Two Sides of a Tale: A Narrative Exploration of Post-Injury Fear in a Gymnast-Coach Dyad

Gymnastics is a sport with a high risk of injury creating many opportunities for a gymnast to experience injury-related fear. Little is known about how gymnasts experience fear and how coaches perceive gymnasts' fear. The present study was aimed at exploring the experiences of post-injury fear in a gymnast-coach dyad. Two male participants (a gymnast and his coach) were involved in narrative-type interviews about their experiences of the same incident of the gymnast’s fear. The holistic form-structural analysis revealed three narratives: a hero’s journey narrative (coach) and a chaos narrative followed by a redemption narrative (gymnast). The stories had different foci. The coach took a career perspective focusing on the fear incident as a part of the athlete’s personal development. The gymnast focused more on injuries, fear experiences, and how he coped. The findings illuminate how two collaborating people can experience the same incident of fear differently and how those different views complement each other

A holistic perspective on career development in UK female soccer players: A negative case analysis

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine career experiences of UK-based female youth soccer players from a holistic perspective with a view to producing a grounded theory of factors contributing to career/talent development and transitions in UK youth female soccer. Methodology: A Grounded Theory methodology (Corbin & Strauss, 2008) was used. Negative case (Denzin, 1989) former female soccer players (N=13), their best friend (N=13), soccer coaches (N=4), and teachers (N=8) took part in semi-structured interviews about factors associated with talent development and career transitions in female youth soccer. Results: Multiple social agents (players, team-mates, peers, teachers, parents and siblings) need to optimally interact to ensure that an optimal talent development and learning environment is created. This will provide a supportive holistic talent development environment, lead to adaptive player-level changes, and a greater chance of successful athletic and dual career development. Conclusions: This study presents a rich understanding of the dual careers of players who did not make it in female soccer. By considering their perspectives alongside of a range of important social agents, we have been able to construct a substantive grounded theory of factors contributing to career/talent development and transitions in UK youth female soccer. As a result, these findings may contribute to policy and practice development in UK female youth soccer

In a Football Bubble and Beyond: Cultural Transition Pathways of Swedish Professional Football Players

The objectives of this study were: (1) to explore cultural transition pathways of Swedish professional football players relocated to another European country, (2) to identify shared themes in their transition narratives. We interviewed three professional players who in their early twenties relocated to Italy, Turkey, and Switzerland, and then analyzed their stories using holistic and categorical analyses following the narrative oriented inquiry (NOI) model (Hiles & Čermák, 2008). The holistic analysis resulted in creating three core narratives (i.e., re-telling of the participants’ stories) entitled:  Preparing for the worst-case scenario and saved by dedication to football; Showing interest for the host culture and carrying responsibility as a foreign player; and A step for personal development: from homesickness to being hungry for more. The categorical analysis resulted in 12 shared themes from the players’ stories arranged around three phases of the cultural transition model (Ryba et al., 2016). In the pre-transition all the participants were established players searching for new professional opportunities. In the acute cultural adaptation phase, they all prioritized adjustment in football (e.g., fitting in the team, performing). In the socio-cultural adaptation phase, they broaden their perspectives and realized that finding a meaningful life outside of football was just as important to function and feel satisfied as football success

A critical review of career research and assistance through the cultural lens: towards cultural praxis of athletes’ careers

In this review article, a content area of athlete career in sport psychology is analyzed through the cultural lens: that is, through paradigmatic perspectives of cross-cultural psychology, cultural psychology, and cultural studies. Based on previous review papers, but mainly on the chapters of the anthology Athletes' Careers across Cultures, we identified three dominant (North American, Australian, and European) and two emerging (Asian and South American) cultural discourses in the career topic. These discourses are characterized by research foci, theoretical frameworks, and career assistance programs in action. Our critical analysis of career research and assistance around the world further indicates a need for more contextualized and culturally competent career projects, which blend theory/research, applied work, and lived culture into cultural praxis. To satisfy this need, a new paradigm termed cultural praxis of athletes' careers is suggested. In conclusion, we emphasize the importance of review papers in negotiating emerging terminology, values, principles, and approaches underlying the career topic, and share some ideas for future reviews in career research and assistance

The COVID-19 pandemic and Olympic/Paralympic athletes’ developmental challenges and possibilities in times of a global crisis-transition

