Elite Coaches Research Articles

Out of the shadows into the limelight: the impact of commercialization on the Swedish men’s elite football coach from the 1960s until today

Until the 1960s, the elite coach was shadowed by elected representatives and amateur players. Since then, the professionalization process has transferred power to the coaches. As this process is intertwined with the commercialization of sport, the aim of this article is to advance the understanding of the impact of commercialization on the elite coach in a Scandinavian context. Through the lens of governmentality, and the Swedish men’s elite football coach as the example, the study shows how commercialization has impacted the coach’s power and responsibilities in the club, the relationships with the athletes, and with external stakeholders. The study draws on the board minutes and annual reports of a football club, education material from the Swedish coach education programme, and interviews with six former coaches. The results show that the governmentality of commercialization has placed the coach in the limelight, that they are responsible for guiding the players’ actions to enhance their economic value, and are the club’s outward face to convince external stakeholders to invest in football.

Exploring pregnancy and postpartum experiences among geographically diverse elite athletes: A qualitative study

ObjectivesFemale athletes who experience childbirth during their athletic careers can expect to return to elite sports postpartum and perform at a comparable or improved level. However, mothering athletes often encounter significant barriers when re-entering elite sports. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of a geographically diverse group of mothering athletes who returned to elite sports after childbirth. DesignQualitative phenomenological research design using semi-structured interviews. MethodsIn-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with nineteen mothering elite running athletes hailing from fourteen different countries. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsFindings were generated into five main themes: (1) Deciding to become a mother, (2) revealing pregnancy to stakeholders, (3) experience of pregnancy, (4) combining motherhood and elite running, and (5) improvement strategies to support athlete mothers. The findings revealed that participants experienced stress regarding their pregnancy announcements due to concerns about potential repercussions on their careers. These concerns included the impact on sponsorship deals, relationships with governing bodies, and interactions with their coaches. Participants felt their elite coaches and health practitioners had insufficient education to support them throughout their pregnancies and postpartum return to elite running. Finally, athletes express a sense of diminished pressure and increased motivation in races upon resuming their elite careers, attributing their improved athletic performance postpartum to their shift in focus from themselves to their child. ConclusionsThis study illuminates challenges and offers valuable insights to coaches, sponsors, health practitioners, exercise professionals, researchers, race organizers, and governing athletic bodies in better supporting mothering athletes.

Predicting the potential of middle- and long-distance track runners by evaluating the performance improvement rate.

The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to determine the rate of performance improvement among France's top 10 athletes in middle- and long-distance events (e.g., 800 m, 1500 m and 5000 m) by analyzing their personal best performances per season over several years; and 2) to develop an index of the optimal performance improvement rate for use by elite coaches and athletes in assessing athletes' progression, predicting potential performances, and possibly detecting high-potential athletes. The top 10 athletes in the Fédération Française d'Athlétisme (FFA) rankings of the 800-m, 1500-m and 5000-m events for each sex were assessed for their history of race times before achieving their best race time (BRT). For each athlete, the difference between the current BRT and last season's BRT was defined as the 1-season improvement rate (1-SIR), whereas the average improvement rate in the last and preceding seasons was the multiseason improvement rate (M-SIR). Sex differences were observed in the 5000 m only for M-SIR (%) (P<0.05), and significantly higher rates of improvement were observed for 1-SIR (min) and M-SIR mostly for the 5000 m as opposed to the 800 m and 1500 m. Prediction using this index may be used to detect talents (those who have the potential for high level performances and/or the potential to break national records) and to follow and optimize training strategy and competitions.

A Project-Led Framework for Coach Development in English Men’s Professional Football: A Premier League Case Study

Coach education and development programmes are central to the professional development experiences of sport coaches. Typically, these programmes are structured and sequenced in a linear pathway, and present an opportunity for certification which can be a prerequisite to practice and/or employment. Increasingly, as learning becomes viewed as part of a coach’s lifeworld, versus simply as a means to an end, education and development provision is beginning to reflect this. This article introduces and explores the Coach Development Institute Programme, part of the Premier League’s Elite Coaching Plan, which seeks to improve the quality of football coaching in English boys’/men’s football by engaging coaches in a 2-year work-based learning opportunity. Built around a core of project-based learning and assessment, coaches are supported as they examine a series of meaningful performance problems in their unique practice environments. Through this work, we demonstrate how theories, concepts, and principles from the adult education and assessment as learning literature might work as they are applied in a coach education and development context. With such sparsity of case-based examples like this within the peer-reviewed literature, we intend that our contribution could inform, promote dialogue, and raise questions about authentically supporting coaches beyond a minimum standard of practice.

