A Coach’s Influence on Athlete’s Mental Health
An athlete is made by their coach. All of their training, schedules, strategies, and tournaments are determined by their coach, so it is no wonder that an athlete’s performance is a reflection of a coach’s skill in deliberation and experience.
So what happens when a coach’s regimen goes too far, or it isn’t enough?
Competitive athletes often begin their training young, as early as 3 years old. It is during these early years that children begin to observe and learn from the people––like coaches––that surround them. During these crucial years, coaches typically focus on building passion for the sport, allowing young athletes to explore and simply play the game without focusing on wins or losses. Placing pressure on young athletes can cause the child to resent the sport, associating the activity with negative emotions that increase the likelihood that they abandon the sport altogether.
As a child grows older, they may consider advancing in their sport to a competitive level. For individualistic sports, such as tennis, golf, or gymnastics, this may mean acquiring a private coach who trains with the athlete on-on-one. For team-based sports, like basketball, water polo, and soccer, the athlete may join a club team or little league, where they are coached alongside others in a team setting. Regardless, it is often at this age that the child’s athletic pursuits start to weigh on their mental health. The stress of competing can negatively impact an athlete, which makes it crucial that their coach can provide the psychological support to teach the athlete to overcome such mental stressors. Coaching style varies greatly among individuals and by sport, but studies have identified two broad methods: democratic and autocratic coaching. Democratic coaching styles generally involve much more autonomy for the athlete, allowing them to make decisions on their training and body. This method of coaching has demonstrated greater team synergy and performance, promoting a greater experience and better support for the athlete’s mental health. In contrast, an autocratic method of coaching can have the opposite effect; athletes are less likely to build strong relationships with their coach, and this leads to a lack of the foundational trust and support that is crucial for competitive players.
A coach’s behaviors during competition are highly influential over their players, especially young athletes. Coaches who express a lack of confidence in their athlete’s performance can lead to subsequent self-doubt and nervousness in their students, negatively impacting their mental health. Athletes often look up to their coaches as figures of authority and wisdom, and a lack of proper encouragement from that figure can result in increased anxiety and stress prior to competition. It is crucial that coaches readily showcase confidence in their athlete’s capabilities, as this outlook will reinforce a more positive perspective on their skills.
Different athletes may find different methods of coaching more or less effective; it is up to the coach to try various forms of coaching to determine which is best for their team. Building a close relationship between athlete and coach is crucial for team cooperation and communication, and this is often achieved after spending years training together. Thus, long-term coaches often exhibit a keener understanding of the best forms of encouragement and advice to give to their athletes to promote a better training environment. While short-term coaches may have the benefit of new techniques that can help athletes overcome plateaus, consistency is often key to maintaining an effective training routine.
In sports and athletics, coaches play a pivotal role in an athlete’s relationship with their sport, performance, and their own self-worth. It is crucial that a coach implements supportive techniques such as democratic leadership to offer the athletes autonomy and safety in their sport.
Sources:
“Coaching Styles and Their Impact on Athletes.” Coaching styles and their impact on athletes. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.trine.edu/academics/centers/center-for-sports-studies/blog/2021/coaching_styles_and_their_impact_on_athletes.aspx#:~:text=Various%20coaching%20styles%20have%20been,affect%20the%20motivation%20of%20athletes.
Mottaghi, Mahmoodreza, Alireza Atarodi, and Zahra Rohani. “The Relationship between Coaches’ and Athletes’ Competitive Anxiety,and Their Performance.” Iranian journal of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, 2013. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3939992/#:~:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20there,impact%20on%20athletes%27%20anxiety%20changes.
Mistretta, Isabel. “The Impact of Coaches and Teachers on Child Development.” The Penndulum. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://phspenndulum.org/8549/features/the-impact-of-coaches-and-teachers-on-child-development/.