Head Coaches Research Articles

Understanding Academic and Athletic Transfer Patterns for Latina/o College Athletes

Using the Student Athlete Climate Dataset, this paper examined factors associated with Latina/o college athletes’ intent to transfer for academic and athletic reasons. This study offers insight regarding how gender, NCAA Division, and geographic location can influence Latina/o college athletes’ decision to transfer. In addition, the roles of faculty members and head coaches were significant in Latina/o college athletes’ intent to transfer for athletic reasons.

Comparing locomotor intensity indicators in soccer training and competition across contextual factors: a study of replaced coaches in a Portuguese professional 1st league team

This study aims to examine, for each head coach (HC) replaced, the association between training intensity and physical performances obtained in games. Furthermore, the study investigated how contextual factors influence locomotor and mechanical performance association. External load variables were collected using Global Positioning System (GPS) devices across the 4 weeks and 4 games before and after the replacement in a professional adult male soccer team. Six different HC records were analysed (48.8 ± 7.4 years of age; 11.2 ± 3.9 years as an HC) during a three-season span (2020/21–2022/2023). There were marked differences within player variability across the two coaching regimes. Game loads didn't reflect training-related performance, with differences ranging from −71.4% to −9.9%. Players under the outgoing coaches have greater coverage of meters per minute. Meters per minute, distance covered over 18 km/h and high-speed running (all in training) are found to be significant variables influenced by contextual factors. Within-subject and time, training loads did not reflect game-related loads/performances, with starters showing higher deficits (ranging from −79.0 to −14.5). The study suggests that changes in soccer HC can affect players' training intensity and game performance, influenced by various contextual factors and not directly correlated. This type of information might be very suitable to improve training load periodization and programming. For further research avenues, could be the study of the variation of the psychological states of the players at the time of the dismissal and hiring of the HCs, associating them with the physiological performance at the same moments.

Failing to Comply With the Rules: Negligent Supervision

This case shows how important it is for all coaches, especially head coaches, to know and understand the rules of their sport. Not just the playing rules, but also administrative rules, which include rules on recruiting. Failure to follow the rules and procedures led the defendants in this case to be liable for negligent supervision.

A CASE STUDY OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO COACHING PROFESSIONAL AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL

INTRODUCTION & AIMS Coaching professional sport is stressful, yet there is little information detailing the physiological and psychological responses of coaches during match-play. The burden of measurement instruments during competition may preclude their use with coaches during this high-pressure part of the coaching cycle. This exploratory case study examined physiological and psychological alterations when coaching professional Australian football to determine the potential health implications and enhance health literacy in coaches. METHODS One head coach of a professional football team was monitored for heart rate (HR), stress-related hormones (C-Reactive Protein, Cortisol, Troponin, Brain Natriuretic Peptide) and psychological stress prior to, during and following seven matches and descriptive data was examined. RESULTS The HR response indicated sustained elevation during match-play, with the intermittent nature of the game causing an undulating profile. Periods of locomotion during breaks in play led to elevations in HR, with maximum HR recorded as 8% above age-predicted maximum. Further, differences in HR were evident in the final five minutes between small (145 ± 7.0 bpm) and large (113 ± 5.1 bpm) score margins. There were no irregularities for stress hormones, while the psychological questionnaire revealed differences in perceptions of accomplishment, success, recovery and stress related to match outcome. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory case study indicated that substantial elevations in HR are evident while coaching professional football, yielding implications for health management. Coaches require appropriate levels of cardiovascular health to cope with the demands of coaching and targeted health intervention programs may be warranted. Further, differences in psychological outcomes from winning or losing may reflect the need to develop recovery and coping strategies that are contextualised to match results. Since match-play observation elicits alterations to physical and psychological markers, confirmatory research with larger cohorts is warranted to examine and enhance well-being and health management strategies in these elite performers.

‘Considering the reality, I am very lucky’: how professional players and staff perceive injury prevention and performance protection in women’s football

ObjectiveTo explore the beliefs and perceptions of professional female footballers and staff regarding injury prevention and performance protection in professional women’s football.MethodsThis qualitative study applied semistructured interviews with 18 participants...

Did court dismiss emotional‐distress claim?

