The Psychological Competence and Leadership of a Sports Coach

The introductory lecture discusses the course course course, the format of lectures and classes, the course requirements and the final exam.

Personality theories are mentioned and this, as the personality traits and pedagogical approach of a coach, can affect communication with athletes and parents of athletes. Values and beliefs related to an athlete’s performance - orientation to task or result, attitude to mistakes and feedback about performance - will be analyzed. The relative advantages of age, the concepts of Pigmalion effect, favouritism and behavioural modelling in the sporting environment are explained.

Cular, D., Babic, M., Katovic, D., Beslija, T., & Kezic, A. (2024). How to Compare Relative Age Effect in Different Sports? A New Methodological Approach—Example of Youth Olympic Games. Sports, 12(8), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12080215

The introductory lecture discusses the course course course, the format of lectures and classes, the course requirements and the final exam.

Personality theories are mentioned and this, as the personality traits and pedagogical approach of a coach, can affect communication with athletes and parents of athletes. Values and beliefs related to an athlete’s performance - orientation to task or result, attitude to mistakes and feedback about performance - will be analyzed. The relative advantages of age, the concepts of Pigmalion effect, favouritism and behavioural modelling in the sporting environment are explained.

Cular, D., Babic, M., Katovic, D., Beslija, T., & Kezic, A. (2024). How to Compare Relative Age Effect in Different Sports? A New Methodological Approach—Example of Youth Olympic Games. Sports, 12(8), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12080215

The importance of emotion in the context of sport - how emotion affects motivation and learning and ways of controlling emotions in pressure situations - will be looked at. The concept of emotional intelligence in sport will be discussed. The relationship between emotional intelligence and behavioural modelling through the 3Cs/5C theory. The emotional intelligence, empathy and ability of a coach to understand the emotional signals in an athlete’s behavior. ACT approach.

Pan F and Sui W (2025) Research on coach-athlete relationship and team performance based on 3Cs theory: the chain mediating role of emotional intelligence and athletic engagement. Front. Psychol. 16:1587900. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1587900

The importance of emotion in the context of sport - how emotion affects motivation and learning and ways of controlling emotions in pressure situations - will be looked at. The concept of emotional intelligence in sport will be discussed. The relationship between emotional intelligence and behavioural modelling through the 3Cs/5C theory. The emotional intelligence, empathy and ability of a coach to understand the emotional signals in an athlete’s behavior. ACT approach.

Pan F and Sui W (2025) Research on coach-athlete relationship and team performance based on 3Cs theory: the chain mediating role of emotional intelligence and athletic engagement. Front. Psychol. 16:1587900. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1587900

Students will be presented with symptoms of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, etc.) and risk factors (high requirements, chronic stress, etc.) when working in a sports environment. Maslach model, burnout stages and their assessment using the Maslach burnout survey. Resource Preservation theory (Hobfoll `s Conservation of resources theory). Will learn and learn to apply self-regulation and self-reflection techniques during classes. Mindfulness-based stressv reduction (MBSR) kabat-Zinn approach. The role of professional boundaries in developing healthy relationships. Establishment of a support system and professional assistance.

Gellock, Jennifer L. and Dwyer, Brendan (2023) "Areas of Worklife and Job Burnout among Sport Industry Professionals: The Case of Athletic Academic Support Professionals," Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: Vol. 16: Iss. 1, Article 6. Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol16/iss1/6

Henriksen, K., Hansen, J., & Larsen, C.H. (2020). Mindfulness and Acceptance in Sport: How to Help Athletes Perform and Thrive under Pressure (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429435232

Students will be presented with symptoms of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, etc.) and risk factors (high requirements, chronic stress, etc.) when working in a sports environment. Maslach model, burnout stages and their assessment using the Maslach burnout survey. Resource Preservation theory (Hobfoll `s Conservation of resources theory). Will learn and learn to apply self-regulation and self-reflection techniques during classes. Mindfulness-based stressv reduction (MBSR) kabat-Zinn approach. The role of professional boundaries in developing healthy relationships. Establishment of a support system and professional assistance.

