AASP Newsletter - November 2017

Luke A. Norris, MSc, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom
Alexandra J. Potts, MSc, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom
Faye F. Didymus, PhD, BASES, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom

Six years ago, like many other coaches, Luke (the first named author for this article) made the transition from soccer athlete to soccer coach. He attended his first coaching course abundant with naive optimism and enthusiasm for what his coaching future may hold. A frequent joke that he heard among coaches during those early days of his coaching journey was that coach educators “never told us [the coaches] about this when we were doing our coaching courses!” A prime example of this in Luke’s own experience was some of the stressors that he experienced, such as standing in the rain and gale force winds in freezing cold temperatures while trying to coach effectively. At the beginning of his coaching journey, Luke was blissfully unaware of the full extent of stressors that he may experience and, by speaking to other coaches, soon realized that this naivety was common among coaches. As time went by, through trial and error and first hand coaching experiences, Luke learnt to cope with stressors in different ways. For example, he learnt that asking other coaches and parents to assist with putting up goal posts for matches helped to reduce the stress that he experienced when preparing for matches, and that social support from friends and family was a staple ingredient in his coping toolbox. As Luke progressed through his coaching qualifications in the U.K., he realized the variety and frequency of stressors that can be encountered by sports coaches and the lack of social support that is often offered. This realization inspired Luke to complete his PhD on coaches’ experiences of stress at Leeds Beckett University (advisors: Drs Faye Didymus and Mariana Kaiseler). The focus of his PhD and that of his colleague and co-author, Alexandra, form the backdrop to this article on a behind the scenes look at stressors and coping among coaches. We hope that this article will be informative for those who are interested in stressors and coping in the context of coaching.

“Coaches are performers, educators, administrators, leaders, planners, motivators, negotiators, managers, and listeners, but they are also people” (Giges, Petitpas, & Vernacchia, 2004, p. 431). This quote highlights the variety and breadth of different roles that sports coaches often fulfil. Within these roles, coaches develop athletic programs, engage participants, and strive to provide positive experiences for the athletes with whom they work. As a result, coaches often encounter stressors in their day-to-day life that are specific to the coaching profession (Rundle-Thiele & Auld, 2009). For this reason, it is important that these stressors and the ways that coaches cope with them are understood from researcher and practitioner perspectives. Stressors can be defined as environmental demands that have the potential to tax or exceed the resources that a person has to cope. Coping, on the other hand, refers to cognitive or behavioral attempts to manage the negative outcomes of stress (Lazarus, 1999). Stressors in coaching can vary from athlete related issues, conflict with national governing bodies, preparing for competition, dealing with disappointment, managing parents, and team selection. While stressors can be perceived negatively (i.e., as a threat or with a sense of harm) and can contribute to negative consequences such as dropout and inhibited performance and psychological well-being, not all stressful encounters are negative. Indeed, coaches can view stressors in positive ways (i.e., as a challenge or benefit) and, as a result, may experience energizing effects and increased motivation (e.g., Didymus, 2017). For example, competing in major events can be stressful but, if a coach’s team or athletes are in good form, such competitions may be perceived positively and may help athletes and coaches to make progress toward their goals. This highlights the double-edged sword that stress can be and the importance of encouraging coaches to evaluate stressors in positive ways.

It is important that individuals have adequate coping skills to manage the negative outcomes of stress. Researchers (e.g., Olusoga, Butt, Maynard, & Hays, 2010) have suggested that a good coach will, metaphorically, have a “toolbox” that contains different strategies that they can deploy when coping with the stressors they experience. These strategies can be cognitive (e.g., thought stopping, imagery) or behavioral (e.g., planning, taking direct action), and the effectiveness of coping is likely to be dependent on both the individual and the environment (Lazarus, 1999). Coaches have reported using different coping strategies to aid stress management and often use a number of strategies at any one time. Some examples of the strategies that high performance coaches have reported using include positive self-talk, reflection, weighing up the pros and cons, or reaching out to a support network (Didymus, 2017). Coaches have also reported surrounding themselves with a team of individuals (i.e., friends, family, other coaches) or speaking to mentors to help reduce or manage the negative outcomes of stress. Mentors are thought to be particularly useful for coaches who are at the start of their coaching journey but their guidance can also be of use to coaches who are working at all levels. Coping skills may be learnt by attending focused workshops (e.g., on stress management), seeking support from a sport psychologist, learning vicariously from other coaches, and by using previous first hand experiences.

It is important that researchers and practitioners work together with coaches to prospectively identify stressors that coaches may experience (e.g., by working on ‘what if’ scenario planning). By doing so, coaches will be more aware of potentially stressful situations and, in turn, be better equipped to cope with them. Sport and exercise psychology practitioners should also assist coaches in developing skills that will help them to effectively cope with stressful situations (e.g., by developing and maintaining a social support network). The complex nature of psychological stress highlights the need for coaches to develop strategies that are most effective in managing stress and, ultimately, optimizing their well-being and coaching performance.

Top tips:

• Not all stressors that coaches encounter are viewed as negative. Practitioners and coaches should work together to encourage positive evaluations of stressors.
• It is important that coaches surround themselves with effective social support networks to bolster coping resources.
• It would be useful for coaches (novice coaches in particular) to have access to a mentor who can provide support during their coaching journey.
• Collaborative work between coaches, practitioners, and researchers will help to identity stressors and to assist in the development of effective coping strategies.

References

Didymus, F. F. (2017). Olympic and international level sports coaches’ experiences of stressors, appraisals, and coping. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9, 214-232. doi:10.1080/2159676X.2016.1261364.

Giges, B., Petitpas, A., & Vemacchia, R. (2004). Helping coaches meet their own needs: Challenges for sport psychology consultant. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 430-444. doi:10.1123/tsp.18.4.430.

Lazarus, R. S. (1999). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. New York City, NY: Springer.

Rundle-Thiele, S., & Auld, C. (2009). Should I stay or should I go? Retention of junior sport coaches. Annals of Leisure Research, 12, 1-21.

Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Maynard, I., & Hays, K. (2010). Stress and coping: A study of world class coaches. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 22, 274-293. doi:10.1080/10413201003760968.