POWER AND DISCOURSE WITHIN UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE SPORT
View/ open
Author
Wade, David
Date
2012Type
Thesis
Publisher
University of Wales Institute Cardiff
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Previous studies have focused on the coach-athlete relationship within a professional sporting environment. However areas such as elite amateur sport have been ignored. The purpose of this paper was to explore the coaching environment within university team performance sport. Underpinned by Foucault’s disciplinary concept, the paper set out to identify the power relationships and the effect the social context had on the university sports environment. A coach and an athlete from three different sports teams within Cardiff Metropolitan University undertook two focus groups, one for the coaches and the other for the athletes. This process was undertaken to understand the coaches and athletes feelings towards the sporting environment they are embedded within. This was followed by a thematic analysis, identifying various themes that presented themselves within the focus groups. The principle finding of the study was that university sport creates a unique environment where the athletes and coaches respond to each other’s needs and desires, much more than it has been found in various other hostile coaching environments. However it was apparent that the coaches still utilise their position in staff to control their athletes, through various surveillance techniques. It can be concluded that the coaching environment within university sport is extremely complex in it nature, much like other coaching environments. Therefore coaches within universities should continue to consider the environment they coach in and the behaviours they acquire, to enhance their athletes performance.
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
UNDERSTANDING ROLE THEORY AND THE COACH-ATHLETE RELATIONSHIP IN TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL SPORT.
Taylor, Harriet (University of Wales Institute Cardiff, 2011)The coaching process is an under-theorised, ill-defined area (Cote et al, 1995), which as a result causes conflict when researchers have discussed the nature of the process. Indeed, no academic framework exists that depicts ... -
Caring in coaching: An exploration of coaches’ perceptions of caring in
Barnes, Ryan (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2014)The purpose of this research study was to further explore notions of care within a sporting context. More specifically, it was to, highlight coaches’ thoughts, feelings and experiences of care within their practice. The ... -
A comparative study of coaches’ perception and implementation of athlete-centred learning compared with the interpretation of their athletes.
Henden, Darren (2013-02)The purpose of this study was to explore coaches‟ perspectives and implementation of athlete centred learning to coaching, with the interpretation of their athletes. Four athlete centred learning themes were examined; ...