Lifting the veil of depression and alcoholism in sport coaching: how do we care for carers?

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to explore the insights of an elite sport coach living with comorbid depression and alcohol misuse. Such consideration is necessary because as coaching is increasingly repositioned as a caring activity the wellbeing of coaches themselves has rarely been considered. To address this gap, a narrative analysis methodology and a story telling approach was used to present the experiences of a case study coach (Steve). The story is derived from Steve’s own perspective and the perspective of his wife, Jane. This novel multi-voiced approach reveals the complex interplay between the sporting environment, Steve’s depression and his alcohol-related problems. In doing so, Steve’s story makes an original contribution by unveiling the issue of mental health in elite sport coaching. Steve’s story depicts the significant impact of depressive symptoms, coupled by excessive alcohol use on a coach, their personal life and their career. Using the work of Goffman and Sartre, the story alludes to how such symptoms can be hidden, to greater and lesser extents, from professional colleagues. This is an important theoretical contribution, because to care for coaches, colleagues, employers and health professionals will need to understand the needs of individuals such as Steve. Developing an open and supportive culture, which accepts that coaches are fallible, may however be a challenge within professional sport contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• Addiction
• creative non-fiction
• mental health
• storytelling
• elite sport

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank both Steve and Jane for sharing their story and for allowing us the opportunity to share their story with you. The authors would also like to acknowledge two very helpful and supportive reviewers whose comments on earlier drafts helped improve the quality of the final version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Simon J. Roberts

Simon J. Roberts is a reader in sport and exercise pedagogy and a member of the Sport, Exercise and Pedagogy Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

May Baker

May Baker is a senior lecturer in mental health nursing at Liverpool John Moores University  in the School of Nursing and Allied Health, UK.

Matthew J. Reeves

Matthew J. Reeves is a reader in physical activity and sport at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

Gary Jones

Gary Jones is a mental health nurse at a healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and associate fellow of Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

Colum Cronin

Colum Cronin is a senior lecturer in physical education and sport coaching and a member of the Sport, Exercise and Pedagogy Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.