A comparação dos efeitos do calendário esportivo sobre as perspectivas da satisfação interpessoal da relação treinador-atleta

Abstract

A significant gap identified in the study of the Coach-Athlete Relationship (CAR) is the scarcity of research analyzing this dynamic longitudinally. This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of the CAR over a sports season, with a particular focus on the impact of the sports calendar effect on Interpersonal Satisfaction within the CAR. The sample consisted of young athletes, both male and female, aged 12 to 21 years, from individual sports disciplines, competing at state and national levels, and having a relationship with their respective coaches for more than a year. Employing a descriptive, longitudinal, exploratory, and quantitative approach, with a quasi-experimental time-series design and stratified random sampling, the study applied the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) from both Direct and Meta perspectives, at three distinct times: Preparatory, Competitive, and Transition phases. While all athletes completed the CART-Q, coaches only completed the CART-Q for randomly selected athletes. The study underscores the importance of continuous analyses on the longitudinal effect of the sports calendar on the CAR. The findings indicate significant effects of the Sports Calendar on coaches' perceptions of the CAR quality, yet no significant effect was observed in athletes' perceptions over time. Significant differences were found for Satisfaction, Closeness, Commitment, and Complementarity from the coach's perspective over time. The study proposes the application of personalized interventions with coaches based on the sports calendar and the development of practical manuals addressing the differences in CAR perceived throughout the season, which may directly contribute to improving the involved parties' Interpersonal Satisfaction and, consequently, the final performance of the athlete and the duo.