Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
2 Shahrood University of Technology
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to identify and analyze of factors influencing the retention of youth sports coaches.
Methods: The research utilized a sequential mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative). In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conduct with 19 puroposefully selected participants, including experts, club managers, and youth coaches. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. In the quantitative phase, 10 participants from the qualitative phase were selected through judgmental sampling, and the data were analyzed using the DEMATEL technique.
Results: Qualitative findings resulted in the extraction of 60 initial concepts categorized into 16 sub-themes, including Financial support, Contract transparency for coaches, Flexibility in coaches’ contracts, Investors, Charitable contributions, Receiving player development compensation by the coach, Stakeholder expectation management and patience, Formal recognition of coaching as a profession, Creating conditions for career development and advancement, Coach visibility, Passion for coaching, Ensuring personal privacy, Provision of supplementary facilities, Club commercial identity, Enhancing coach motivation & Socio-cultural support. Quantitative analysis revealed that the most influential factors, in order of significance, were Financial support, Formal recognition of coaching as a profession, Club commercial identity, Coach visibility, Creating conditions for career development and advancement, Contract transparency for coaches, Investors, and Enhancing coach motivation.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it is recommended that sports managers and policymakers establish an equitable financial support system, formalize the coaching profession through defined career pathways, and strengthen club identities. Although these strategies are proposed within the context of youth coaches, they can also be generalized to other levels of sports.
Keywords
- Youth sports coaches
- Human resource management
- Retention of coaches
- Sustainable coaching development
Main Subjects
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