DYNAMICS AND
TRENDS IN SPORTS
COACHING
JO-ANN J. CERNA
RESEARCHER
INTRODUCTION
In a sport context there are many
personal relationships (e.g. coach–
parent,
athlete–athlete,
athlete–
partner) that can impact on
performance, but the coach–athlete
relationship is considered to be
particularly
crucial
(Jowett
&
Cockerill, 2002).
Globally, the coach-athlete relationship and
observed coaching behaviors were studied in 68
Finnish coaches and their 400 athletes. Although the
coach-athlete relationship has attracted limited
empirical attention over the years, largely due to the
lack of theoretical frameworks and measurement
tools, progress has recently been noted (Jowett
& Wylleman, 2006). This surge of theoretical and
empirical research may be due to the realization
that the coach-athlete relationship is central to
effective coaching(Lyle, 2002). The position that this
article adopts regarding the practical significance of
the coach-athlete relationship is that, while an
athlete may have a chance in the sport by going it
alone, the athlete and the coach in partnership
have more and better chances of success.
Whenever an athlete wins an Olympic or
world championship medal, people want to
know the
secret behind the success.
Inevitably, the athlete, or occasionally the
coach, is called upon to explain that secret,
but rarely do the two believe the same
thing about what brought about that
unique moment. How a coach attends to
the opinions and emotions of athletes
appears to be the best predictor of the
coach-athlete relationship.
As experienced, reported behaviors were
both negatively and positively related to
observed behaviors. Coaches' affective
behavior and monitoring were negatively
related
to
training,
instruction,
and
democratic behavior. Negative feedback
was related to autocratic behavior. When
coaches' and athletes' ratings of training and
instruction differed, the coaches' behavior was
more emotional and negative. The more
affective the coaches' behavior, the more
different are coaches' and athletes' ratings of
the social support and rewarding behaviors.
The coach–athlete relationship must be
strong and productive. However, it is
observed in the division of Baybay City
that some of the coaches all spoke
about
their
technical
skills,
not
surprisingly, because sport is all about
technique, tactics, and training but need
further
trainings,
facilities
and
equipment. The teacher coach is
expected to have a huge amount of
coaching experience but some of them
have not mastered the sort they are into.
With
the
preceding
opinions
and
observations the researcher was motivated
to conduct assessment on the success of
coach-athlete relationship in Division of
Baybay. The researcher proposed that this
study will improve the sports organization’s
outlook on the importance of putting first
the safety of athletes
towards its
performance. Further, this study can
contribute to national developmental
goals as this will enrich and elevate every
organization’s integrity towards greater
competence and advancement.

Statement of the Problem
This study aimed to describe the
relationship among the coaching
behavior of coaches, the motivation of
athletes and athletes skills performance,
in the division of Baybay City, Leyte,
school year 2014-2015. Findings of the
study served as basis for a proposed
experiential training plan.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The first part presents the literature
related to the relationship among the
coaching behavior of coaches, athletes'
motivation and skills performance in the
Division of Baybay City, Leyte. The
second part presents various studies that
shows similar correlation on the studied
variables.
Skill Performance
What these athletes have in common is
that their sport is important to them and
they’re committed to being the best that
they can be within the scope of their
limitations
other life commitments,
finances, time, and their natural ability. They
set high, realistic goals for themselves and
train and play hard. They are successful
because they are pursuing their goals and
enjoying their sport. Their sport participation
enriches their lives and they believe that
what they get back is worth what they put
into their sport (Lysek, 1998).
Coaching Behavior of Coaches

Morgan (2012) agrees that coaching is a training or
development process via which an individual is supported while
achieving a specific personal or professional competence result
or goal. The individual receiving coaching may be referred to as
coachee. Occasionally, the term coaching may be applied to
an informal relationship between two individuals where one has
greater experience and expertise than the other and offers
advice and guidance as the other goes through a learning
process, but coaching differs from mentoring by focusing upon
competence specifics, as opposed to general overall
development. Some coaches use a style in which they ask
questions and offer opportunities that will challenge the
coachee to find answers from within him/herself. This facilitates
the learner to discover answers and new ways of being based
on their values, preferences and unique perspectives.
Communication
 The success of any coach, at perhaps every level of
competition, is determined by his or her ability to
effectively communicate with athletes and in turn getting
them to better communicate with each other. It’s easy to
focus primarily on the technical elements of sport putting
together good game plans and teaching good
technique — but also easy to lose sight of the need to
communicate
effectively.