The importance of paddling to surfing performance: Insights from elite athletes, coaches, and performance support practitioners

Although paddling has been widely studied, there remains a limited understanding of how a surfer's paddling ability directly influences their wave-riding performance. Using an ecological approach, this study examined the importance of paddling to surfing performance from the perspective of elite Australian athletes, coaches, and performance support practitioners. Ten elite Australian surfing coaches, ten elite Australian surfing athletes, and eight performance support practitioners completed semi-structured interviews. This approach underscores the significance of incorporating experiential knowledge from coaches, athletes, and performance support practitioners, particularly in surfing where the nature of high-performance sport requires a multi-disciplinary approach and highlights the potential value of qualitatively exploring expert perspectives. Findings showed that all participants agree that paddling is an integral aspect of surfing performance despite not being directly scored in competition. The ecological dynamics approach provided a framework for understanding the function of paddling as a tool that enables surfers to exploit the affordances of the environment and support positive performance outcomes under highly variable conditions. The findings highlight the complexities of the performer-environment relationship in surfing and draw attention to the potential for improvements in surfing performance that may be elicited by enhancing a surfer's paddling ability. This study contributes to a growing body of sports science literature investigating paddling performance in surfers and underscores the importance of paddling to surfing performance.

The isometric and isokinetic knee extension and flexion muscle strength profile of elite soccer players

BackgroundThis study aimed to further complete normative data sets for the strength profile of the thigh in soccer players by performing isometric and isokinetic measurements in a large sample per player position.MethodsIn total, 364 soccer players were divided into subgroups according to their pitch position. All players performed isometric and isokinetic strength measurements during active competition period using an isokinetic dynamometer (System 3, Biodex®, ENRAF-NONIUS, New York, USA).ResultsIsokinetic strength of m. Quadriceps was significantly (p = 0.023) higher in strikers compared to central midfielders in both the dominant (+ 9%) and the non-dominant (+ 4%) leg. No further differences were found in isometric or isokinetic strength per playing positions.ConclusionsWe have shown that strength profiles do not differ between playing positions on the field. This is valuable information for elite soccer high performance coaches and medical staffs aiming to improve daily training efficiency and rehabilitation of their players.

Enhancing athletic performance with complex contrast training: A Delphi study of elite strength and conditioning coaches

This Delphi study identifies how elite strength and conditioning coaches prescribe complex contrast training to team sport athletes. Thirty-eight elite strength and conditioning coaches with experience working in high performance settings participated in a three-round survey. Round one was used to collect open-ended responses regarding the programming of complex contrast training. Responses were formulated into statements for rounds two and three, where participants rated their level of agreement using a 9-point Likert scale (agreement threshold ≥80%). In round one, 139 statements were formulated. Twenty-seven statements reached consensus in round two, and four more in round three. Based upon consensus, complex contrast training is best used during the season and dedicated power blocks. It was recommended that strength and power exercises within complex contrast training pairings be performed for 3–4 sets of 3–4 repetitions. Loading of 85–90% of one repetition maximum (1RM) was recommended for strength exercises, with ∼two repetitions in reserve, and BW–30% 1RM for power exercises, with three minutes of rest between contrast sets. Upper body pressing, upper body throwing, lower body squatting and hinging, and lower body jumping and bounding exercises were recommended. Coaches reported using complex contrast training to enhance power-focused training, and because it is more time efficient. Complex contrast training may be a time efficient method of improving athletic performance when training time is limited. Results from this study can guide the development of complex contrast training programs for team-sport athletes, and provides valuable insight into how elite coaches enhance performance.

Analysing short-term training load distribution in elite European basketball: an exploration under six head coaches

ABSTRACT The study aimed to analyse and comprehend the variability in training load periodisation among elite basketball coaches, identifying specific strategies employed during different stages preceding matches. The external workload was monitored during the three practices prior to the first match of the week using wearable microtechnology over six seasons (2016–17 to 2021–22). Eight variables were collected for analysis during all sessions and across the six coaches: total duration, Player Load (PL), accelerations (ACC), decelerations (DEC) and number of JUMPS in both total (t) and high intensity bands (h). The study revealed significant variations in training load variables across pre-match sessions, with MD-1 showing distinct differences compared to MD-3 and MD-2. Coaches exhibited diverse approaches in managing external load variables, particularly evident in MD-3 where Co1 imposed the lowest load and Co3 the highest. Results showed significant variability in training load variables across pre-match sessions, with MD-1 exhibiting distinct differences compared to MD-3 and MD-2. Significant variability was observed among coaches for each MD. While there was a general trend that all coaches followed to some extent, each coach still had their unique methods or strategies, and these differences were most apparent during the MD-3.

