Social networks for sport coaches: A photo-elicitation approach

Researchers have explored how social networks and resources can help coaches to cope with stressors in their role, but there is a need to understand social support functions given their ramifications for regulatory and developmental processes (e.g., appraising). This study explored sports coaches’ social support functions (received and perceived) of their social networks using interviewee-aided photo-elicitation. Two interviews, conducted three weeks apart, facilitated data collection with each coach (women=6, men=4; Mage=35.2, SD=13.0 years, Mexperience=13.5, SD=9.7 years). Each coach shared between five and 12 images of how they perceived their social network and themselves within that network during the data collection period. We analysed the interview data using abductive thematic analysis. The results indicate that coaches perceived their social networks as understanding (e.g., of them and the situation), challenging (e.g., encouraging them to be successful), honest (e.g., about availability), consistent (e.g., with repeated messages), and energising (e.g., to recharge and distract). Furthermore, coaches perceived themselves as central to their social networks and attempted to provide reciprocal support to members of those networks. Given the pertinence of perceived social support (e.g., receiving honest, reciprocal support) and the novel method used, applied implications relating to psychoeducational interventions for coaches and practitioners that aim to foster effective social networks are discussed.