by Aly Biloon – 2024
Abstract
This paper explores the dynamic relationship among coaches, players, and parents involved in sports teams. Utilizing data and scholarly research from top universities, this article delves into the complexity of the relationship between coach and player, the need for mutual respect between coach and parent, and the ever-important role of effective communication. Assessing all stakeholders, this paper aims to identify which coaching and communication styles most impact a team’s success. The analysis led to developing a “winning formula” for creating a positive and successful team dynamic on and off the field. Additional research could include win-loss records to prove this paper’s analysis further.
Introduction
Behind every great player is a mastermind of a coach who devotes their time to helping the player become the best they can be. Tom Brady had Belichick, Michael Jordan had Phil Jackson, and Derek Jeter had Joe Torres. The purpose of a coach is to train, motivate, and guide their players. Coaches can positively influence their players’ lives or, conversely, have serious negative power. A jaw-dropping figure from USA Today states that “[a]bout 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by age 13 … It is because of the perfectionism that has (been) instilled in them … and self-doubt” (Borelli 2024). This statistic highlights the complicated dynamic between coaches, players, and parents, along with the long-term effect a bad relationship between the parties can have on youth in sports. The job of coaching is significantly harder than what is perceived on the surface; good coaches are made over time. How they react, learn, and adjust makes them who they are.
Every coach has a different style of coaching and communicating with their players; every player prefers a different style of coaching. This dynamic makes creating a cohesive team with a common goal challenging. The question that coaches face at all levels of sport is whether it is more important to build a lasting relationship with the team or win at all costs. In a perfect world, it is both. One would hope it is possible to win while fostering positive relationships with the team. Using a mix of scholarly articles the paper examines the coaching and communication between different parties in sports and its impact on the teams’ success. The specific relationships between coach and player, coach and coach, player and player, and parent and parent are discussed. The paper aims to analyze the relationships between these key parties and examine how their style and focus impact the teams’ success, ultimately finding a winning formula comprising key qualities sports teams can implement to help manage dynamics.
Coach and Player
The relationship between a Coach and a Player can be complicated. Therefore, understanding the contributing factors that make this dynamic relationship successful or unsuccessful is integral. According to the Journal of Coaching Education, the four pillars of a successful relationship from the player’s perspective are that the coach knows the sport, does not yell, is encouraging, and involves the team in decisions (Parker et al. 2012).
The first pillar, knowledge of the sport, explains that a coach must possess a certain level of understanding of the game to ensure athletes can learn from them. The second pillar is a coach who can explain to the players how they can improve without yelling. This can be more effective as players are more likely to respond positively with lower stress levels. The third pillar– a coach who involves the team in decision-making– is critical as it helps create an environment where the players feel as though they have autonomy over gameplay. This environment fosters relationships and continues a positive dialogue between the coach and players. Lastly, a coach who is caring and encouraging will motivate the team to play to the best of their ability. From the player’s perspective, if a coach possesses these qualities, the player is more inclined to listen to the coach which initiates a positive relationship from the beginning.
Similarly, a coach looks for specific qualities in a player that will allow them to foster a positive relationship and team atmosphere. On the podcast The Old Man and the Three, Dan Hurley– the University of Connecticut Men’s two-time champion basketball coach– explains he looks at players as a whole, not simply playing ability (The Old Man and the Three, 2024). He says “Obviously you are looking for the traits you are looking to build on, but you are looking to see […] are they the type of player that when they go to the ground their teammates help them up? […] or are they the type of player that could be a disease to the organization” (The Old Man and the Three, 2024). The player should have a team-first mentality: attitude is equally important as skill. Dan Hurley and the players from Parker et al. (2012) are both searching for tangible and positive attributes on and off the court. In short, coaches and players search for similar qualities in each other that they value and believe can foster a successful relationship.
A coaching style can fall into one of three categories: task-oriented, relationship-oriented, or a combination (Parker et al., 2012). A task-oriented coaching style is one where a coach concentrates on winning and bettering the team to accomplish its goals. Task-oriented leaders are often authoritative and assertive, caring more about meeting the teams’ goals than forming relationships with the players (Glaser, 2022). Being a relationship-oriented coach means the coach is focused on connecting with individual players as they prioritize collaboration and building trust with the team. In the Study Relationship Between Coaching Leadership Styles and Team Cohesion in Football Teams of the Iranian University League, 88% of players labeled their coach’s leadership style as relationship-oriented. When we examine Pearson correlation coefficients between leadership styles and team cohesion, relationship-oriented leadership styles were positively correlated (r = 0.612) with team cohesion. A task-oriented leadership style had a slightly positive correlation (r = 0.111) with team cohesion (Heydarinejad et al. 2010).