Mental health symptoms among Dutch elite athletes and their coaches: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo establish the prevalence of mental health symptoms (MHSs) among Dutch elite athletes and their coaches, to examine the association between potential contributing factors and MHS among Dutch elite athletes...

Challenges and Issues Encountered by Elite Coaches in Developing Student-Athletes at Malaysian Sports Schools

The Malaysian Sports School (MSS) is a governmental institution under the purview of the Ministry of Education Malaysia. It is a specialised institution that prioritises sports education and training for exceptionally gifted young athletes. The primary goal of MSS is to create a conducive environment for students to thrive in both academic and athletic pursuits. It is imperative to enhance the domain of sports at the school level in order to optimise the performance and accomplishments of student-athletes across different sports disciplines. Hence, this study aims to investigate the specific problems and obstacles encountered by top-tier coaches at MSS in nurturing gifted student-athletes The study employed the Qualitative Method, specifically utilising the Evolved Grounded Theory approach developed by Strauss and Corbin. Data was gathered from ten elite coaches in five MSS using in-depth semi-structured open interviews, observation, and document analysis. The purpose was to identify the primary issues and challenges they encountered. The data were transcribed exactly as spoken and analysed using Atlas. ti 8.0 software, following the recommended approach of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding as proposed by Strauss and Corbin. The study's findings indicate that coaching presents three primary challenges: 1) Roles and Responsibilities, 2) Performance goals, and 3) External Factors. In addition, there are three primary coaching issues: 1) Facilities, 2) Maintenance, and 3) Transportation. Hence, this discovery will assist MSS stakeholders, particularly the ministry and other stakeholders, in recognising and addressing areas that can be enhanced and reinforced for the mentoring and growth requirements of student athletes. This will ensure that MSS plays a pivotal role in cultivating skilled student athletes who can represent Malaysia in the future. Keywords: Elite coach, student-athlete's development, challenges, issues, challenges, Malaysian sports school.

Yoga, a mindfulness therapy to prevent PTSD as to encompass athletes' performance.

Yoga is one of the physical and mental activities used in elite sports training for risk prevention and medical rehabilitation in case of injuries caused by overtraining or accidents. This study examined the opinions of Romanian elite athletes and coaches on the feasibility of incorporating yoga practice into training regimens for purposes of injury prevention and medical recovery. This study surveyed a group of 500 athletes, coaches, and medical personnel from three universities in Romania, all of which are part of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (PES). An online survey was administered which evaluates athletes' experience of yoga integration in pre/post training and its positive effects on reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The data were then analyzed with a structural equation model utilizing SmartPLS software. According to the survey, Romanian athletes use yoga both before and after competitions to improve their focus, balance, muscle, and joint elasticity, foster a winning mindset, control their emotions and PTSD, visualize their competition performance, and see themselves as winners. The survey also found that yoga is seen as useful for cardiac rehabilitation, neuropathic pain, pulmonary disease, orthopedic illness, muscle strain, and managing symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study contributes to enhancing athletes' mindfulness and health, offering valuable insights to trainers and athletes interested in incorporating yoga into professional sports activity. The results support the notion that yoga integration in training activity promises to positively influence athletes' performance and reduce collateral side effects of competitions. The results are also in line with the objectives of the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030 (GAPPPA) - with the theme of "being more efficient to prevent than to treat" - which places special emphasis on the demands for certain programs and services, sports coverage, and healthy workplace initiatives. The study further indicates that Romanian elite athletes and coaches support the use of yoga is an effective method for enhancing athletic training and medical therapy for post-traumatic illnesses and stress disorders.

Nutrition for European Elite Fencers: A Practical Tool for Coaches and Athletes.

The aim of this narrative review is to create a comprehensive, innovative, and pragmatic resource to guide elite fencers and coaches in making strategic nutritional choices to enhance performance and facilitate recovery. The literature review identified only 12 articles specifically addressing the topic of nutrition for fencers. Thus, the recommendations provided in this review derive also from articles dealing with similar sports, such as martial arts, and from investigations with European elite fencers and their coaches. For elite fencers, it is suggested to consume daily 7-11 g/kg of body weight (BW) of carbohydrates and 1.5-2 g/kg of BW of proteins and allocate 25% to 30% of the total energy intake to essential fats, with a specific focus on omega-3 fatty acids. The timing of meals, ideally within one hour after exertion, plays a pivotal role in restoring glycogen reserves and preventing injuries. The intake of leucine, creatine, omega-3, collagen, and vitamins C and D is proposed as a strategy for injury recovery. It is worth acknowledging that even when personalized plans are provided, implementation can be challenging, especially during competitions and training camps.