Coaches
may
be
knowledgeable and highly organized, but without good
communication skills, these attributes may never be
reflected in the performance of their athletes.
Leadership Perspective
From
a
coaching
and
mentoring
perspective, both management skills and
leadership skills rest upon human character.
Mulhauser (2002) agrees that a coaching
and
mentoring
perspective,
both
management skills and leadership skills rest
upon human character. Listening to and
understanding
the
self
and
others,
accepting and valuing what is, and being
honest and transparent to self and others.
Relationship Perspective
Shelley (2013) took the time to develop
genuine, honest, caring, and trusting
relationships with your players. Athletes
will work harder (and longer) for someone
they know genuinely believes in them,
cares about them, and is committed to
helping them achieve their potential. At
the heart of player motivation is the
quality of the coach-athlete relationship.
Athletes’ Motivation
Several studies have reported the positive
consequences associated with intrinsic
motivation on behavioral outcomes such as
persistence (Markland & Ingledew, 2007)
and “intrinsically motivated individuals are
more likely to choose to participate and
work hard when extrinsic rewards or
reinforcements are not available, experience
lower levels of performance-related anxiety,
and exhibit greater levels of skill learning
relative to those with a more extrinsic
motivational orientation”.
 Cockerill, et al (2003) investigated the nature and
significance of the athlete–coach relationship within
the context of the interpersonal constructs of
Closeness, Co-orientation, and Complementarity
(three Cs).Method
 The aforementioned related literature and studies were
used in the analysis and interpretation of the
presentation findings. It allowed better understanding
the relationship between the coach-athlete skills
performance, coaching behavior and athletes
motivation in the Division of Baybay City, Leyte.
Research Questions and Objective
1. What were the coaching behavior of coaches in terms of:
1.1 communication;
1.2 leadership perspective; and
1.3 relationship perspective?
2. What was the level of athletes motivation?
3. What was the skills performance of coaches and athletes?
4. Was there a significant relationship among the :
4.1 coaching behavior and skills performance;
4.2 athletes' motivation and skills performance;
4.3 coaching behavior and athletes motivation
5. What were the achievements and challenges encountered by the
coaches and athletes?
6. What experiential training program was proposed based on the findings
of the study?
Theoretical Framework
Methodology and Research Design

This study utilized the descriptive-correlational
research method. This method was employed in this
study in determining the relationship between the
coaching behavior of coaches and the motivation
of athletes and coach-athlete skills performance in
the division of Baybay City, Leyte, school year 20142015. The coach-athlete relationship is being
measured in terms of communication, leadership
perspective, and relationship perspective.
Descriptive research design was being
utilized because the researcher interacts
with the participant through the conduct
of surveys or interviews to collect the
necessary
information.
Descriptive
research design was used to describe the
data and the relationship between the
coaching behavior of coaches and the
motivation of athletes in the division of
Baybay City, Leyte.
Finally, in the qualitative approach the
achievements and challenges that
correlate each other the relationship
between the coaching behavior of
coaches and the motivation of athletes
and skills performance were explored.
Thematic content and narrative analyses
were used in this approach.
Participants
This study included two (2) sets of respondents: (1)
teacher-coach; (2) students-athlete. Probability
sampling technique was used in determining the
number of respondents for this study. Thirty-four (34)
coaches encompassing 2 coaches in all sports.
Also, there were 102 athletes composing 3 athletes
randomly selected in all sports who were selected
to answer the quantitative specifically on each
corresponding provided scales in the research tool
and qualitative aspects for the achievements
received and challenges experienced. These
athletes were categorized as new athletes since
their experiences did not reach to one year
learning experience.

Instruments
 This study employed three (3) instruments which
were mainly utilized to measure the variables under
study.
 The first instrument was a survey form which is used
to determine the coach coaching behavior. It was
described in terms of the three indicators such as:
communication, leadership perspective and the
relationship perspective which encompasses the
4Cs
namely;
closeness,
commitment,
complementarity and co-orientation. It was in the
form of a questionnaire which consists of four (4)
items per indicator. It used a four – point Likert scale.
 The second instrument focused on the list of
indicators on the athletes' motivation. . It consisted
of 28 items test. It is in the form of a questionnaire
which consists of four (4) items per indicator. It uses
a four – point Likert scale.
