The impact of Irish Olympic coaches’ personality on coaching practice

Abstract

Coaches play a central role in supporting the development of athletes, particularly in an elite performance environment (Cropley et al., 2020a). The psychosocial attributes of the individual have been associated with effective coaching practice (Cook, et al., 2021). While recent research has investigated coaches’ psychosocial attributes, there remains a relatively limited understanding of why successful coaches do what they do, what they do, and how they do it (Mallett & Coulter, 2016). The present thesis explored the intricate relationship between Olympic coaches’ integrated personality, as defined by McAdams’ (2013) three layers of personality (dispositional traits, characteristic adaptations, and life narratives), and their coaching behaviours. Additionally, the research examines the perceptions of athletes regarding their coaches’ personalities and practice. The overarching aim is to provide a nuanced understanding of how coaches' inherent traits, evolving adaptations, and overarching life narratives shape the training environment, coaching behaviour and influence athlete relationships.

The aim of study one (Chapter 4) was to examine the integrated personality of Olympic coaches working in Ireland. The study utilised nomothetic coding and reflexive inductive thematic analysis to interrogate the data and provide a composite personality profile of these coaches. Findings revealed coaches to be highly conscientious, agreeable, extraverted, and emotionally stable. They exhibited, almost exclusively, approach-oriented strivings, which were equally intrapersonal and interpersonal in nature. Motivational themes associated with these included achievement, personal growth, health, and intimacy. Sporting life story analysis identified seven higher order themes which included coach as an athlete, relationships, motivation, vision, athlete focus, coaching performance, and performance environment. Themes of agency, redemption, contamination, and generativity were prevalent in the narrative identity of these Olympic coaches.

These results provide insight into the integrated personality of a specific population of Olympic coaches. While findings are broadly in line with previous published literature (e.g., Cook et al., 2021), nuanced findings for these Irish coaches reflect a central role of their experiences as athletes, and clear links between their individual motivation and basic psychological needs theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000b).

A further examination of the association between personality and coaching practice was undertaken to provide insight into not only the antecedent of coaching behaviour (i.e., the why), but also the what and how. It adopted a case-study methodology, following an Olympic head coach working in Ireland. Personality was assessed, using McAdams’ integrated framework and coaching practice was examined using a modified observational tool to record coaching behaviours over a four-month period. Squad athletes (n=9) undertook individual interviews and completed questionnaires (Coach Behaviour Scale for Sport; Côté et al., 1999 and the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire; Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004) to assess their perceptions of the coaches’ personality, coaching behaviours, and the quality of the coach-athlete relationship over the observation period.

Results revealed a coach who was outgoing, agreeable, hard-working, and emotionally stable. This self-report trait profile for the coach was confirmed by peer review personality trait ratings of the athletes, except for the trait openness which athletes rated as average rather than low as per the coach’s self-report. Striving analysis revealed that the coach was motivated to achieve something positive and was invested in helping others as much as themself. The sporting life story of the coach identified seven higher order themes (i.e., coach as an athlete, relationships, motivation, vision, athlete focus, coaching performance, and performance environment). While a narrative analysis identified the motivational themes of agency, communion and personal growth, as well as the theme of meaning making (Adler et al., 2017) observational assessment recorded 10,167 coaching behaviours over the four-month period. Observation accounting for 25% of all behaviours, questioning (14%), concurrent instruction (10.1%), use of name (9.9%) and conferring with associates (9.4%). The least common behaviours related to criticism (scold and negative demonstration).

Athletes reported a high level of satisfaction with coaching behaviours, and a low perception of coaching behaviours that may negatively impact the coach-athlete relationship (negative personal rapport). Similarly, athletes perceived a high, relatively stable level of satisfaction with the coach-athlete relationship when compared to published studies (e.g., Hampson & Jowett, 2014; Isoard-Gautheur et al., 2016). Athletes highlighted two specific coaching activities, conducting training sessions and motivating athletes, which they identified as important in their interviews. They described training sessions as being individualised, science based, detailed but flexible, and designed to encourage athlete autonomy. The coach motivated the athletes using strategies such as positive feedback, goal setting, leading by example, establishing a performance culture, knowing each athlete individually. The coach exhibited behaviours like empathy, understanding, support, sincerity, and helpfulness to foster an athlete-focus. Athletes also highlighted the coaches’ personal traits/characteristics, citing the coach as approachable, open-minded, confident, and hardworking. These athlete perceptions reinforce the finding from the coach’s integrated personality.

These studies provide a detailed understanding of Olympic coaches working in Ireland. They identified the coach as a performer, moving away from the traditional focus on coaches solely as trainers of athletes and reveal nuanced connections between coaches’ integrated personality and coaching behaviour (Cropley et al., 2020b). Study two uniquely examined this link in a context specific setting, providing insight into the mechanisms that underpin decision making and behaviour. These findings provide National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGB’s), coach development agencies and athlete support personnel with a detailed description of these mechanisms of practice in a complex coaching environment (Cushion, 2007). Such insight can be used to improve coaching support programmes, coach recruitment and retention, and enhance the reflective practice of coaches themselves.

Date of Award	May 2024
Original language	English
Supervisor	L.A. Sharp (Supervisor) & Deirdre Brennan (Supervisor)