Written by As we all know the best sports coaches are the ones that are able to create strong relationships with their athletes and hence help facilitate great performances from them. As a leader they inspire, motivate and are able to get under the very skin of the athlete, especially those who go out of their way to seek the coach’s help. It is axiomatic that athlete and coach symbiotic relationships are at the very heart of the coaching process. The emotional connection between the athlete and sports coach, however, does not develop in isolation.
There are two other emotional connections, as shown in Fig. 1 The Emotional Diamond, that can in turn affect the strength of the relationship between an athlete and their coach – namely, the emotional connection to the sport itself and to the organisation or sports club to which they belong, including its history. As Gilbert Ryle pointed out in his publication ‘The Concept of Mind’, sports organisations are more than the mere buildings and facilities, they are a community of people, with their culture, and influenced by ghosts of the past.
The highly successful British football manager Sir Alex Ferguson placed Manchester United, its traditions and heritage, at the top of his hierarchy of values. No single person was more important than the club and he was on first name terms with every employee in the administration and assistant coaches at all levels. Despite the label he had of giving players the ‘hairdryer treatment’ it is evident when you listen to his former players that he has a high level of emotional intelligence. This extremely strong emotional connection with the football club emerged out of his love of the game and the successes he had as a manager working with some highly talented players.
Ferguson, like most of our other successful sports coaches has invested many years in his chosen sport. This investment provides evidence of an exceptionally strong emotional connection to the sport – an unbreakable bond. Carl Rogers would describe these types of coaches as self-actualising people. This total commitment to their chosen field of sport is for life. Even after retirement they still hold a passion for the game born out of the years that they have spent playing the game and/or coaching others. They do, however, often expect the athletes they coach to have the same degree of emotional connection to the sport that they have.
The variations found in emotional connection to the sport are most evident in younger age group athletes. We have all witnessed young athletes who are only in the sport because of parental coercion. We have also had athletes that are extremely talented but have no desire to follow the sport and are more interested in pursuing favoured alternatives. As we all know the ideal athletes are those that have a strong emotional connection to the sport and are willing to subordinate themselves to a sports coach in order to achieve their goals.
What creates a challenge for the sports coach is that emotional connections, unlike explicit written agreements, are not visible and are often taken for granted assumptions. It is how the athlete and coach interpret what they say to each other and the way they behave towards each other relating to the promises and commitments made. Hence, because interpretations are made the athlete and coach may have differing views. The expectations they have of each other may be distorted leading to possible conflict between them.
An emotional connection is created between the athlete and sports coach when they mutually agree, either through face to face dialogue or implied through behaviour, their joint obligations, values, beliefs and expectations of each other. These factors are the basis of trust in a relationship and in essence are the matching of philosophies, purposes and goals – namely, a psychological contract. The athlete, often unconsciously, seeks to answer three basic questions: Is this sport for me? – Do I want to belong to this organisation or club? -and, is this the right coach for me?
Passion for any sport emerges out of ability, opportunity and success. The ability to do something is the greatest motivator and provides a compelling reason to help athletes develop their skills. However, skills alone are only one factor regarding motivation. The opportunity to use skills and gain success at competition is equally important making it essential that the right competitions are selected at the right time. It is about making athletes feel good about themselves. Therefore, creating a context that provides athletes with positive feedback and praise on their performance is what will grow their emotional connection to the sport.
To help develop an emotional connection between the athlete and the sports organisation or club will depend to a large extent on how the athlete is treated. Whilst the sports facilities are an essential element and need to match the needs of the athlete the culture is also a critical component. The athlete needs to feel they belong to the community and are valued and supported by them. If there is a mismatch in philosophies or they feel they are being treated unfairly they will seek an alternative. Athletes may outgrow the facilities and need to change their sports organisation and this should be encouraged. An athlete leaving because of a cultural mismatch, however, should raise alarm bells and be addressed.
It stands to reason that a strong athlete-coach emotional connection will be enhanced if the athlete has a positive relationship with the sport and with the sports organisation or club to which they belong. If the final emotional connection between the athlete and coach is indestructible then the potential for great athlete performances are greatly enhanced. If the athlete and coach have matching philosophies, there is a secure personal relationship, they both have a passion for the sport and a strong contextual fit with their sporting organisation or club, then the three emotional connections can work in harmony for benefit of both athlete and the coach.
References
Ryle, G. (2000) The Concept of Mind. Harmondsworth, UK. Penguin Books Ltd.