Coaches' Use of Anticipatory and Counterfactual Regret Messages During Competition

Abstract

By focusing on coaches' use of anticipatory and counterfactual regret messages, this investigation examined video footage (i.e., pre-game, halftime, and post-game speeches) of high school football coaches' interaction with their athletes during competition. Participants were 17 high school football coaches who were found to use a combination of regret messages: accountability, individual performance, collective failure, social significance, regret reduction, and future regret. Results describe how coaches use these regret message types during different points in athletic competition and how they vary as a function of team success (winning or losing at the time of the speech) and whether the game occurred during the regular or post-season. Applications for coaches, including pedagogical and athlete emotional response, are discussed.

Keywords:

• Regret
• Coaching
• Sport
• Athletics
• Athletes

Notes

Paul D. Turman (Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Northern Iowa. Correspondence to: Department of Communication Studies, University of Northern Iowa, 373 Lang Hall, Cedar Falls, IA 50614, USA. Tel: [phone]; [email protected].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul D. Turman

Paul D. Turman (Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Northern Iowa. Correspondence to: Department of Communication Studies, University of Northern Iowa, 373 Lang Hall, Cedar Falls, IA 50614, USA. Tel: [phone]; [email protected].