Majority Of Coaches Research Articles

Investigating Painkiller Use in Amateur Football: A Coach's Perspective.

Painkiller use in amateur sports and, especially, in football is increasingly being discussed, but the scientific data on this field are very limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of painkiller use in amateur football from the perspective of coaches, as well as to determine how and to which extent coaches can influence their teams in terms of painkiller use and prevention. Using an online questionnaire, a cross-sectional analysis of painkiller use in German amateur football from the 4th league to the lowest amateur classes was carried out from the perspective of team coaches. A total of 628 participants were contacted, and 400 (63.7%) completed the questionnaire completely and were therefore included in the evaluation. Of the 400 participating team coaches in amateur football, 369 (92.3%) were male and 31 (7.7%) were female. The coaches reported that 36.2% (SD = 29.1) of their players have used painkillers at some point due to football-related pain in their career. The majority of coaches believed that the use of painkillers is not compatible with competition (74%), and even more believed that it is not compatible with football training (90.8%). Furthermore, 56.2% of the coaches themselves had already taken painkillers in their own football career for football-related pain, and 64% had already bought over-the-counter painkillers without a prescription. The use of painkillers increased in the higher playing levels. The availability of painkillers in first aid kits was reported by around 60%, but they were reported as freely accessible in the dressing room by only 10% of the coaches. This is the first study to describe the painkiller use in amateur football from the perspective of coaches. The prevalence of painkiller use in this study was found to be significantly lower than what is indicated in the data from the existing literature. The majority of coaches see the use of painkillers during games and training as incompatible, even though there is a large proportion of coaches who have already bought over-the-counter painkillers for football-related pain. As the first scientific analysis of team coaches, this study provides fundamental data for the prevention of excessive painkiller use in amateur football.

Exploring the Implementation and Practices of the Parent–Coach Dual Role

Previous research looking into youth sport coaching indicates that a majority of coaches may also be a parent to an athlete on their team. While previous studies have also sought to understand how being a parent–coach might affect parents’ relationships with their own child(ren), little work appears to explore how occupying this role might affect an individual’s ability to remain effective as a coach. As such, 14 parent–coaches were interviewed to examine how they perceived their dual role to influence their coaching effectiveness and to hear what strategies they used to remain effective. Interviews were analyzed thematically, and findings indicated that parent–coaches have few formalized resources to aid them in navigating the issues associated with their challenging dual-role position. More support would be welcomed by this population to improve their effectiveness and to ensure that all developing athletes in their care continue to have positive experiences within the youth sport environment.

‘There’s a perfect way to do things, and there’s a real way to do things’: Attitudes, beliefs and practices of strength and conditioning coaches in elite international women's rugby union

Optimal physical performance is a product of specific and tailored training. There are well-established sex differences in anatomical, physiological, and performance factors between biological males and females, which may have implications for physical preparation. A potential knowledge gap exists in relation to sex-specific differences in physical preparation because practitioners largely rely upon empirical evidence collected in male subjects for reference when devising interventions for female athletes. Therefore, this study explored the attitudes, beliefs and practices of strength and conditioning coaches ( n = 8; M/F, 6/2) in elite level (international) women's rugby union using semi-structured interviews (mean ± standard deviation duration 59 ± 15 minutes). The interviews explored differences in coaching elite female rugby players compared to males, with specific focus on training methodologies and understanding of pertinent aspects of female physiology. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to generate a rich qualitative dataset. Analysis resulted in the identification of higher-order themes: developmental stage of women's rugby, physical preparation, and education. Additional subthemes were created to facilitate organisation and presentation of data. The majority of coaches consider sex-specificity when devising physical preparation interventions as a function of training experience, rather than physiological between-sex differences, yet there were conflicting, and often erroneous understanding of female-specific considerations. To the authors knowledge, this is the first study to investigate attitudes, beliefs, and practices in elite level strength and conditioning coaches regarding sex-specific differences, and as such, illustrates the current understanding and opinions of practitioners in international level women's rugby union.