Supporting the professional sports coach in the workplace: presenting the pedagogue as the missing scientist

ABSTRACT This is a positional paper in which we consider (re)imagining the role of the pedagogue as one who is specifically employed in a multi-disciplinary team of experts that can advise the professional sports coach. Our rationale is underpinned by multiple factors including the low impact of coach education, issues with knowledge translation, and current prevailing discourses in elite sport. Consequently, we employ ethnodrama as a “way in” to explore the precarious existence of elite coaches, cohering specifically around the profligate “hiring and firing” cultures found in professional football. This enables the inquiry to highlight how the pedagogue – the missing scientist – can utilise practical solutions on the ground responding to real-world problems. Going further, we consider how this role could also become a pivotal figure of resistance to the current value system inherent within elite sport reported to jeopardise athletes’ health and wellbeing. Thus, we respond to numerous challenges replete in elite sport organisations that are attracting increasing attention.

Perceptions and beliefs on sports injury prediction as an injury risk reduction strategy: An online survey on elite athletics (track and field) athletes, coaches, and health professionals

ObjectivesTo explore perceptions and beliefs of elite athletics (track and field) athletes, coaches, and health professionals, towards the use of injury prediction as an injury risk reduction strategy. DesignCross-sectional study. MethodDuring the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich, registered athletes, coaches, and health professionals were asked to complete an online questionnaire on their perceptions and beliefs of injury prediction use as an injury risk reduction strategy. The perceived level of interest, intent to use, help, potential stress (psychological impact) and dissemination were assessed by a score from 0 to 100. ResultsWe collected 54 responses from 17 countries. Elite athletics stakeholders expressed a perceived level of interest, intent to use, and help of injury prediction of (mean ± SD) 85 ± 16, 84 ± 16, and 85 ± 15, respectively. The perceived level of potential stress was 41 ± 33 (range from 0 to 100), with an important inter-individual variability in each elite athletics stakeholder's category. ConclusionsThis was the first study investigating the perceptions and beliefs of elite athletics stakeholders regarding the use of injury prediction as an injury risk reduction strategy. Regardless of the stakeholders, there was a high perceived level of interest, intent to use and help reported in this potential strategy.

Mental Health in Elite Coaches.

Coaches play an important role in promoting mental health in elite sports. However, they themselves are exposed to risks affecting their mental health, and their fears and worries are often overlooked. Moreover, it remains unclear how coaches' mental health affects their athletes' mental health. To create a compilation of the literature on (1) elite coaches' mental health and (2) how coaches' mental health influences elite athletes' mental health. Building on this, recommendations for improving coaches' psychological well-being should be elaborated upon and discussed. A literature search was conducted up to November 30, 2021, using the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and SportDiscus. Studies reporting elite coaches' mental health symptoms and disorders and the influence of elite coaches' mental health on elite athletes' mental health were included. Scoping review. Level 4. Data regarding elite coaches' mental health, as well as their influence on athletes' mental health and performance, were included in a descriptive analysis. The PRISMA guidelines were used to guide this review. Little research has been done on elite coaches' mental health disorders, although studies confirm that they do experience, for example, symptoms of burnout, anxiety, and depression. The influence of coaches' mental health on their athletes is underinvestigated, with research focused mainly on the influence of coaches' stress. Knowledge about coaches' mental health is still limited. Coaches' poor mental health diminishes coaching performance and might impair athletes' mental health. Coaches should receive more support, including sports psychiatric care and education on the importance of mental health. This could improve the mental health of both coaches and athletes, and positively affect athlete performance.

Elite Coaches’ Role in Athletes’ Retirement Transitions: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis

The aim of the research was to understand how prominent sociocultural discourses influenced how coaches construct athletes’ transition out of sport and position themselves within the process of retirement. Interviews with eight male elite coaches were analysed using a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. Coaches’ talk about athletes’ transitions out of sport was constructed within the dominant performance discourse in sport. This suggests years of adhering to disciplinary practices of elite sport left athletes underprepared for the next steps in their life. Even when constructing retirement in more positive terms, this was done in ways that drew on ideas of high performance and objective success. Coaches’ own positions within transitions were discussed by drawing on ideas from a patriarchal construction of the coach–athlete relationship. Here, coaches are positioned as father figures with responsibility for guiding athletes through their careers and transitions out of sport. However, coaches suggested that the policies, procedures, and processes within wider networks of power inside sport often restricted their capacity to support athletes during their transitions. Future research and practice are aimed at helping coaches to navigate the power dynamics of sporting structures and organisations.

