Co-constructing confidence and performance: a study of athlete-coach beliefs in elite judo

This study examined beliefs and self-confidence regarding performance factors among UK judo athletes and coaches. A total of 97 athletes (42 elite: 19 male, 23 female; 55 non-elite: 36 male, 19 female) and 61 coaches (31 elite: 25 male, 6 female; 30 non-elite: 23 male, 7 female) completed a 30-item scale based on the UK Coaching Framework (2009). The scale assessed perceived importance and confidence in five subscales: physical development, self-understanding, psychological preparation, relationships, and skills. Analysis revealed significant differences between athletes and coaches in their ratings of relationships, psychological preparation, skills, and self-understanding. Additionally, differences emerged based on biological sex for physical development, skills, and self-understanding. Through a mixed methods design qualitative insights highlighted that athletes value supportive coaching for enhancing self-confidence, while coaches emphasise understanding individual needs for effective training. These findings underscore the importance of a co-construction model that promotes athlete-coach collaboration in developing tailored support strategies to optimise overall performance outcomes.

Citation

Tanabe, Y., Devonport, T. J., Cloak, R. J., & Lane, A. M. (2025). Co-constructing confidence and performance: A study of athlete-coach beliefs in elite judo. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 20 (5), pp. 1839-1849. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541251346907

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

This is an open access article published by SAGE in International journal of Sports Science & Coaching on 19 June 2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541251346907. The accepted manuscript may differ from the final published version.

ISSN

1747-9541

EISSN

2048-397X

Collections

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing