Coaching the Coach: New Study Explores the Role of Social Support in Effective Coaching

In a recent systematic review published in Frontiers in Psychology, Ferreira et al. (2024) shed light on the critical role of social support, networks, and relationships in the lives of sports coaches.

The authors begin by highlighting the demanding nature of sports coaching, characterized by long hours, job insecurity, and high emotional investment. They argue that while much attention has been paid to athlete support, coaches’ social support needs have been largely neglected in research. This review aims to fill that gap by analyzing the types and levels of social support provided to coaches by family members, peers, and friends, and understanding its impact on various aspects of coaches’ lives, including wellbeing.

The methodology employed in this study is rigorous and comprehensive. Following the PRISMA guidelines, the researchers conducted a systematic review of 11 scientific articles published between 2000 and 2023. They utilized multiple databases, including Web of Science and B-On, employing a carefully crafted search strategy combining terms related to social support, coaching, and sports. The PECOS criteria guided the inclusion and exclusion of studies, ensuring a focused and relevant sample. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the STROBE Checklist, with the overall risk of bias rated as moderate.

The results of this review are both illuminating and nuanced. The authors found that social support has significant positive effects on sports coaches, including increased self-compassion, prevention of burnout symptoms, heightened job and life satisfaction, and reduced stress levels. Importantly, the study delineates the different types of social support – emotional, informational, esteem, and tangible – and their sources, including family, peers, and friends. Family support was primarily emotional and tangible, while peer support was mainly informational and tangible. Friends provided both informational and emotional support.

One of the most striking findings is the negative impact of the absence of social support. Coaches lacking adequate support reported decreased self-compassion, increased stress and burnout symptoms, job and life dissatisfaction, and heightened work-family conflicts. This underscores the critical nature of social support in the coaching profession.

The discussion section of the review is particularly insightful. The authors emphasize the multifaceted nature of social support in coaching and its far-reaching implications. They highlight the need for sports organizations to prioritize social support for coaches, given the competitive and challenging environments they navigate. The review also points out a significant gap in scientific literature on this topic, calling for further research to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework integrating social variables and blending quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

This study has profound implications for mentoring programs in sports coaching. First, it underscores the need for such programs to incorporate a strong social support component. Mentoring initiatives should not only focus on technical and tactical aspects of coaching but also on building and maintaining supportive networks. Programs could include training on how to seek and provide different types of social support, recognizing its importance in preventing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.

Second, the findings suggest that mentoring programs should involve multiple stakeholders, including family members, peers, and friends of coaches. This holistic approach could help create a more comprehensive support system for coaches at all levels.

Third, the study highlights the importance of organizational support. Mentoring programs should work closely with sports organizations to create environments that foster autonomy and provide clear guidelines for coaches. This could include developing policies that recognize and value the social support needs of coaches.

Lastly, the review points to the need for longitudinal studies on the effects of social support in coaching. Mentoring programs could contribute to this research gap by incorporating long-term follow-ups and assessments, thereby adding to the scientific understanding of social support in sports coaching over time.