavior are factors that have a negative effect on the coach–athlete relationship and on the athlete’s subjective well-being [6,7,8]
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