The Coach’s Impact on Long Distance Runners’ Training and Competition Motivation

An understanding of how an athlete’s motivation is affected by coaching behaviours is vital information for a coach to acquire. This study examines the impact and need for a coach in optimising international athletes’ training and competition motivation within the framework of Cognitive Evaluation Theory. The participants were six long distance runners with international experience. Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews regarding the athletes’ motivational experiences. Following inductive analysis, four general dimensions were established: athlete’s uninfluenced training motivation; athlete’s uninfluenced competition motivation; coaching behaviours impact on athlete’s training motivation; and coaching behaviours impact on competition motivation. The findings revealed that coaching behaviours are typically consistent with the current motivational research [1-4] and the role of the coach is more important for an athlete’s training motivation rather than competition motivation. Education of coaches in the correct use of motivational behaviours is therefore recommended, if athletes are to fulfill their abilities.