Wheelchair Basketball Athletes’ Perceptions of the Coach–Athlete Relationship

in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

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Lara Pomerleau-Fontaine Faculté des Sciences de l’Activité Physique, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

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Gordon A. Bloom Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4679-9922
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Danielle Alexander Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2022-0003
Keywords:
parasport; coaching; impairment; team sports
First Published Online:
11 Oct 2022
In Print:
Volume 40: Issue 1
Page Range:
105–125
Restricted access

The majority of research on the coach–athlete relationship has been explored from the perspective of able-bodied athletes. The purpose of this study was to explore wheelchair basketball athletes’ perceptions of the coach–athlete relationship. Timelining and semistructured interviews were conducted with six wheelchair basketball athletes, and data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Athletes highlighted the important role that parasport coaches played in fostering an enjoyable wheelchair basketball environment and valued coaches who displayed expertise regarding their athletes’ equipment and had personal parasport athletic experiences. Additionally, athletes identified personal preferences, including coaches who addressed sex differences and maintained professional relationships at the national level as contributing factors to the coach–athlete relationship. The current results benefit both parasport coaches and athletes by providing a portrayal of coaching behaviors, characteristics, and expertise that not only influence the parasport coach–athlete dyad but also affect the well-being and athletic development of parasport athletes.

Bloom https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4679-9922

Pomerleau-Fontaine (lara.pomerleau-fontaine@usherbrooke.ca) is corresponding author.

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