Gellock, Jennifer L. and Dwyer, Brendan (2023) "Areas of Worklife and Job Burnout among Sport Industry Professionals: The Case of Athletic Academic Support Professionals," Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: Vol. 16: Iss. 1, Article 6. Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol16/iss1/6

Henriksen, K., Hansen, J., & Larsen, C.H. (2020). Mindfulness and Acceptance in Sport: How to Help Athletes Perform and Thrive under Pressure (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429435232

The team and its formative stages. Types of team cohesion (social or task) and its relation to team performance. Roles and their clarity in the team. Social facilitācija, Ringelman effect. Conflicts within the team and their leadership. The impact of a coach’s management style on team dynamics. Chelladurai multidimensional model. Students will analyse and debate examples of with distinction coaches.

Gavala-González J, Martins B, Ponseti FJ and Garcia-Mas A (2020) Studying Well and Performing Well: A Bayesian Analysis on Team and Individual Rowing Performance in Dual Career Athletes. Front. Psychol. 11:583409. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.583409

The team and its formative stages. Types of team cohesion (social or task) and its relation to team performance. Roles and their clarity in the team. Social facilitācija, Ringelman effect. Conflicts within the team and their leadership. The impact of a coach’s management style on team dynamics. Chelladurai multidimensional model. Students will analyse and debate examples of with distinction coaches.

Gavala-González J, Martins B, Ponseti FJ and Garcia-Mas A (2020) Studying Well and Performing Well: A Bayesian Analysis on Team and Individual Rowing Performance in Dual Career Athletes. Front. Psychol. 11:583409. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.583409

The concept of leadership in the context of sport will be addressed, different types of leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, etc.) analysed and theoretical approaches explaining leadership approaches in the sporting environment will be analysed. (Transformational and transactional leadership theory (Bass), situational leadership theory, (Hersey & Blanchard) and social identity approach to leadership (Haslam, Reicher & Platow).

Introduced to customize leadership styles based on an athlete’s age, experience, level of motivation, and situation.

Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2023). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Human kinetics 

Del Pino-Marchito, A., Galán-García, A., & Plaza-Mejía, M. d. l. Á. (2025). The Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model Revisited: Its Role in Sustainable Organizational Development. World, 6(2), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/world6020063

The concept of leadership in the context of sport will be addressed, different types of leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, etc.) analysed and theoretical approaches explaining leadership approaches in the sporting environment will be analysed. (Transformational and transactional leadership theory (Bass), situational leadership theory, (Hersey & Blanchard) and social identity approach to leadership (Haslam, Reicher & Platow).

Introduced to customize leadership styles based on an athlete’s age, experience, level of motivation, and situation.

Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2023). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Human kinetics 

Del Pino-Marchito, A., Galán-García, A., & Plaza-Mejía, M. d. l. Á. (2025). The Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model Revisited: Its Role in Sustainable Organizational Development. World, 6(2), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/world6020063

Communication, its role in sport. Forms of communication in (verbal, non-verbal) sport. Basic principles for building successful communication in a sporting environment. Conflicts, strategies for resolving them. Various conflict resolution strategies have been practically tried.

Charlina, Charlina & Roziah, Roziah & Ismail, Syofianis & Piliang, Wilda & Siswanto, Siswanto & Setyawan, Hendra & Zulbahri, Zulbahri & Darmawan, Arief & Shidiq, Abdul & Eken, Özgür & Pavlović, Ratko & Latino, Francesca & Tafuri, Francesco. (2024). Effective Verbal Communication in Physical Education Learning and Sports Coaching to Improve Achievement and Health: A Systematic Review. Retos. 56. 1139-1147. 10.47197/retos.v56.107308. 

Williams, J. W., & Krane, V. (2020). Applied sport psychology : personal growth to peak performance (8th edition. International student edition). McGraw Hill.

