Exploring perceptions of performance support team effectiveness in elite sport

Abstract

ABSTRACT Elite sport organisations are increasingly recruiting diverse and sophisticated performance support teams in an attempt to optimise athlete health and performance. These multiteam systems are commonly comprised of sport medicine and sport science personnel (e.g. physiotherapists, sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, nutritionists, psychologists), yet the effectiveness of such teams is reliant upon more than the mere aggregate of the assembled expertise. Whilst the multidimensional nature of team effectiveness has been investigated in other domains, such research pertaining to performance support teams in elite sport is sparse. A qualitative method of enquiry was used to explore performance support team effectiveness across a range of elite sports. Four online focus groups consisting of a total of 18 participants working in English Premier League Football, Formula One, and Olympic Sports (summer and winter) were conducted, and reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. Four overarching themes were generated which are deemed to be associated with performance support team effectiveness: team structure (composition, geographic dispersion, hierarchical arrangement, and leadership), team member attributes (role proficiency, open mindedness, adaptability, and humility), shared mental model (shared objectives, role understanding, and contextual awareness), and social capital (trust, respect, cohesion, and communication). This study provides a greater understanding of performance support team effectiveness in elite sport which has conceivable implications for future research and also professional practice.