Exploring Psychological and Behavioral Growth Goals among Athletes Based on the Perspective of Football Coaches

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student in Motor Behavior, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor of Motor Behavior, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor of Biomechanics, Sport Sciences Department, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.

4 Department of Sports Science and Sports Medicine Research Center, NajafAbad Branch, Islamic Azad University, NajafAbad, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this research was to investigate the exploring psychological and behavioral growth goals among athletes, specifically focusing on the perspective of football coaches.
Methods: This study utilized non-experimental and qualitative research methods, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with coaches. Six male coaches at the basic levels were selected as participants. The collected data was carefully analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results: The findings revealed four key components: identifying athletes' needs, using targeted approaches and flexibility in coaching, utilizing challenges to assess skill development, and the importance of reviewing and adjusting data analysis. The results showed that coaches placed equal emphasis on technical and psychological goals during training sessions. Instead of focusing on a single psychological aspect or technical element individually, coaches set multiple goals based on the specific training and competition circumstances. These methods supported the development of psychological skills through an exploratory approach known as "teach-test-combine-repeat," highlighting the complexity and non-linear nature of its implementation.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, coaches can apply the concept of teaching, testing, adapting, and repeating an exploratory model to enhance their training methods.
 

Keywords

References

  1. Nasiri M, Ashraf Ganjoee F, Amirtash A, Sajjadi Hezave H. An investigation football talent criteria from Iranian trainers of Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Sport Management and Development, 2018; 7(2): 19-36. In Persian
  2. Larsen CH, Alfermann D, Henriksen K, Christensen MK. Preparing Footballers for the Next Step: An Intervention Program from an Ecological Perspective. Sport Psychology, 2014, 28, 91–102.
  3. Bartulovic D, Young BW, Baker J. Selfregulated learning predicts skill group differences in developing athletes. Psychol. Sport Exercise, 2017, 31, 61–69.
  4. Martindale RJ, Collins D, Wang JC, McNeill M, Lee KS, Sproule J, Westbury T. Development of the talent development environment questionnaire for sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2010, 28(11), 12091221.
  5. Kelly AL, Williams CA, Cook R, Sáiz SL, Wilson MR . A Multidisciplinary Investigation into the Talent Development Processes at an English Football Academy: A Machine Learning Approach. Sports, 2022, 10, 159.
  6. Hauw D, Gesbert V, Crettaz von Roten F, Rolland JP. A multilayer approach for assessing the psychological needs of aspiring soccer players: Implications for overseeing talent development. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2022, 53, 133–142.
  7. Dohme LC, Piggott D, Backhouse S, Morgan G. Psychological Skills and Characteristics Facilitative of Youth Athletes’ Development: A Systematic Review. Sport Psychol, 2019, 33, 261–275.
  8. Blijlevens SE, Elferink-Gemser MT, Wylleman P, Bool K, Visscher C. Psychological characteristics and skills of top-level Dutch gymnasts in the initiation, development and mastery stages of the athletic career. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2018, 38, 202–210.
  9. MacNamara Á, Button A, Collins D. The Role of Psychological Characteristics in Facilitating the Pathway to Elite Performance Part 1: Identifying Mental Skills and Behaviors. Sport Psychol. 2010, 24, 52–73.
  10. Collins D, MacNamara Á, Cruickshank A. Research and Practice in Talent Identification and Development—Some Thoughts on the State of Play. J. Appl. Sport Psychol., 2019, 31, 340–351 .
  11. Saward C, Morris JG, Nevill ME, Minniti AM, Sunderland, C. Psychological characteristics of developing excellence in elite youth football players in English professional academies. J. Sport. Sci., 2020, 38, 1380–1386.
  12. Williams GG, MacNamara Á. Challenge is in the eye of the beholder: Exploring young athlete’s experience of challenges on the talent pathway. J. Sport. Sci., 2022, 40, 1078–1087 .

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 01 March 2024
  • Revise Date: 14 May 2024
  • Accept Date: 19 May 2024

Share

How to cite

Statistics