How supportive coaches affect young athletes' well-being
When youth soccer coaches support their players' independence and choices, it boosts the players' psychological needs and enjoyment, which keeps their energy levels high even into the following season with a different coach.
Source
The Importance of Coaches' Autonomy Support in the Leisure Experience and Well-Being of Young Footballers
What they did
The researchers surveyed 360 male footballers from Spain, ranging in age from 11 to 13 years. The athletes completed questionnaires at three different time points across consecutive competitive seasons. These surveys measured how much the players felt their coaches supported their autonomy, their level of basic psychological needs satisfaction, their intrinsic motivation, and their subjective vitality.
What they found
The study found that when players perceived their coaches as supportive of their autonomy at the start of the season, they reported higher satisfaction of their basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) by the end of the season. This needs satisfaction predicted higher intrinsic motivation, which in turn predicted greater subjective vitality, or feelings of energy and aliveness. Notably, these positive psychological benefits carried over to the start of the next season, even when players switched to a different coach.
The limits
What it doesn't show
The study only included young male football players, meaning the findings may not apply to female athletes, older age groups, or players in other sports. Because the researchers relied entirely on self-reported questionnaires, the study measures the players' perceptions of autonomy support rather than the coaches' actual objective behaviors. Additionally, the study did not measure other negative social environmental factors, such as controlling coaching styles, which could also influence a player's long-term well-being.
Key terms
- Autonomy support
- A coaching style characterized by providing choices, offering rationales for tasks, and acknowledging athletes' feelings.
- Intrinsic motivation
- Engaging in an activity purely for the inherent pleasure, fun, and satisfaction derived from the activity itself.
- Subjective vitality
- A conscious experience of possessing personal energy, aliveness, and vigor.
- Autonomy
- The basic psychological need to feel a sense of personal choice, initiative, and control over their own actions.
- Competence
- The basic psychological need to feel capable, effective, and successful in interacting with their environment.
- Relatedness
- The basic psychological need to feel a sense of belonging, connection, and mutual care with others in a social group.
Flashcards
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Quiz yourself
Which primary theoretical framework does this study utilize to examine the relationship between coach interpersonal style, well-being, and leisure experience?
Common questions
Why was the initial survey delayed instead of being conducted at the very beginning of the season?
This delay allowed the players enough time to interact with and understand the interpersonal style of their coaches before evaluating them.
Did the positive effects last if players got a new coach in the next season?
Yes, the benefits of needs satisfaction and intrinsic motivation carried over to the following season, regardless of whether the players had a new coach or how supportive that new coach was.
What specific coaching behaviors are considered autonomy-supportive?
These behaviors include offering choices within rules, explaining the reasons behind drills, allowing players to take initiative, and giving constructive feedback instead of controlling commands.
How does self-determination theory explain well-being in sports?
It suggests that when a sports environment satisfies an athlete's needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, it fosters intrinsic motivation, which directly enhances their mental energy and vitality.
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