Effective Sport Psychology Consulting Relationships: Two Coach Case Studies
in The Sport PsychologistClick name to view affiliation
The purpose of this study was to investigate the components necessary for the development of an effective applied sport psychology consulting relationship between a sport psychology consultant (SPC) and a coach. To address this purpose, two SPC-Coach consulting relationship case studies will be presented. Following purposeful sampling methods, members of two SPC-Coach consulting relationships (2 SPCs and 2 elite coaches) participated in individual interviews to discuss their perceptions of effective consulting relationships. Inductive \content analysis was conducted to search for common themes both within and across the two case studies (Weber, 1990). Three categories emerged with shared similarities between both case study relationships as important to the development of effective consulting relationships between SPCs and coaches; (a) SPC knowledge; (b) trust; and (c) friendship. In addition, two categories individual to each of the case study consulting relationships emerged; (d) SPC fitting in with team culture; and (e) flexibility.
Sharp was with the Dept. of Sport and Health Science, University College Plymouth St. Mark & St. John, Plymouth, UK at the time of this research and is now with the Ulster Sports Academy, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, UK. Hodge is with the School of Physical Education, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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