Upon joining the Northwestern University cheerleading team, a female student‐athlete signed an agreement stating she would be present when coaching staff required her to attend an event. The cheerleader claimed the head coach ordered all female cheerleaders to attend fundraisers and alumni events in cheer uniforms that left most of their bodies exposed. The coach allegedly told cheerleaders they should prioritize (1) keeping fans and alumni happy and (2) appearing as fun girls even if they were touched inappropriately.

Did court dismiss coach's Title VII claim?

In her first year as head coach of the University of Montana‐Missoula women's basketball, the coach went 7‐23 overall and 4‐14 in the Big Sky Conference. During this year, a starting player left the team. That student‐athlete's parents filed a complaint against the coach with the athletics director, alleging she caused emotional and psychological damage to their daughter through bullying.

Did court dismiss emotional‐distress claim?

Upon joining the Northwestern University cheerleading team, a female student‐athlete signed an agreement stating she would be present when coaching staff required her to attend an event. The cheerleader claimed the head coach ordered all female cheerleaders to attend fundraisers and alumni events in cheer uniforms that left most of their bodies exposed. The coach allegedly told cheerleaders they should prioritize (1) keeping fans and alumni happy and (2) appearing as fun girls even if they were touched inappropriately.

Court rules against former head coach

Case name: Thompson v. The Pennsylvania State University, No. 1460 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. 11/28/23).

Did court dismiss coach's retaliation claim?

The head coach of the East Carolina University women's volleyball team reported departmentwide Title IX violations. She also alleged that male coaches were treated more favorably than female coaches.

The Downstream Consequences of Race-Related Managerial Job Insecurity: Insights From College Basketball Coaching

We examine how in men’s college basketball coaching, race-related managerial job insecurity trickles down to negatively affect the careers of the subordinates who work for them. Using panel data from a randomly selected group of assistant basketball coaches working under the most prestigious and endowed governing body of collegiate sports in the United States—the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI)—we find that, in men’s college basketball coaching, subordinate White coaches are less likely to be involuntarily dismissed than their non-White, predominantly Black, counterparts because non-White subordinates disproportionately work for racially minoritized, predominantly Black, head coaches who themselves face greater job insecurity. We also find involuntary dismissal correlates with whether assistant coaches leave the ranks of NCAA DI men’s college basketball coaching and explains the significant interaction between race and a teams’ performance relative to their respective conferences. These findings illustrate how race-related managerial job insecurity trickles down to negatively affect the job opportunities of their subordinates and, because of homophily, perpetuates racial disadvantage.

Transient aerodynamic behavior of a high-speed Maglev train in plate braking under crosswind

The test speed of high-speed maglev trains (HSMT) exceeds 600 km/h, requiring higher braking performance and technology. Plate braking technology, which is a suitable choice, has been applied for engineering the high-speed test vehicles. However, the unsteady aerodynamic response during the opening process of HSMT under crosswind needs to be studied. This study explores the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of a HSMT with a train speed of 600 km/h during plate braking at different crosswind speeds. The plate motion is achieved based on the dynamic grid technology, and the unsteady flow field around the train is simulated using the unsteady Reynolds time averaged equation and the shear stress transport k-omega (SST k–ω) turbulence model. This calculation method was verified using wind tunnel test data. The peak aerodynamic drag (AD) of the braking plates overshot during opening. Under a crosswind of 20 m/s, the AD peak of the first braking plate was 11% larger than that without crosswind. The middle braking plates were significantly affected by upstream vortex shedding, and the AD fluctuation was the most severe. The AD of the head and tail coaches is significantly affected by crosswind. With an increase in the crosswind speed, the AD of the head and tail coaches decreased and increased, respectively. Compared with no crosswind, under a crosswind of 20 m/s, the AD of the head coach decreased by 43%, and the AD of the tail coach increased by a factor of approximately 1.1 times. Furthermore, the AD fluctuation of the tail coach was the most severe.

Court rules against former head coach

Case name: Thompson v. The Pennsylvania State University, No. 1460 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. 11/28/23).

