'Resistance' and 'Negotiation' in the Coach-Athlete Relationship – an Autoethnography from Elite Cycling
View/ open
Author
Leah, Jack
Date
2012Type
Thesis
Publisher
University of Wales Institute Cardiff
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This piece of research builds on existing work into sports coaching by exploring the intricacies of the coach-athlete relationship. The study uses an autoethnographic approach in an effort to investigate the complex and dynamic relationship that occurred between me, the author and senior squad member of an elite cycling team, and the coach. This unique power sharing relationship was based around two critical incidents presented as short stories. 'Resistance' took place in the middle of a busy competition schedule whereas 'Negotiation' was during the following pre-season. The two stories are separate but connected, with similar social issues of power running through the two contrasting incidents. 'Resistance' captures a small protest held by the team against the coach because of a build-up of growing frustrations of the coach’s incompetence. 'Negotiation' revolves around a team meeting the coach called, due to some players non-attendance at a session after negotiating the change of time for it. The interpretation is channelled and theorised through Nyberg's and Foucault's concepts of power, distinguishing why two events in the same environment with the same coach could make me feel so different. The final thoughts connect the two critical incidents together and the conclusion offers a summary of the paper and the value of autoethnography in understanding the aims of the work.
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 ... -
Examining a coach education programme to identify what complex situations coaches have been unprepared for
Park, Adam (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2016-03-10)Coach education is currently a highly contentious topic in sports science research (Chesterfield, Potrac, & Jones, 2010). The current rationalistic approach of coach education does not adequately prepare coaches for the ... -
Mental Toughness in Elite Sport Coaches
Weekley, Ross (University of Wales, 2011)Five elite sport coaches agreed to be interviewed about mental toughness within the coaching environment. The study was to gain insight into the mental toughness of a coach rather than an athlete, as has been investigated ...