Youth Sport Coaches’ Perceptions of Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors and Intimate Coach-Athlete Relationships

ABSTRACT Although sexual harassment and abuse in youth sport have received increasing research attention worldwide, less is known about youth coaches’ perceptions of sexually inappropriate behaviors and intimate relationships with athletes. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine youth sport coaches’ perceptions of behaviors that can lead to potential sexual harassment and abuse, as well as to understand how coaches perceive coach-athlete sexual relationships. A cross-sectional survey was completed by 200 male coaches from various U.S. youth sport programs. Overall, a majority of coaches indicated behaviors associated with sexist comments and verbal/physical advances as sexually inappropriate. There was, however, a lack of consensus regarding what constitutes sexually inappropriate behaviors when the behavior was instruction-related/contextually dependent. Results were mixed regarding the perceptions of coach-athlete sexual relationships, with a notable number of coaches agreeing that sexual intimacies with young athletes (17 years or younger) are not always harmful and should not be prohibited. Based on a regression analysis, white coaches were more likely to exhibit negative perceptions about coach-athlete sexual relationships compared to ethnically diverse coaches. Overall, these findings warrant the development or reevaluation of policies and interventions aimed at preventing sexual harassment and abuse in the youth sport environment. Continued research is needed to better understand youth sport coaches as the perpetrators of sexual harassment and abuse.

The efficiency evaluation of taekwondo coaches

The aim of this research3 was to explore the level of agreement between athletes and taekwondo coaches regarding their efficiency, as well as to investigate the deeper meaning behind coaches' responses regarding their preparation methods for regular training sessions and collaboration with other coaches. The research sample included ten coaches from the Taekwondo Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 265 taekwondo athletes. A quantitative-qualitative research approach was employed. In the quantitative part, research instruments such as a questionnaire for coaches and a five-point Likert scale were used for the assessment and self-assessment of taekwondo coaches' professionalism, along with an interview protocol for coaches. The qualitative part of the research utilized in-depth interview techniques. In line with specific research questions and qualitative coding methods, two areas and four categories with corresponding dimensions of taekwondo coaches' efficiency were identified in the final version of the codebook. The analysis of the obtained results suggests a positive assessment and self-assessment of taekwondo coaches' efficiency, with no significant difference between athletes' assessments and coaches' self-assessments of the given factor. In the qualitative part of the research, insights from coaches' responses revealed that the majority of coaches are efficient and dedicated in their coaching endeavours.

Awareness of sports-related dental emergencies and prevention practices among Libyan contact sports coaches: A cross-sectional study.

Despite the high incidence rate of dental trauma and its possible devastating physical and psychological consequences on children, little is known about sport-related dental trauma and its prevention and management among Libyan sports coaches. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of Benghazi contact sports coaches regarding sport-related dental trauma and its prevention and management. A cross-sectional study design was used. Two hundred and thirty-one contact sports coaches were recruited from different public and private youth sports centers across Benghazi. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire translated into Arabic and piloted to evaluate its validity and clarity. In addition, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and χ 2 tests were used to check associations between the variables. A total of 151 contact sports coaches returned a completed questionnaire; the majority of coaches (74%) have seen orofacial injuries during their coaching career, whereas less than half of them (47%) personally experienced these injuries. Only one participant said he would preserve the tooth in milk, and four indicated that they would replant it. Most coaches (89.4%) knew what a mouthguard is, but 53.6% would recommend its use, and these were more likely to have previously used mouthguards (p ≤ 0.001). About 41.1% received previous training on TDIs-related emergencies. Higher knowledge scores were observed among coaches who previously received training (p = 0.023). The findings of this study indicate low awareness of how to manage and prevent orofacial injuries among Libyan contact sports coaches, even though they commonly encounter these injuries and believe in mouthguards' effectiveness. Previous training on managing emergencies and experience appeared to influence the coaches' knowledge. Training coaches on preventing TDIs and their early management in sports fields should be an implemented policy and a prerequisite to obtaining a training license.