Our aim in this invited commentary is to stimulate discussion among sport psychology researchers and practitioners regarding the unique developmental challenges and possibilities that Olympic and Paralympic athletes are undergoing during their final – extended year of the Tokyo 2020 quadrenium. We begin the commentary with COVID-19 pandemic (C-19) context setting, proceed with discussing transitional and holistic perspectives on athletes’ Olympic/Paralympic journey, outline three potential pathway scenarios and “C-19 as a possibility-provider” coping (meta-) scenario for Olympic/Paralympic athletes, and finalise our commentary with a summary of messages intended to invite further discussion and collaboration

Personal qualities of effective sport psychologists: a sports physician perspective

Abstract Previous literature within applied sport psychology offers little detailed discussion regarding the personal qualities of sport psychology practitioners and the impact of these qualities on practice. This paper presents an exploration of the views of sport physicians regarding the personal characteristics and qualities of applied sport psychologists deemed necessary for effective practice. Five UK-based physicians and one Head of Medical Services, working in a range of elite and professional sports, were interviewed about their experience and perceptions of working with sport psychologists. The interview transcripts were content analysed and trustworthiness criteria applied. Four key themes emerged from the data, labelled ‘Personal qualities’, ‘Relationship Building’, ‘Professionalism in Practice’, and ‘Similarities between Psychologist and Physician’. The findings within each theme offered interesting insights into the impact of personal qualities on effective sport psychology practice. This study extends the existing literature on sport psychologists’ characteristics and effectiveness and offers new insights into their personal qualities and how these interact with the practice environment. The findings supported the growing emphasis within the field on the importance of the person behind the practitioner. Suggestions are offered with reference to the need to consider how literature from counselling psychology and medical training could assist the development of practice and education and training in sport psychology

Shared Features of Successful Interorganizational Collaboration to Promote Local Talent Development Environments in Denmark

The aim of this study was to explore 11 case examples of successful talent development collaborations between sport federations, municipalities, and local clubs in Denmark in order to identify potential shared features of successful collaborations. We hypothesized that each case example would be unique, but that they would also share features that could be organized to provide practitioners with a model to guide the improvement of their practice. Grounded in the holistic ecological approach, the study was designed as a multiple case study to facilitate a cross-case analysis. Three Danish sport federations (handball, ice hockey, and swimming), nine municipalities, and eleven local clubs participated in the study, and the data was generated from 23 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Analysis led to the construction of six shared features of successful interorganizational collaboration organized into: (1) a list of features (SFIC-TD) with positive and opposite pole descriptors and three categories: collaborative philosophy, collaborative decisions, and collaborative actions, and (2) an applied framework termed the pyramid model for optimization of interorganizational collaboration in talent development (PIC-TD) which illustrates how the abovementioned categories lead to collaborative outcomes. Developing a shared philosophy of talent development was found to be a foundational starting point for successful collaboration between relevant organizations on the micro- and macro-level to improve the local athletic talent development environment

Practitioner Perspectives on the Barriers Associated with Youth to Senior Transition in Elite Youth Soccer Academy Players

There are concerns surrounding the lack of players making the transition from youth to professional status within English professional soccer. Stakeholders, such as coaches, have been largely overlooked by researchers often focussing on player experiences. We aimed to explore soccer practitioner perceptions of the debilitating factors associated with youth to senior progression. Practitioners were chosen as they inform the working practices and are the cultural architects of the environment in which players operate. Interviews were conducted with 18 (N = 18), male (n = 17) and female (n = 1) soccer practitioners. These included coaches (n = 6), academy managers (n = 8) and staff involved with education and welfare (n = 4). Data were thematically analysed where four themes were identified (cultural climate, working practices, occupational hazards and social challenges). The analysis provided a clear picture of the transition landscape faced by players seeking to make the youth-to-senior transition through the eyes of soccer practitioners. The findings present a novel viewpoint to facilitate reflection around their own practice when managing youth to senior transitions. Further research is needed to triangulate player experiences and operational aspects of facilitating transitions which could lead to the creation of best practice guidance

One-to-one support with a professional Rugby League Player: A case for referral?

