Stressed at work? But we love the game: Experiences of Australian Football League coaches

Abstract

Background: Chronic job stress has been associated with a range of physical, psychological, social and behavioural health problems. The prevalence of occupational stress and burnout within the sporting domain has substantially increased over time among athletes and coaches at community, sub elite and elite levels of sport. Sports’ coaching is one workplace environment which has attracted interest and attention due to its stressful nature. For coaches who operate within elite sport, the pressures typically intensify in a results-orientated culture that requires considerable investment of time and resources in the search for the competitive edge. Nevertheless, research had yet to examine occupation stress with Australian Football League (AFL) coaches. Given the highly profiled nature of this workplace environment, it was important to investigate the experiences and perceptions of occupational stress, general health and work-life balance of senior and assistant coaches involved in the AFL. This will enhance the health, well-being and performance of these coaches and also inform important risk management policies and programs for AFL coaches.