A-27 Stakeholder Attitudes and Perceptions regarding Concussion in Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract Purpose: Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a public health concern with particular complexities that occur in Special Olympics (SO) because injuries and acute identification tools are not well understood for athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to explore current education, recognition and management strategies among coaches and caregivers in Special Olympics North America (SONA). Methods: A descriptive survey via the Qualtrics platform was distributed to coaches and caregivers in SONA through their electronic newsletter. Analyses included descriptive statistics and Chi square frequencies. Results: Out of a total 103 returned surveys, 77 were fully completed by coaches (83%) and caregivers (17%) from 10 states. The majority of coaches (91%) completed concussion education within the last two years. Sixty-one percent of coaches reported coaching a contact or high concussion-risk sport; moreover, these coaches were more likely to recognize injuries (p = 0.02). Forty-three percent of coaches disclosed that concussions may be underreported in SO, but 72.5% agreed that concussion are serious injuries. Although coaches generally felt prepared to recognize (95%) and remove (95%) athletes with SRC symptoms, management strategies to recognize (34%) or treat (39%) SRC athletes with ID was low. Coaches described feeling less confident to manage these return-to-play decisions following injury (76%). Non-healthcare professionals were first responders for injuries during non-competition (68%) events and competition (14%). Conclusions: Coaches involved in SO should complete tailored concussion education training to enhance recognition and management strategies. Future initiatives should target curriculum adapted to communication needs of athletes with ID.

Training-Load Management in Rhythmic Gymnastics: Practices and Perceptions of Coaches, Medical Staff, and Gymnasts.

This study described and analyzed practices and perceptions of rhythmic gymnastics coaches, medical staff, and athletes on training-load management. Online surveys were distributed among professionals and gymnasts involved in rhythmic gymnastics training across the world. One hundred (50 coaches, 12 medical staff, and 38 gymnasts) participants from 25 different countries completed the surveys. Respondents stated using coaches' perception on a daily basis as a method of monitoring external (57%) and internal (58%) load, recovery/fatigue (52%), and performance (64%). Variables and methods (eg,wearable devices, athlete self-reported measures, session rating of perceived exertion), and metrics (eg,acute and chronic load) commonly reported in the training-load literature and other sports were not frequently used in rhythmic gymnastics. The majority of coaches (60.3% [17%]) perceived that maladaptation rarely or never occurred. Medical staff involvement in sharing and discussing training-load information was limited, and they perceived that the measurement of athletes' recovery/fatigue was poor. Gymnasts noted good quality in relation to the measurement of performance. Most participants (≥85%) believed that a specific training-load management model for rhythmic gymnastics could be very or extremely effective. In conclusion, rhythmic gymnastics coaches' perception is the most commonly used strategy to monitor load, recovery/fatigue, and performance; although, this could be a limited method to guarantee effective training-load management in this sport.

Exploring the Influence of the Community-Based Sports Club Environment on the Support and Development of Volunteer Women Coaches in Ireland.

In Ireland, the majority of coaches at non-elite level are volunteers and within the female-only team sport of women's Gaelic football, most qualified coaches are women. Yet, little is known on the club specific experiences of volunteer women coaches in non-elite sport. To address this gap, 11 women coaches, from three Gaelic Football clubs, were interviewed to explore the influence of the community-based club environment on their support and development in the role. The participants were actively coaching and part of a Community of Practice (CoP) focusing on developing their club's coaching structures. A creative non-fiction approach combined the key themes from the 11 interviews into three coach profiles of a novice coach, experienced coach, and a player-coach. Retention and recruitment, support structures within the club, and club culture and norms were the key themes identified. This study recommends that clubs employ support structures that support and develop volunteer women coaches and address any behavior in the club that negatively impacts on their role.

High School Coaches’ Knowledge and Behaviors for Emergency Preparedness

Emergency action plans (EAPs) are considered best practice for the preparation of catastrophic events in sports and, when adequate, can effectively improve patient outcomes. The EAPs should include a collaboration of all personnel involved in the sporting activities, with high school coaches being well-positioned to implement these plans. Therefore, coaches can have a direct influence on the health and safety of their athletes through their involvement in an emergency response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the understanding and adoption of EAPs as reported by coaches. A web-based questionnaire assessed adoption of an EAP; decisional stages for adoption of components of an EAP; and various characteristics (e.g., access to an athletic trainer facilitators and barriers). A total of 720 responses were included in this study. Nearly 25% of coaches reported being unaware if their school had an EAP, and coaches were more likely to adopt a comprehensive EAP if their school had access to an athletic trainer. A majority of coaches perceived financial assistance as a facilitator and financial limitations as a barrier for EAP implementation. The findings of this investigation illustrate the need for improved coaches’ educational awareness of emergency preparedness strategies within the high school setting.

