Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/99138
Title: The impact of the coach during competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Attard, Angelique (2007)
Keywords: Sports for people with disabilities
Athletes with disabilities
Coaching (Athletics)
Issue Date: 2007
Citation: Attard, A. (2007). The impact of the coach during competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities (Diploma long essay).
Abstract: Sport is demanding and at competitive levels expectations for athletes and coaches are high. Coaches are, or can be, so influential in the lives of their athletes, that it seems only sensible to look at how they deliver their coaching sessions and what they do to create a positive and motivating learning environment so to enhance the athlete's performance. The coach's satisfaction comes from being part of someone else's achievements, helping them see different ways in which they can obtain the results they aim for. This study reflects on how coaches and athletes with intellectual disabilities work together to achieve their goals in sport and competitions situations. Moreover it will try to determine if the athlete's success during competition shall be affected if the main coach or other coaches are present on the day. This research aimed to address the following issues; 1) To identify how the coaches taking part in this study deliver their coaching sessions and how they prepare their athletes for competition; 2) To elicit the objectives of the coaches and how they communicate with their athletes to achieve their trust in them; 3) To investigate how the rapport between coach and athlete can help to build a team of confident and successful athletes; 4) To encompass the effects this relationship has on enhancing the athletes' performance; and 5) To investigate the effect the change of coaches has on the athlete's outcomes during their competitive performance. The study employed three methods of qualitative data collection: a document search; informal communications with the coaches and their athletes with intellectual disabilities, who are currently competing for sport competitions; and guided interviews with 3 coaches and 5 athletes working in this particular field who are presently involved in training and competing respectively. The results show that the main objectives of coaches of this study are to create a positive learning environment where they focus mainly on the athlete's ability and work around that. To acl1ieve this outcome, coaches continuously praise and reinforce their athletes to make them feel confident and feel motivated in their respective sports discipline. They also encourage their athletes to be proud individuals and make it a priority to integrate them within society. The coaches also mention that being a friend to the athletes is what makes these athletes achieve trust and helps towards their success in competition. On the other hand the athletes are mostly happy in being part of a team. Being with their team mates is their main priority and motivates them to train harder. They enjoy competing and meeting other athletes. Finally and most importantly it has been established that coaches believe that their athletes will do just as well during competition regardless of their presence, because they have mentally prepared their athletes to be independent. This opinion was also expressed by the athletes themselves. This study provides evidence that :friendship and a strong rapport built between the coach and fellow team mates, results in better motivated attitudes towards successes in sport competition.
Description: DIP.S.L.S.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/99138
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - InsPES - 1999-2007

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
DIP.S.L.S._Attard Angelique_2007.PDF
  Restricted Access
5.49 MBAdobe PDFView/Open Request a copy


Items in OAR@UM are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.