Professional Coaches’ Perspectives on the Return to Sport Following Serious Injury

Abstract

Research examining the role of coach assistance among athletes in injury rehabilitation (e.g., Bianco, 2001; Johnston & Carroll, 1998) indicates that coaches can play a significant role in the recovery of athletes with injuries. Little is known, however, about coaches’ roles in assisting athletes in the post-injury recovery time period when the athlete is returning to competition. The purpose of this study was to examine professional coaches’ perspectives of the return-to-sport transition, their role in decisions to return athletes to training and competition, and their role in assisting athletes through this adjustment period. The 14 professional coaches from Western Australia and New Zealand appeared to possess a good understanding of the stressors of returning to sport and recognized the importance of assisting athletes with this transition. The findings are discussed with regard to the extant stress and social support literature on the psychology of athletic injury.

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Matt Burin (WAIS) and Scott Cresswell (UWA) for their assistance in recruiting Australian and New Zealand coaches.