The priority of sports results as the main destructive factor in the training system of young football players 6-13 years old

Achievement of high efficiency of functioning of children and youth sports schools is possible only in conditions of building a rational system of training young football players. The rational system of training the sports reserve in football, among other things, involves the maximum realization of the athlete's motor and mental potential in the optimal age intervals for this. The orientation of sports schools towards achieving a long-term goal and full disclosure of individual capabilities, starting from the first stages of many years of training, is the key to the emergence of qualified and competitive players.
 At the same time, one of the main features of the system of youth football in Ukraine is the excessive striving of the majority of coaches of children's teams for a result in a match and victories in tournaments. The purpose of the research was to study the specificity of the orientation of various components of training young football players of 6-13 years old in terms of priority of the competitive result. Research results. The article presents the results of the analysis of the negative influence of the priority of the current competitive result on the content and orientation of various types of training. The nature of the changes in the orientation of the training process and their relationship with the level of preparedness of the players in the long term have been demonstrated. Taking into account the interconnection of different types of training, the consequences of planning the training process were revealed, provided that the current competitive results are of paramount importance at the early stages of long-term training.

Eccentric Resistance Training in Youth: A Survey of Perceptions and Current Practices by Strength and Conditioning Coaches.

Background: Eccentric resistance training (ERT) in youth is advocated for aiding performance and injury risk. However, research investigating the applied practices of ERT in youth is in its infancy. In this study, we surveyed the perceptions and practices of practitioners utilizing ERT in youth to provide an understanding of its current application in practice. Methods: Sixty-four strength and conditioning coaches completed an online survey reporting their current use of ERT in youth using both open and closed questions. Results: Coaches deemed the inclusion of ERT important in youth with its inclusion based upon factors such as maturation status, training age and strength levels. Coaches also displayed an awareness of the physiological responses to eccentric exercise in youth compared to adults. ERT was primarily used for injury prevention, with the majority of coaches using body-weight and tempo exercises. Furthermore, utilizing eccentric hamstrings exercises was reported as highly important. The frequency of ERT tended to increase in older age groups and coaches mainly prescribed self-selected rest intervals. Finally, the need for further research into the training guidelines of ERT in youth was highlighted, in which coaches require more information on how maturation influences training adaptations and the fatigue–recovery responses. Conclusion: Coaches emphasized the importance of including ERT for both performance and injury prevention factors in youth although further research is required to generate practical guidelines for coaches in order to support its inclusion within practice.

Current perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches use of sled tow training

The purpose of this study was to assess current perceptions of strength and conditioning coaches’ use of sled towing (ST) as part of their training programs. One-hundred and twenty-five coaches responded to a survey of their ST practices. Themes investigated included the primary purpose and usefulness of using ST, the loads used in short and long distances, rest times between sprints, total volume of ST sprints per session, frequency of ST activity each month, and whether coaches engaged in force-velocity profiling in ST sprints. Eighty percent of coaches either agreed or strongly agreed that ST is a useful intervention tool for improving athletic performance. Speed strength was the physiological adaptation most sought after to improve ( n = 75) followed by power ( n = 72). Bodyweight (BW) loads of 20% were the most common across all distances. The two most common rest times given between each ST repetition were one to two minutes ( n = 37) and two to three minutes ( n = 37). The most common volume responses for individual training sessions were five to eight sprints ( n = 52) and three to five times per month, respectively. These data suggest strength and conditioning coaches view ST as an integral part of programming, primarily use loads of 20% BW for both short and long sprints and seek to optimize a number of different physiological adaptations. The majority of coaches have a favorable view of ST (88%); however, current training parameters used by strength and conditioning coaches may be inadequate to achieve their desired adaptations.