Communication, its role in sport. Forms of communication in (verbal, non-verbal) sport. Basic principles for building successful communication in a sporting environment. Conflicts, strategies for resolving them. Various conflict resolution strategies have been practically tried.

Charlina, Charlina & Roziah, Roziah & Ismail, Syofianis & Piliang, Wilda & Siswanto, Siswanto & Setyawan, Hendra & Zulbahri, Zulbahri & Darmawan, Arief & Shidiq, Abdul & Eken, Özgür & Pavlović, Ratko & Latino, Francesca & Tafuri, Francesco. (2024). Effective Verbal Communication in Physical Education Learning and Sports Coaching to Improve Achievement and Health: A Systematic Review. Retos. 56. 1139-1147. 10.47197/retos.v56.107308. 

Williams, J. W., & Krane, V. (2020). Applied sport psychology : personal growth to peak performance (8th edition. International student edition). McGraw Hill.

Students will be introduced to the concept and types of aggression (proactive, reactive, etc.) and forms of violence in the sports environment. In theory, factors that can contribute to aggression will be discussed. Students will be introduced to theories of aggression in sports psychology and possible defensive and preventive measures.

Students will be introduced to the concept and types of aggression (proactive, reactive, etc.) and forms of violence in the sports environment. In theory, factors that can contribute to aggression will be discussed. Students will be introduced to theories of aggression in sports psychology and possible defensive and preventive measures.

The topic of the need for cooperation in the sporting environment and a holistic approach to the development of an athlete’s personality and career will be discussed in relation to the biopsychosocial model in the context of sport. Principles of effective cooperation - clarity and respect for the role of the support team, clear communication. Possible forms and models of cooperation - individual work, team counselling, involvement of a psychologist in the training process, crisis situations. Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary approach concepts. Challenges and barriers in collaboration, resistance and its possible causes, stigma, overlap of roles. Long-term maintenance and monitoring of an athlete’s mental health.

Müller PO, Taylor J, Jordan MJ, Scherr J, Verhagen E, Collins D, Spörri J. Call for the application of a biopsychosocial and interdisciplinary approach to the return-to-sport framework of snow sports athletes. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2023 Aug 17;9(3):e001516. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001516. PMID: 37608842; PMCID: PMC10441041.

McClean, Zachary J.1,2; Pasanen, K, Lun, V, Charest, J, Herzog, W, Werthner, P, Black, A, Vleuten, Reid V, Lacoste, E, Jordan, M, (2024), Biopsychosocial Model for Understanding Training Load, Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Sport Injury in University Athletes: A Scoping Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 38(6):p 1177-1188, June 2024. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004789 

The topic of the need for cooperation in the sporting environment and a holistic approach to the development of an athlete’s personality and career will be discussed in relation to the biopsychosocial model in the context of sport. Principles of effective cooperation - clarity and respect for the role of the support team, clear communication. Possible forms and models of cooperation - individual work, team counselling, involvement of a psychologist in the training process, crisis situations. Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary approach concepts. Challenges and barriers in collaboration, resistance and its possible causes, stigma, overlap of roles. Long-term maintenance and monitoring of an athlete’s mental health.

Müller PO, Taylor J, Jordan MJ, Scherr J, Verhagen E, Collins D, Spörri J. Call for the application of a biopsychosocial and interdisciplinary approach to the return-to-sport framework of snow sports athletes. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2023 Aug 17;9(3):e001516. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001516. PMID: 37608842; PMCID: PMC10441041.

McClean, Zachary J.1,2; Pasanen, K, Lun, V, Charest, J, Herzog, W, Werthner, P, Black, A, Vleuten, Reid V, Lacoste, E, Jordan, M, (2024), Biopsychosocial Model for Understanding Training Load, Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Sport Injury in University Athletes: A Scoping Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 38(6):p 1177-1188, June 2024. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004789 

Seminar “psychological Preparedness Plan for a specific Sports situation”

Seminar “psychological Preparedness Plan for a specific Sports situation”