A relationship-oriented coach, although initially less focused on winning, builds team cohesion which can lead to a winning and successful team. A coach who encourages relationships on and off the field, which enables them to figure out the weaknesses and strengths of the team, allows for a constructive, open dialogue and trusting relationship between teammates and a coach. Having a rapport with each team player helps the coach understand the right communication style for each player. This style of coaching may not be favorable as it is time-consuming, but it can have huge benefits for the overall team. The coach understands how to communicate with each player, helping them achieve their potential by understanding them as players and people.
Coach and Coach
The coaching staff of a team must create a cohesive working relationship to construct a positive team dynamic. Coaches’ relationships or learnings with each other are an important factor as they are the leaders of the organization and set the tone for the rest of the team. Researchers studied the behavioral tendencies of youth sports coaches, asking questions such as “Encouraged an athlete to “get back” at an opponent who plays dirty?” and “Have you made fun of a team member?” (Shields et al. 2005). Coaches have the power to not only affect a player’s physical well-being but also their mental wellness. 67 out of 100 coaches reported having once or twice encouraged an athlete to “get back” at an opponent who plays dirty; 20 coaches admitted to often making fun of a team member. To prevent this negative environment within a team, coaches need to be conscientious of their actions and their impact. This task is not as simple as one may think. Often coaches believe they are performing correctly, but ultimately are hurting their players or opposing coaches by acting impulsively teaching kids incorrect morals.
In the same study, researchers asked several coaches similar questions about dynamics with coaching peers and opponents (Shields et al. 2005). These are several key takeaways from the survey: First, when facing an opposing coach, it is most important to maintain mutual respect. Even if one coach is acting inappropriately, it is important to remain calm and cordial, solely focusing on your team. The second takeaway is the importance of looking for characteristics that one would look for in a player when recruiting a coach. The coaches should challenge each other productively while openly communicating, similar to how players should treat one another on a team. Lastly, a coach should always back up their team and individual players barring inappropriate conduct. Doing this makes the players feel comfortable and it builds an added layer of trust between a coach and their player.
Player and Player
The coaching staff is crucial in creating a cohesive team dynamic, but ultimately the players are the ones who implement what their coaches have taught them. In the article Beyond Talent: The Crucial Role of Character in Athlete Recruitment, James Leath emphasizes the necessary attributes a player must possess to positively contribute to a team (James Leath, 2023). He says “Talent gets you noticed, character gets you recruited […] it’s not always about getting things right; it’s about how you react when things go wrong […] recruiters look for athletes who support and motivate their teammates.”A player who only focuses on individual success is detrimental. Leath reiterates that playing ability is equally important as the ability to foster positive relationships with teammates. These relationships are what drive a team towards success. Players must work for the team not for themselves.
How a player explains and receives feedback from another player is crucial in building relationships and team success. Receiving input from teammates is in the players’ best interest as the players’ teammates are interested in helping him or her to better the team, not simply criticize (James Leath, 2023). Accepting feedback through that lens is crucial. When giving feedback, use soft expressions such as “I think” and “sometimes” to adjust your language in hopes of your teammate receiving the advice better. It is important not to put your teammate on the defensive, but rather explain your critique in a problem-solving way. This etiquette is key as making a point in an attacking manner towards one’s teammate may cause them to resent the player and ultimately ruin the relationship and negatively affect the team. The “how” is the most important aspect of communicating (Vision Driven Basketball Khoza, 2021). Following this advice will lead one’s teammate to accept and build upon the player’s feedback. Players who can effectively communicate with each other will drive a team toward success.
Coach and Parent
In youth sports, coaches and parents should convey the same team values to players, creating a cohesive approach between the team on the field and at home. If this does not occur, when they disagree or do not communicate, players are conflicted between the two, causing discord within the team. Researchers asked players, parents, and coaches about attitudes toward sportsmanship (Shields et al. 2005). Coaches and parents generally agree on the attitudes players should have such as how to treat teammates and talk to the coach. When parents are on the same page, they can help encourage the players to behave in the same way.
