Desired coaching behaviours of elite divers during competition

Abstract

ABSTRACT A great deal of research on coach-athlete interactions during competition has focused on team sports, something which does not consider the many contextual differences between team and individual sports. Diving is an individual sport where recurrent intermittent breaks between dives in competition provide athletes and coaches with opportunities to communicate and interact during an event. The purpose of this study was to understand elite divers’ perspectives of their coaches’ behaviours during competition. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documents with six national team springboard and platform divers. A reflexive thematic analysis of the data revealed that athletes and coaches carefully developed and implemented individualised routines to deal with the pressures of competition. Athletes discussed the importance of trust and understanding with their coaches as crucial elements to facilitate performance in a high-risk sport. Athletes also found it particularly challenging when they felt their coaches were frustrated, disappointed, or giving up on them. From a practical perspective, our findings are useful for coaches and athletes in similar sports with intermittent breaks throughout the long day of competition, such as track and field, snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and weightlifting.