The Binding Force: A Practical Model for Building and Maintaining the Coach-Athlete Relationship in Canadian Intercollegiate Team Sport

The Binding Force: A Practical Model for Building and Maintaining the Coach-Athlete Relationship in Canadian Intercollegiate Team Sport Coaches at Canadian post-secondary institutions have immense responsibilities: operating a successful sport program, managing the academic and athletic success of their athletes and ultimately delivering results, in other words, winning. “When athletes first join a team, they begin to familiarize themselves with their coach, the coach-athlete relationship, the environment, and the system” (Becker, 2009 p. 97) the athlete will compete in. Successful coaches are consistent in who they are (coach attributes), and how they maintain relationships, manage the team environment, and carry out their system (Becker, 2009); they provide a stable environment in order to develop the overall person and student-athlete. To date, the coach-athlete relationship remains to be an area of further exploration within team sport. The coach–athlete relationship is currently defined as a situation shaped by coaches’ and athletes’ interconnected feelings, thoughts, and behaviors (Jowett, 2005, 2007; Jowett & Poczardowski, 2007). This study addresses the need for a more systematic qualitative understanding of the coach-athlete relationship through the eyes of champion post-secondary team sport coaches. The emergence of various themes within the relationship are discussed, demonstrating a reciprocal bond that leads to, and continually feeds the connection between the coach and athlete, even afterwards, once it has been established. The importance of the coach-athlete relationship, its impact, the development, and maintenance are discussed.