The processes of developing the coach-athlete relationship: a case study in women's university sport

The purpose of this research was to describe and interpret the processes of developing the coach-athlete relationship in a women's university sports team across one competitive season. Data were generated from observations of 19 team practices and 11 games, and two individual interviews with the coach and three athletes. Participants' unique perspectives of developing the coach-athlete relationship were examined through the use of Jowett's (2007) 3 + 1Cs model. Findings highlight the ambiguous and often contradicting ways that participants understood and interpreted the processes of their coach-athlete relationship, due in part by the performance and social agendas at play. This research makes a contribution to knowledge about the processes of the coach-athlete relationship in a team environment and application of the 3 + 1 Cs model by primarily attending to its processes rather than outcomes. In doing so, we showed some of the complexities in these processes and the challenges this offers to coaches and athletes.