Investigating Humor and Team Cohesion in Sports Environments

The purpose of the present research is to investigate the sense of humor and team cohesion in sports environments. The present research is applied in terms of purpose and quantitative in terms of method. The statistical population of the research is male adult group and individual athletes in the premier league. Group disciplines include football, basketball, volleyball, and handball, and individual disciplines include wrestling, taekwondo, swimming, and cycling. The statistical sample includes 17 athletes from 8 different disciplines, including coaches and athletes in group and individual disciplines of adult men in the Premier League. The stratified sampling method is random. In order to measure dependent humor, self-enhancing humor, self-enhancing humor, self-enhancing humor is measured from the 32-item humor questionnaire of Martin, 2003 with a 7-value spectrum. Average There is a meaningful difference between dependent humor , self - aggrandizing humor , aggressive humor , and self - defeating humor . . Finally , according to the tests , it was observed that humor and its components have a significant relationship with group cohesion and its components in sports . The results showed that humor and its components have a significant relationship with players' interest in their coach in individual sports . The result showed that the use of humor by the athletes does not increase self-esteem and the use of the coach Dependent humor (both positive humor styles ) was associated with increased interest in the coach, while athletes ' use of self - actualizing humor ( a negative humor style ) was associated with decreased interest . The head coach was in touch.

Understanding workplace collaboration in professional rugby coaching: a dramaturgical analysis

ABSTRACT This ethnography examined the occupational teamwork of a Head Coach and his colleagues (assistants) in the rarely accessed world of professional rugby union. Extensive field notes and participant interviews were subject to emic and etic interpretations. The heuristic framework comprised the work of both classic and contemporary dramaturgical theorists. Our analysis generated novel findings regarding the everyday strategies and tactics that underpinned the collaborative production of this team’s workplace performances. These included how a team identity was constructed and how the Head Coach pursued co-operation, envisioned and advocated for collective missions, and sustained team ventures in their rhythmical doing of organisational life. This study is among the first to provide situated insights into how team performance was productively managed, negotiated, and co-ordinated in the context of a high-performance sport workplace. The insights provided hold significance for researchers, practitioners, educators, and other stakeholders concerned with the dramaturgical demands of organisational life, and with the coherent doing of sports work by managers (head coaches) and their colleagues.

Research note: Evaluating the efficacy of an online post event reflection tool in competitive sport

In competitive sport environments, coaches and sport psychology practitioners work to optimize individual and team performance. One strategy identified as a key to optimal sport performance is athlete self-awareness. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel, online post-event reflection (PER) tool. Using a mixed methods design, 22 members of a competitive women’s ice hockey team completed the PER across one season. The PER demonstrated efficacy through tailored insight used as a basis for athlete discussions, complementing other performance-related feedback. Follow-up interviews with three team members and the head coach provided additional support for the efficacy of the PER. Lay summary: In competitive sport environments, coaches and sport psychology practitioners work to optimize individual and team performance. This study provides evidence to support the use a novel, online post-event reflection tool by athletes, coaches, and sport psychology practitioners to enhance athlete self-awareness of mental skills and performance.

Updating Beliefs Based on Observed Performance: Evidence From NFL Head Coaches

We utilize play-by-play data from the National Football League to examine coaching decisions on fourth down and how sensitive they are to information on situational success and their competitive environment. Prior fourth down successes and failures within a game influence coaches in a way consistent with the notion that recent information is more salient to these coaches when making decisions and a belief in in-game momentum. Coaches are more sensitive to fourth down failures than successes, and our findings suggest this sensitivity to prior failures leads to suboptimal fourth down decisions later in the game. This finding is generally driven by the behavior of coaches with a background in coaching offense, suggesting the availability heuristic is particularly potent for managers who are more involved and, perhaps, more accountable for the details of fourth down plays. We suspect these patterns are prevalent in a wide range of managerial contexts.