However, parents and coaches have differing opinions on how a player should celebrate their success. 20% of parents agreed celebrating in a flashy manner is acceptable whereas only 13% of coaches agreed (Shields et al. 2005). This difference is an example of a varying opinion between a coach and a player that could disrupt a positive team dynamic. If a player’s parent is telling them one idea and the coach is telling them a different one, the player may begin to listen to the parent over the coach, which could create animosity on the team. There could be a mutiny effect where a parent attempts to convince other parents to preach the same principles even if it goes against the coach. To prevent this from happening, the Study of the Behavior of Youth, Parents, and Coaches discussed a strategy that would be effective before the season begins so the parents can understand how the coach operates and perceives different players’ actions. They recommend distributing a survey before the season from the coach asking about ground rules/expectations for how players and parents should interact with referees. If there were areas of misalignment, they could be uncovered and dealt with. Therefore, there would in theory be fewer altercations between referees, parents, and players.
Additionally, the researchers asked parents about how coaches are perceived, and 92% of parents agreed that a coach should not encourage kids to think negatively about their opponent. Coaches need to see how parents perceive them and their actions. The parents want the coaches to encourage the players to play the game correctly and avoid hurting opponents intentionally and cheating. 91% of parents agreed a coach should not tolerate any member of the team trying to hurt an opponent. Therefore, upfront communication between coaches and parents before the season is important to ensure this tension does not develop during the season. Opposing opinions between the adults can pull apart a team, and conversely, when the coach and parent agree and communicate the same opinions with the players, they are encouraging the players in the same productive manner.
Conclusion
The data gathered from numerous studies in this research paper illuminates the effect different communication and coaching styles can have on a team’s success. The key learning from Parker et al.’s research on the relationship between a coach and a player is that most players prefer relationship-oriented coaches. Although a relationship-oriented coach seemingly does not prioritize winning, this style of coaching often leads to a winning team as they build a cohesive team based on trust. When a team is united through trust-based relationships the players and coach often form common goals and can work towards them together.
Coaches working together must constantly communicate to ensure they are setting a similar tone for the players on the team. A coach has to always maintain a level of respect towards other coaches and their players as often players’ actions reflect their coaches. The key learning from Leath and Khoza’s 2023 research on the relationship between players is that players must work for the team rather than themselves. Playing with teammates who elevate and support each other leads to a winning team. How players communicate and give and accept feedback is crucial to a successful team.
Drawing on Shields et al.’s 2005 research, communication between a coach and parent is key to a team’s success as both adults can convey similar philosophies to the players, encouraging them in the same productive manner ultimately creating a cohesive and successful team.
References
Heydarinejad, Sedighe, nejad, and Omid Adman. Relationship Between Coaching Leadership Styles and Team Cohesion in Football Teams of the Iranian University League. STUDIES IN PHYSICAL CULTURE AND TOURISM, by Physical Education and Sport Science Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz, Iran, vol. Vol. 17, no. No. 4, 2010, wbc.poznan.pl/Content/157812/PDF/10_Heydarinejad_REV.pdf.
Leath, James. “Beyond Talent: The Crucial Role of Character in Athlete Recruitment — James Leath.” James Leath, 30 Oct. 2023, www.jamesleath.com/notes/beyond-talent-the-crucial-role-of-character-in-athlete-recruitment.
Parker, Krisha, et al. “The Preferred Coaching Styles of Generation Z Athletes: A Qualitative Study.” Journal of Coaching Education, vol. 5, no. 2, National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), 2010, pp. 5–92. dpl6hyzg28thp.cloudfront.net/media/jce-article-p5.pdf.
Shields, David Light, et al. “THE SPORT BEHAVIOR OF YOUTH, PARENTS, AND COACHES.” Journal of Research in Character Education, vol. 3, no. 1, journal-article, 2005, pp. 43–59. edwp.educ.msu.edu/kin/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/06/KIN173_3_1_Shields_2005_TheSportBehaviorOf.pdf.
Staff, Hrdq, and Hrdq Staff. “Task-Oriented Vs People-Oriented Leaders: What’S the Difference?” HRDQ, 22 Sept. 2022, hrdqstore.com/blogs/hrdq-blog/task-people-oriented-leaders#:~:text=Task%2Doriented%20leaders%20focus%20on,tasks%20taking%20a%20back%20seat.
The Old Man and The Three. “Dan Hurley on What He’s Learned From UConn’s Back-to-Back National Championships.” YouTube, 19 Apr. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1outj9y-gnw.
Today, Usa. “Think You’re Helping Your Child Excel in Sports? You May Want to Think Again.” USA TODAY, 6 July 2024, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/07/06/parents-youth-athletes-suicide/74305650007.
Vision Driven Basketball. “Here’s How Great Players Communicate With Their Teammates.” YouTube, 28 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQSoToGT324.
photo: True Sport
