IntelliSport

Summary

Positive relationships between coaches and athletes are necessary for effective training, mentoring, and maximizing competitive potential. Psychologists Rhind and Jowett have identified seven main factors for a healthy coach-athlete relationship: 1) conflict management, 2) openness, 3) motivation, 4) positivity, 5) advice, 6) support, and 7) common social networks (COMPASS). Coaches should remember the COMPASS method when cultivating or improving coach-athlete relationships.

Implementation

• Conflict Management occurs when coaches and athletes discuss expectations for each other in order to avoid the development of any conflicts that could arise from expectations not being met. Conflict management also occurs through cooperative discussion of disagreements.
• Openness describes the discussion of issues not directly related to training or competition, the ability to talk about any topic, and attempts to understand each others’ feelings.
• Motivation refers to coaches showing that they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help the athletes achieve their goals, and athletes showing that they have the abilities to meet the expectations of the coaches.
• Positivity, rather than focusing on acting cheerful and being upbeat when around the partner, refers to adaptability, fairness, and acting positively regarding issues that are outside of the competitive arena. Coaches should take positive steps to deal with issues to ensure that they do not have a negative effect on the coach-athlete relationship.
• Advice refers to giving opinions on problems encountered by the coach or the athlete, and to giving and receiving feedback in a positive and open way.
• Support refers to showing commitment to the coach-athlete relationship and being available for the coach/athlete when it comes to both athletic and personal issues.
• Social networks refers to spending social time with the coach/athlete, having mutual friends, and having involved interactions away from practice or competition.