The Role of Social Support in Concussion Rehabilitation: A Prospective Mixed Methods Study of Canadian University Athletes’ Return to Sport

Context: Social support is an important consideration during athletes’ rehabilitation following a concussion. Yet, its influence during the return-to-sport (RTS) strategy has been underexplored. Design: Concussed athletes’ experiences with social support during RTS were explored prospectively using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Methods: University rugby, basketball, and track and field athletes (N = 8) from a single Canadian institution, 19–23 years of age (mean = 20.63, SD = 1.51), completed concentric circles maps, the Perceived Available Support in Sport Questionnaire, and 2 semistructured interviews during their RTS. We analyzed concentric circles maps and questionnaire data descriptively and interview data using codebook thematic analysis. Results: Athletes identified 16 different social support agents. The 5 most important agents during RTS were athletic therapists, student therapists, head coaches, significant others, and teammates/friends. Significant others provided the most emotional (mean = 2.82, SD = 1.85) and esteem (mean = 2.63, SD = 1.85) support, and the athletic therapist (mean = 1.82, SD = 1.35) and head coaches (mean = 0.93, SD = 1.19) provided the most informational and tangible support. We generated 4 themes from athletes’ interviews: social support behaviors, contextual factors, concussion and RTS factors, and psychological readiness factors. Conclusions: The number of social support agents present, frequency of support types, and demonstration of support behaviors decreased across the concussion RTS strategy. Contextual (ie, toughness), concussion (ie, visibility), and RTS (ie, prognosis uncertainty) factors influenced athletes’ perceptions of social support agents’ support behaviors. Results add to our limited understanding of athletes’ social support during RTS following a concussion and suggest exploring the integration of behavior-specific (eg, checking in, providing reassurance, and demonstrating compassion) social support strategies to promote concussion rehabilitation and readiness to RTS.

Coaches’ Provision of Structure for Players’ Competence Development: Perspectives of Professional Soccer Coaches and Players in Norway

Developing athletes’ actual and perceived competence is critical to enhancing performance and considered central to coaching. According to self-determination theory, the provision of competence-supportive structure is critical for psychological need satisfaction, optimal motivation, and well-being. Coaches use of structure such as providing clear expectations, instructional guidance, and feedback are well-established coaching practices; however, little is known about how, and to what extent, these types of structure support or thwart players’ perceptions of competence, particularly in high-performance contexts. Five head coaches working in the highest soccer league in Norway, and three players from each of the participating head coach’s squads (N = 15) participated in semistructured interviews. Through abductive analysis, we generated five themes: structure to promote competence; coaching for competence development; relatedness support as a foundation for effective structure; freedom within structure is useful; and shared ownership of, and with, structure. The findings provide evidence that professional soccer coaches and players in this study desire and deliver structure. It is provided in an autonomy-supportive way and built on a relatedness supportive foundation. This study contributes new insight into the importance of competence-supportive structure in coaching, which coaches and those supporting the development of coaches may find useful.

Contemporary practices of Portuguese and Brazilian soccer coaches in designing and applying small-sided games.

This descriptive study aimed to investigate the current practices of Portuguese and Brazilian soccer coaches in the design and implementation of small-sided games (SSGs) in soccer. A total of 187 male coaches participated in the online survey, consisting of 82 Portuguese and 105 Brazilian individuals. These coaches held various positions within the technical staff, with 63 serving as head coaches, 38 as assistant coaches, 38 as physical trainers, and 48 in other roles related to the technical staff. Additionally, the participants represented both youth (n = 102) and adult competitive levels (n = 59), along with some who were not currently associated with a specific group. The survey consisted of 32 questions divided into three main sections: (i) the timing of SSG application, (ii) the methods used for applying SSGs, and (iii) the reasons for applying SSGs. The Chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between nationality and the frequency of SSGs used in training sessions during the pre-season (p = 0.039) and in-season (p < 0.001). Moreover, significant association between nationality and the time allocated to employing SSGs for targeting aerobic training (p < 0.001) was found. There was a significant association between nationality and the weekly frequency of SSGs use for targeting sprint training (p = 0.019). The Chi-square test identified significant associations between nationality and the use of SSGs for targeting technical training (p = 0.002), as well as for tactical training (p = 0.002). In summary, this study underscores that SSGs are primarily employed to enhance aerobic fitness, change of direction, technical skills, and tactical behaviors. Coaches generally favor employing SSGs two to three times a week, with typical sessions lasting between 16 to 30 minutes. Notably, the major discrepancies between nationalities lie in the importance assigned to the use of SSGs. However, in practice, the formats and objectives for implementing SSGs remain relatively similar.