Burnout symptoms and recovery processes in eight elite soccer coaches over 10 years

Abstract

Elite sport can be stressful, which increases the risk for burnout symptoms to develop, especially when not balanced with sufficient recovery. To study the burnout–recovery process, eight elite soccer coaches were followed for 10 years. All eight were active elite coaches at the inception of this study and reported elevated emotional exhaustion scores on Maslach’s Burnout Inventory Educators Survey (MBI-ES). The coaches completed MBI-ES three additional times (year 3, 7, and 10), and they were also interviewed on the same occasions. At the 3-year follow-up, seven of the eight coaches reduced their exhaustion scores. The coach presenting with unchanged scores both at the 3 - and 7-year follow-up was the only one still coaching at the elite level. All coaches revealed during the interviews that they struggled to manage their work–life balance well; some worked too many hours, some experienced difficulty in managing conflicting role-demands, and some wrestled with external pressures. Their approach to recovery was, however, similar. Apart from moving away from coaching at the elite level, they unanimously mentioned that they changed their approach to coaching to make recovery possible. They achieved the latter by, for example, increasing control and delegating responsibility. According to our longitudinal results, burnout frequently regarded as an end-state can decrease over time, provided that decisive action is taken to change situational factors and personal demands. This frequently meant withdrawing from coaching, which in turn explains why coach retention remains a serious challenge for most organizations with teams/athletes competing at the elite level.

Developing the Triad of Knowledge in Coaching: Think Aloud as a Reflective Tool Within a Category 1 Football Academy

“…Self-awareness of personal needs and work-life balance was also discussed by the coaches, with the more they listen to themselves potentially influencing their self-awareness across other domains such as self-care and work within the coaching office. Self-awareness has been shown to predict coaching efficacy and could bring more awareness towards coach needs in terms of self-care to reduce coach burnout, a topic growing in research (Hassmén et al, 2019).…”

“…During reflective practice, coaches can use TA to recognise and regulate their own emotions and use of language through "in game development". Within Hassmén et al (2019), coaches discussed how an increased awareness of signals of stress and rumination helped during the burnout recovery process and prevention of future burnout. Therefore, TA used in these ways could develop intrapersonal knowledge and impact not only the effectiveness of the coach and subsequent player development, but the fulfilment and mental health of the individual as a coach and a person.…”

Estresse Laboral E Síndrome De Burnout: Percepção Dos Treinadores Do Novo Basquete Brasil (Nbb)

“…Apesar do burnout ser mais investigado entre os atletas, estudos recentes registraram a percepção da síndrome entre os treinadores (Hassmén, Kenttä, Hjälm, Lundkvist, & Gustafsson, 2019;Olusoga et al, 2019). Treinadores acometidos pelo burnout podem apresentar como consequências nas vertentes física (cardiopatias), comportamental (sentimentos de depressão e isolamento social) e cognitiva (avaliação negativa da carreira esportiva, desejo de abandono do esporte) (Goodger, Gorely, Lavallee, & Harwood, 2007).…”

Analysis of stress level and recovery of formative football coaches. Case studies (Análisis del nivel de estrés y recuperación de los entrenadores de fútbol formativo. Estudios de caso)

“…Some studies have sought to investigate the levels of stress and/or recovery in football coaches from different countries (Hinojosa-Alcalde et al, 2020;Altfeld et al, 2018;Carson et al, 2018;Bentzen et al, 2016;Kellmann et al, 2016;Altfed et al, 2015;Rhind, et al, 2013;Lundkvist et al, 2012;. Other studies have attempted to longitudinally measure the levels of stress and recovery in German and Australian coaches of different sports modalities, such as volleyball (Altfed and Kilo and Hassmén, 2016;Santiago et al, 2016) and in elite football coaches over 10 years (Hassmén et al, 2019). The evidence from these studies points to a balance of stress levels and recovery in professional coaches of different modalities throughout sports season.…”