Elite Athletes’ Experiences of Athlete-Centred Coaching
Keywords:
Athlete-centred, Coaching, Coach Education, Elite AthletesAbstract
Athlete-centred coaching is a method of sport coaching proposed to
enhance performance (Lyle, 2002), develop life skills (Kidman & Lombardo,
2010), and prevent athlete maltreatment (Kerr & Stirling, 2008). Despite these
proposals, very little is known empirically about athlete- centred coaching, the
extent to which it is implemented, or athletes’ experiences with this style of
coaching. The purpose of this study therefore was to examine recently retired
elite athletes’ perspectives on the extent to which their most athlete-centred
coach demonstrated the behaviors representative of this style of coaching.
Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight male and female recently
retired Olympians. The !ndings of this study indicated that some athlete-centred
behaviors such as using a process-oriented approach were commonly
experienced while others, including the asking of stimulating questions, were
reportedly absent. Explanations for the mixed !ndings are discussed and a
continuum of athlete-centred coaching is proposed. Lastly, suggestions for future
research and practical implications are presented.
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