The third instrument is intended for the athletes'
skills performance. It consisted of ten criteria to
measure their skills performance namely;
aggressiveness,
concentration,
strength,
endurance, motivation, quickness, agility, fitness
and mechanics. It is in the form of a
questionnaire which consists of four (4) items per
indicator. It uses a four – point Likert scale.
Gathering of Data
Sent letter of intent to Schools Division
Superintendent
Approval on the conduct of the survey
Distributed
and
administered
the
Questionnaires
Retrieval of the Questionnaires
Data Analysis
The gathered data were tabulated
for the analysis using the following:
Frequency and Simple Percentage
Mean
Pearson
Product
Moment
Correlation
Summary of Findings
Based on the findings of the study, coaching
behavior of the coaches were poor in all
dimensions such as communication, leadership
perspective and relationship perspective
which encompasses
the
4Cs
namely;
closeness, commitment, complementarity and
co-orientation. Moreover, the athletes were
less motivated in joining sports competition. All
the indicators revealed as less-motivated.
Parameter limits: 3.26-4.00 Strongly
Agree/ Very Good; 2.51-3.25 Agree/
Good; 1.76-2.50 Disagree/ Poor; 1.001.75 Strongly Disagree/ Very Poor
 In Table 1, the overall coaching behaviors
of the coaches as perceived by the
athletes is poor with a mean of 2.17 and
standard deviation of .043. This was due to
the poor communication (mean= 2.16, SD=
0.74), leadership perspective (mean=2.16,
SD= 0.59), and relationship perspective
(mean= 2.23, SD= 0.43) between the
athletes and their coaches.
In table 2 (athlete’s motivation), the athletes were less
motivated (M= 2.16) in joining sports competition. All
the items revealed that they are all less-motivated. This
means that the athletes are less motivated to join
some competition due to the following reasons: first,
may be because of the lack of practice due to time
constraints and conflict of classes, distance from
house to school, financial problem, equipment,
support from parents, relationship of athletes and
coaches to administrators and expertise of the type
of sport they are into.
Lastly in table 3 (athlete’s skills
performance), all the ten criteria to
measure their skills performance were
poor
namely;
aggressiveness,
concentration, strength, endurance,
motivation, quickness, agility, fitness,
mechanics and team cohesion.
Endurance and quickness have the highest
mean of 2.19 followed by motivation, strength,
agility,
team
cohesion,
aggressiveness,
concentration, fitness and mechanics, with
means of 2.16, 2.10, 2.08, 2.08, 2.07, 2.05, 2.03,
and 1.99, respectively.
Results and Discussions
This meant that the athletes needs further training to
enhance their performance. In addition, there was a
strong positive correlation among the coaching
behavior, athletes' motivation and skills performance in
the Division of Baybay City, Leyte. Therefore, there was
an interrelationships among the coaching behavior,
athletes motivation and skills performance towards the
success development of a winning-athlete.
Conclusions
There is an interrelationship among the
coaching behavior, athletes motivation and
skills performance towards the success
development of a winning-athlete.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The
utilization of the training
design for coaches and athletes shall
be used in the Division of Baybay
City, Leyte to enhance the coaches’
coaching behavior, uplift athletes’
motivation and improve the athletes’
skills performance.
2. The teacher-coach would be advised to emulate
sound technical skills, a complete understanding of the
athlete’s needs developed through listening to her and
sharing honesty, and respect. The way a coach
structures practice and game situations, his way of
making decisions, the quality and quantity of feedback
he would be provided in response to athletes'
performances, the relationships he would established
with athletes as well as his leadership style could all
have an impact on athletes' behaviors, cognitions, and
affective responses.
3. The sports coordinator should find this study
valuable in making work plan for the whole
school year focusing coach-athlete difficulty.
Further, he would also know in what way
coach-athlete be assisted or helped through
the result of this study particularly on the factors
affecting on it.
4. The result of this study should be of great
significance to the school heads by being
informed of the factors affecting coachathlete difficulties in their performances. Such
information would serve as a guide in
preparing a plan to improve athlete’s
performance and teacher’s way of coaching,
if found to be unsatisfactory in the said
subject.
5. The following topics are recommended for
future undertaking:
5.1 The Psychology of Great Performance
5.2 Effective Practices that makes an
excellent Performance
5.3 The Psychology of Winning