WAYS TO IMPROVE TECHNICAL TRICKS OF YOUNG WRESTLERS

As a result of survey conducted among the high qualified greco-roman, freestyle and judo wrestling coaches the use of other sports to enhance technical tricks of young wrestlers was turned out to be most important. In this regard, 94% of surveyed coaches give preference to certain elements of sports like swimming, acrobatics, athletics and weightlifting. The majority of coaches are convinced that alongside particular elements from other sports the purposeful improvement of various movement parametres control accuracy will contribute to effective instruction and perfection of wrestlers' technical tricks through special (psychomotor) exercises. We are planning to check this assumption during the pedagogical experiment.

Ankle Support Beliefs of High School Basketball Coaches and the Ankle Support Practices of their Athletes

Ankle supports have been shown to reduce ankle injury incidence. Athletes’ use of them may be related to their sport coaches’ beliefs. The purpose of this study was to examine Wisconsin high school boys’ and girls’ basketball coaches’ beliefs regarding ankle support practices. Additional aims were to estimate the percentage of the players who either tape or brace, reveal which sources were used to form coaches’ beliefs about ankle supports, and gain insights regarding how long players are out of play after being injured if they tape, brace, or do not use ankle supports. Chi-squared tests of independence revealed that most coaches neither encouraged nor discouraged ankle supports for their players. A majority of coaches were found to use resources other than scientific-based sources to form their opinions on ankle supports. They also reported that they believed ankle injury return-to-play time was reduced in players who wore ankle supports and that supports did not hinder performance. Coaches should be provided educational opportunities regarding ankle supports so they may provide valid information to help their players make informed decisions.

Coaching in undergraduate medical education: a national survey

ABSTRACT Background: Evidence to support coaching in medical education has grown over the past decade leading educators to search for resources to aid the development of their own coaching programs. A sample of medical schools in the USA were surveyed to describe coaching programs to assist other institutions in the development and implementation of programs. Methods: Participants representing 32 medical schools attending a coaching conference in October 2018 were surveyed via email regarding their undergraduate medical education (UME) coaching programs. The 19-item instrument contained questions on program demographics, program characteristics, coach characteristics, coach training and coach assessment and program evaluation. Results: The response rate was 100% (32/32 programs). Nearly all respondents had a coaching program (53%, 17/32) or were developing one (44%, 14/32) with the majority being implemented in the past five years (82%, 14/17). Professional identity formation (80%, 20/25), professionalism (76%, 19/25), and academic performance (76%, 19/25) were the most commonly identified programmatic goals. The majority of coaches (64%, 16/25) received between 5-25% full time equivalent effort to support their role. Coaches did not formally assess students in any domain at most programs (84%, 21/25) or directly observe their students clinically (76%, 19/25). The majority of programs had formal coach training (88%, 22/25). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that coaching is being used to improve performance, professionalism, and professional identity formation in UME. This sample of coaching programs informs the discussion of coaching in medical education as educators strive to implement effective coaching programs.

A Comparison of Emergency Preparedness Between High School Coaches and Club Sport Coaches.

Recent studies suggested that a large population of high school-aged athletes participate on club sport teams. Despite attempts to document emergency preparedness in high school athletics, the adherence to emergency and medical coverage standards among club sport teams is unknown. To determine if differences in emergency preparedness and training existed between coaches of high school teams and coaches of high school-aged club teams. Cross-sectional survey. Online questionnaire. A total of 769 coaches (females = 266, 34.6%) completed an anonymous online questionnaire regarding their emergency preparedness and training. The questionnaire consisted of (1) demographics and team information, (2) emergency preparedness factors (automated external defibrillator [AED] availability, emergency action plan [EAP] awareness, medical coverage), and (3) emergency training requirements (cardiopulmonary resuscitation/AED, first aid). High school coaches were more likely than club sport coaches to be aware of the EAP for their practice venue (83.9% versus 54.4%, P < .001), but most coaches in both categories had not practiced their EAP in the past 12 months (70.0% versus 68.9%, P = .54). High school coaches were more likely to be made aware of the EAP during competitions (47.5% versus 37.1%, P = .02), but the majority of coaches in both categories indicated that they were never made aware of EAPs. High school coaches were more likely than club coaches to (1) have an AED available at practice (87.9% versus 58.8%, P < .001), (2) report that athletic trainers were responsible for medical care at practices (31.2% versus 8.8%, P < .001) and competitions (57.9% versus 31.2%, P < .001), and (3) be required to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation, AED, or first-aid training (P < .001). High school coaches displayed much greater levels of emergency preparedness and training than coaches of high school-aged club teams. Significant attention and effort may be needed to address the lack of emergency preparedness and training observed in club coaches.