This article presents a reflective case study of an applied consultancy experience with a 22-year-old professional rugby league player. The primary aim of the intervention was to provide the client a confidential space where he could discuss his experiences in and outside of a sporting context while also exploring and challenging his core values and beliefs. The consultancy process lasted for 12 mo, leading to the development of a strong relationship. During this time, the client experienced multiple critical moments such as deselection from the first-team squad and contract negotiations, which at times led to reductions in his well-being and forced the trainee sport and exercise psychologist to consider his scope of practice in relation to mental health and depression. Reflections are provided that explore the possibility of referral during these moments. The case study also provides insight into the trainee sport and exercise psychologist’s philosophy of practice and how influential this can be when considering referral of a client. The importance of supervisor support during uncertain moments is highlighted, and the case study concludes with reflections from the client, trainee practitioner, and peer supervisor regarding the efficacy of the intervention and the decision not to refer

Maternidad en el tenis profesional : ¿es suficiente con cambiar la normativa?

El cambio de normativa de la Women's Tennis Association (WTA) a principios del 2019 sobre maternidad y el auge de investigaciones en psicología del deporte sobre este tema en el deporte de élite, inspiraron este estudio cuyo objetivo fue explorar si el cambio de normativa modifica la visión de la compaginación de maternidad y carrera tenística en tenistas profesionales en activo y retiradas, madres y no madres. Participaron 10 mujeres tenistas españolas, algunas madres (n = 3) y otras no (n = 7). Para la recolección de datos se utilizó una entrevista semi-estructurada y a partir de un análisis temático del contenido se definieron tres temas: (a) game, set and match: ¿es suficiente solo con cambiar la normativa? (b) Centre court: al servicio mama-tenista versus al resto tenista, y (c) warning coaching: el tenis como deporte de equipo. Los resultados revelan como las modificaciones del reglamento facilitan un primer paso hacia la compatibilización de la maternidad con el tenis de élite, pero aún hacen falta más medidas de acompañamiento como las sugeridas en este estudio: (a) contar con el apoyo del entorno psicosocial de la deportista, (b) disponer de una ayuda económica, (c) disponer de espacios para los hijos en el entorno deportivo y (d) facilitar elementos básicos para los niños en los torneos.Changes in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rulebook at the beginning of 2019 regarding the special ranking for pregnancy or parental start and the uprising in sports psychology investigations regarding this theme in elite sport, inspired this study. The aim was to explore whether the changes in the WTA regulations modifies the vision of the possibility to combine motherhood and professional tennis career in both current and former elite tennis players. Participants were 10 Spanish female elite tennis players, some mothers (n = 3) and others non-mothers (n = 7). For data collection, a semi-structured interview was used and, through thematic content analysis, three themes were defined: (a) game, set and match: is it enough just by changing the rules? (b) Centre court: to serve tennis player and mom vs. at the return tennis player and (c) warning coaching: tennis as a team sport. The results of the study revealed that motherhood and an elite tennis career is possible to combine even though it is still a feat for the mother athlete. Our study suggests strategies that could favour motherhood with an elite tennis career: (a) have the support from the athletes' entourage, (b) having financial support or funding, (c) have some areas or rooms destined for children in tournaments and (d) provide basic services for children in tournaments.A mudança nos regulamentos da Women's Tennis Association (WTA) no início de 2019 sobre a maternidade e o surgimento das pesquisas em psicologia do esporte sobre o assunto no esporte de elite inspiraram este estudo cujo objetivo foi explorar se a mudança nos regulamentos modifica a visão da combinação de maternidade e carreira de tênis em tenistas profissionais ativos e aposentados, mães e não mães. Participaram 10 tenistas espanholas, algumas mães (n = 3) e outras não (n = 7). Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizada uma entrevista semiestruturada e, a partir da análise temática de conteúdo, foram definidos três temas: (a) jogo, jogo e jogo: basta mudar o regulamento? (b) Quadra central: servir a jogadora-mãe contra o resto da jogadora, e (c) orientação de advertência: tênis como esporte de equipe. Os resultados revelam como as modificações nas normas facilitam um primeiro passo para compatibilizar a maternidade com o tênis de elite, mas ainda são necessárias medidas de apoio como as sugeridas neste estudo: (a) contar com o apoio do ambiente psicossocial da atleta, (b) ter auxílio financeiro, (c) ter vagas para crianças no ambiente esportivo e (d) fornecer elementos básicos para as crianças em torneios