Coach-Athlete Relationship

Question 1

Define the coach athlete relationship (Jowett and Cockerill, 2002)

Answer 1

A situation in which a coach’s and an athlete’s cognitions, feelings and behaviours are mutually and causally interrelated

Question 2

What do Jowett and Cockerill say about the coach athlete relationship?

Answer 2

Most important interpersonal relationship in sport

Question 3

Why is the coach athlete relationship important?

Answer 3

Practical applications - how to improve the relationship

Performance outcomes

Psychosocial development

Govern formation of subsequent relationships

Question 4

What is Jowett’s 3+1 C’s conceptual model?

Answer 4

Coach Athlete Relationship made of:

Closeness
Commitment
Complementarity

Co-orientation

Question 5

What does closeness refer to in the coach athlete relationship?

Answer 5

Affective component of the relationship

Feeling of trust, respect, appreciation

Question 6

What does commitment refer to in the coach athlete relationship?

Answer 6

Cognitive component

How committed coach and athlete are to one another

Question 7

What does complementarity in the coach athlete relationship refer to?

Answer 7

Behavioural component
Reciprocal nature of relationship
Co-operation between them

Question 8

What does co-orientation in the coach-athlete relationship refer to?

Answer 8

Coach and athletes perceptions of the relationship

Can be direct (own opinion) or meta (what they think the other’s opinion is)

Question 9

What words may be associated with closeness (coach-athlete relationship)?

Give an example of a statement

Answer 9

+ like, trust, belief, respect, intimacy

• isolated, anger, frustration

My coach cares about me

Question 10

Give an example of a statement related to commitment in the coach athlete relationship

Answer 10

I think my athlete plays an important role in my future performance accomplishments

Question 11

What words may be associated with complementarity (coach-athlete relationship)?

Give an example of a statement

Answer 11

+ Roles, tasks, instructional support, emotional support

• Incompatibility, power struggle, lack of support

I readily seek my athlete’s views and opinions

Question 12

What words may be associated with co-orientation (coach-athlete relationship)?

Give an example of a statement

Answer 12

+ Self disclosure, info exchange, acceptance, influence

• Disagreement, inadequacy signs, unequal needs, imbalanced needs
  I like my coach (direct) and my coach likes me (meta)

Question 13

What did Jowett and Cockerill find in their research into 3+1C’s in olympic medallists?

Answer 13

Closeness was the main factor
2 = complementarity
3 - Co-orientation

Question 14

What did Jowett find in a case study of a successful dyad that developed conflict?

Answer 14

There was a disparity in perceptions

All their statements regarding 3+1 C’s all different

Question 15

What are the outcomes associated with a coach-athlete relationship?

Answer 15

Intrapersonal - satisfaction, motivation, performance

Interpersonal - relationship satisfaction, conflict

Team - cohesion, role clarity

Question 16

What did Olympiou, Jowett and Duda find in their research of the coach-athlete relationship?

Answer 16

High relationship quality associated with task oriented motivational climate

Question 17

What did Hampson and Jowett find in their research of the coach athlete relationship?

Answer 17

Commitment and closeness explained variance in collective efficacy

Question 18

What did Jowett and Chauncey find in their research of coach athlete relationship?

Answer 18

Higher relationship quality associated with task and social cohesion

Question 19

What was the research done by dr Britten and her student show regarding the coach athlete relationship?

Answer 19

Significant relationship between CAR and collective efficacy and group cohesion

Females report better CAR. Also had higher levels of GC and CE

Question 20

Where are the gaps in the research for coach athlete relationships?

Answer 20

Gender differences - some show females have more similarities with coaches

Team sports - mostly focussed on football

Question 21

What should future research into coach-athlete relationships look at?

Answer 21

Leadership behaviours
Longitudinal studies
Qualitative studies
Wider participant pool - mostly focussed on university athletes