Attitudes, beliefs, and behavior toward shoulder injury prevention in elite handball: Fertile ground for implementation.

We aimed to examine attitudes, beliefs, and current behavior toward risk factors and prevention of shoulder injuries, and to investigate the application of an exercise program during a cluster-randomized controlled trial aiming to prevent shoulder injuries in elite handball. All captains and coaches of 44 elite handball teams (22 male and 22 female) constituting the intervention (21 teams) and control arm (n=23 teams) in the trial were invited to take part in a survey. A questionnaire, based on the Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework, addressing the end user perspective on risk factors and prevention of shoulder injuries, as well as key issues related to the application of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) Shoulder Injury Prevention Programme, was distributed using electronic survey software. The response rate was 100%. Overall, the majority of coaches (84%) and captains (89%) believed that handball players are at high risk for shoulder injuries. All delivery agents in the trial reported to be familiar with the exercise program and the majority believed in a preventative effect (coaches 90% and captains 81%). Only a minority reported full compliance with the recommended frequency (coaches 29%, captains 14%), with program being too time-consuming (coaches 67%, captains 81%) and lack of player motivation (coaches 76%, captains 62%) as the main barriers. Our results suggest that there is fertile ground for implementation of the OSTRC Shoulder Injury Prevention Programme in elite handball, with program length and lack of player motivation as the main barriers to overcome.

Is the game lost in advance? Being a high-performance coach and preserving family life

This article examines how high-performance sport coaches combine their professional and family lives. To address this issue, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 French coaches (8 females, 33 males) involved in the preparation of the French teams for the Olympic Games in Rio (2016), Pyeongchang (2018) and/or Tokyo (2020). The results show that all the coaches interviewed are engaged in a passionate relationship with their job. For some coaches, this commitment has an impact on their family life. Three groups of coaches stand out: (i) a majority of coaches who are unable to preserve their family life, (ii) coaches who maintain a distance from their profession and preserve their family life, (iii) coaches who have or have not preserved their family life and who position themselves as actors wishing to do everything possible to preserve the family life of the coaches they supervise. Thus, these results highlight, for some coaches, difficulties in combining professional and family life. For others, family life is a protection for engagement in a passionate profession. These data can provide useful information for sport organizations in charge of coaches.

Coach and no regrets about it: On the life satisfaction, work-related mental strain, and use of supervision of workplace coaches

ABSTRACTPrevious research indicates that coaches frequently experience negative effects for themselves from their work and therefore live with potential stressors due to their work. This study examines whether or not workplace coaches are satisfied with their life. Data were gathered from 110 coaches (75% of which were self-employed) from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland via an online survey. Coaches were asked about different aspects of life satisfaction (concerning their job, financial situation, and leisure time) and work-related mental strain (i.e., cognitive and emotional strain). Compared to German population norm scores (including both employed and self-employed working individuals), coaches show higher satisfaction with their job and leisure time, and less work-related mental strain. Moreover, the vast majority of coaches would choose to be a workplace coach again in retrospect. Coaching supervision had a significant buffer effect on coaches’ job satisfaction when they experienced a high amount of work-related mental strain. Findings imply that coaches are able to counterbalance the possible negative effects on life satisfaction of their work as coaches. The use of coaching supervision appears to be a successful measure to maintain high satisfaction with their work as coaches despite an elevated level of mental strain.