Becoming More Authentic as an Elite Coach: The Case Study of Erkka Westerlund

In this empirical case study, we examine one of Finland’s most successful and respected coaches, Erkka Westerlund. Specifically, we adopted a career-focussed approach that traces his growth as an ice hockey coach through an in-depth understanding of his journey, including his early foray into coaching at 12 years of age, his eventual dismissal as a coach at 42 years of age, his hiatus from coaching, and then his return to national and international honours. The case is comprised of multiple data sources such as semistructured interviews and a raft of secondary sources such as media publications about the participant, his autobiography, and video recordings of him speaking at various conferences and events. Data were analysed through indwelling and reflexive thematic analysis. The pivotal turning point in Erkka Westerlund’s coaching journey was a 6-year sabbatical from coaching (1991–1997). This sabbatical was transformative for him as a person and coach. Specifically, this transformation clarified and aligned his coaching and personal identities, who he was as a person (core values), and the subsequent transformation of his coaching practices that led to national and international success.

Behind the Curtains of Elite Esports: A Case Study From a Holistic Ecological Approach to Talent Development

This case study utilized the holistic ecological approach to talent development as a framework to examine the structure and influence of an elite League of Legends environment. We conducted semistructured interviews with five elite male players (Mage = 20.2, SDage = 2.95) and three elite coaches (Mage = 24.67, SDage = 3.21). In addition, observations were implemented in situ to gather important information about the daily life experiences of the esports players and coaches. Findings suggest that this environment’s organizational culture was significantly influenced by interactions within the microenvironment, leading to the development of healthy relationships between players and coaches, impacting development and performance. Given the findings, we offer several salient applied implications for practitioners in elite esports, notably, the importance of understanding a team’s organizational culture alongside working at a one-to-one level. Furthermore, practitioners can educate coaches in optimizing a learning environment and support them in mitigating the challenges of a volatile industry.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Toward the Menstrual Cycle and Menstruation Among Elite African Women Football Players, Coaches, Health Personnel, and Referees

Despite cross-cultural differences in knowledge and attitudes toward menstruation, most studies on menstruation in women’s sport have been conducted in high-income countries, such as in Europe, and none have been conducted in Africa. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of African elite women football players, and their support personnel toward the menstrual cycle and menstruation. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all participants (n = 564) at two African women football tournaments. Ultimately, 238 women football players, 44 coaches, 18 health personnel, and 17 referees completed it. From 317 questionnaires analyzed, 17%, 27%, 56%, and 0% of players, coaches, health personnel, and referees, respectively, knew at least one menstrual cycle hormone; 91%, 95%, and 100% of players, coaches, and referees, respectively, did not know at least one menstrual cycle phase. Over 70% of health personnel believed that menstruation negatively affects women’s performance in sports compared with 36% of players; 18%, 28%, and 18% of players, health personnel, and referees, respectively, believed that, for convenience, the menstrual cycle should be changed by drugs like contraceptives; and 54%, 61%, 62%, and 40% of players, coaches, health personnel, and referees, respectively, were confident providing advice about the menstrual cycle to teammates. Minimal knowledge of the menstrual cycle has implications on the development of menstrual cycle considerate training environments and educational materials in African women’s football. Furthermore, the relatively low perceived effect of the menstrual cycle on sporting performance and belief in the use of contraceptives may be attributable to differences in community-level religiocultural and social contexts which influence menstrual experiences, and shape behavioral expectations.

Coaching Transitions Across Borders: The Pursuit of Individuals Advancing Coaching Careers in the Competitive Global Landscape of Olympic Sports

Intensified international competition for sporting success has facilitated coaches’ cross-national migration, which constitutes a space for coaches’ career transitions and development. This paper examines elite coaches’ international migration as part of coaching career transitions within the context of the global sporting arms race. Using a qualitative case study design, data were generated from documents and semistructured interviews with six South Korean coaches who had moved to Western nations to coach national teams in two Olympic sports. The analysis reveals an underlying mechanism of the coaches’ international mobility: dual imbalances existing between the sending and receiving countries—one in the levels of sporting performance; and the other in the perceived levels of modernisation in coaching cultures and sports systems. The migration opportunities were created by the performance imbalance between the home nation and destinations amid the structural context of the global sporting arms race. However, equally important is the individuals’ strategic initiative to seize the opportunities for their career development and mitigate the perceived modernisation imbalance in coaching practices. By highlighting coaches’ agentic capacity to navigate their career pathways within the global context, this study contributes to the literature on both international coach migration and coaching transitions.