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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between coach expectations, female athletes’ perceptions of coach behavior, and motivation to play softball, and to observe changes in perceptions of behavior and motivation by expectancy group. Self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000) was used as a guide. Participants were randomly selected from Division I softball teams competing in the United States (n = 20). Head coaches (n = 20) completed evaluations rating expectations of athletes’ performance ability, and athletes (n = 148) self-reported motivation and perceived coaching behaviors pre- and post-study. Cluster analysis distinguished between three expectancy groups based from coach expectation ratings: High, low, and average. Pearson’s r revealed weak relationships between coach expectancy ratings, perceived coaching behaviors, and motivation. Split-plot analysis of variance tests revealed expectancy groups perceived behaviors differently and were motivated differently. Low expectancy athletes perceived more non-rewarding behaviors, less positive behaviors, and were more non-self-determined to play softball. Overall, coaches were perceived as mostly positive.

We studied the transition of an applied sport psychology training program at a public U.S. university from a face-to-face mode to a virtual mode in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to identify challenges of this transition for supervisors and student consultants and best practices for virtual consultancy. This autoethnographic case study involved interviews with three program supervisors, ten student consultants, and one college coach. We also examined researcher observations and lived experiences during the transition. A blended ethnographic and codebook thematic analysis was undertaken. We identified two superordinate challenges: (a) program challenges and (b) consulting challenges. We also identified three superordinate best practices: (a) supervisor best practices, (b) student consultant best practices, and (c) best practices in sport psychology delivery. These findings can usefully inform efforts by individual consultants and applied programs at universities to adopt virtual modes of consultancy.