Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Department

Sport and Exercise Psychology

Committee Chair

Dana Voelker

Committee Co-Chair

Clayton Kuklick

Committee Member

Clayton Kuklick

Committee Member

Jack Watson

Committee Member

Damien Clement

Abstract

Injury is an inevitable facet of sport participation, and injured athletes require support from coaches. However, research on injured athletes highlights a lack of support from coaches. Building on the conceptual model proposed by Maurice et al., this study uses the International Sport Coaching Framework (ISCF) to examine ways contextual coaching knowledge is used to support athletes throughout rehabilitation. Previous research has focused on the knowledge types but has neither addressed the integration of the knowledges in a single study nor examined them in an injury context. A generic qualitative approach was used to examine 13 NCAA DI coaches’ perception of their role during rehabilitation, their use of ISCF knowledge types, and perceived barriers when supporting injured athletes. Analyzed using deductive coding strategies, coaches reported integrating the knowledge types when supporting their injured athletes. Coaches’ perceived roles and barriers were also addressed by the knowledge types. Coaches emphasized their role during the rehabilitation process was to continue communicating with their athletes and know their players well enough to push them to return to play without furthering their athletes’ injuries. Barriers perceived by coaches in their efforts to provide support came from rules developed by universities and NCAA limiting ways coaches could offer support. Coaches cited injured athletes as barriers, explaining that athletes are not always honest with coaches about injury severity and afraid to admit they are injured. Results of this study can be used to help coaches identify effective uses of coaching knowledge to improve injured athletes’ rehabilitation experiences.

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