Assessing the Impact of Coaches’ Strategies on Football Athletes’ Performance (Teamwork, Consistency, and Psychological Readiness), in University of Calabar

Main Article Content

Joseph Odey Ogabor
Sanusi Mohammed
Aminu Shuaibu Shantali
Peter Aduma Owogoga
Stanley Abhakokpa Ugbalo
Happiness Akpan Okon

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of coaches’ strategies on football athletes’ performance at the University of Calabar, with a focus on three core dimensions: teamwork, consistency, and psychological readiness. The research employed a descriptive survey design and targeted male football athletes across university teams. A purposive sampling technique was used to select athletes. The study’s participants comprised of 145 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the selected sample. The data were analysed using simple linear analysis to determine the extent to which coaching strategies influenced athletes’ performance outcomes. Findings revealed that coaches’ emphasis on teamwork significantly enhanced players’ coordination and game effectiveness. Consistency in coaching approaches positively
influenced athletes’ training discipline and skill retention, while psychological readiness strategies such as motivation, mental conditioning, and pre-match talks were critical in boosting athletes’ confidence and resilience. The study concluded that a well-rounded coaching strategy that integrates technical, tactical, and psychological elements is essential in promoting optimal football performance. It recommended that coaches at the University of Calabar and similar institutions adopt a holistic approach to athlete development to improve individual and team performance. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Assessing the Impact of Coaches’ Strategies on Football Athletes’ Performance (Teamwork, Consistency, and Psychological Readiness), in University of Calabar. (2026). Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Kinetics, Sports Science and Health Education, 1(1), 57-67. https://doi.org/10.82340/injohkshe.vol1no1.6

References

Bompa, T. O., & Buzzichelli, C. A. (2018). Periodization: Theory and methodology of training (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Carron, A. V., Colman, M. M., Wheeler, J., & Stevens, D. (2002). Cohesion and performance in sport: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24(2), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.24.2.168

Carron, A. V., Widmeyer, W. N., & Brawley, L. R. (1985). The development of an instrument to assess cohesion in sport teams: The Group Environment Questionnaire. Journal of Sport Psychology, 7(3), 244–266. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsp.7.3.244

Chelladurai, P., & Saleh, S. D. (1980). Dimensions of leader behavior in sports: Development of a leadership scale. Journal of Sport Psychology, 2(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsp.2.1.34

Côté, J., Yardley, J., Hay, J., Sedgwick, W., & Baker, J. (1999). An exploratory examination of the Coaching Behavior Scale for Sport. Avante, 5(3), 82–92.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage.

de Jong, L. M. S., Gastin, P. B., Bruce, L., & Dwyer, D. B. (2022). Teamwork and performance in professional women’s football: A network-based analysis. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 18(3), 848–857. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221092355

Grønset, J., Stenseng, F., & Lemyre, P. N. (2024). Mental processes in professional football players. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1349192. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1428892

Jin, H., et al. (2022). Effects of leadership style on coach–athlete relationship and athlete motivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 887951. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1012953

Jeroh, E. (2012). The place of leadership quality and role of coaches in sports performance by Nigerian university students. African Research Review, 6(1), 136–145. https://doi.org/10.4314/afrrev.v6i1.11

Kaplánová, A., Šmela, P., & Bánovčinová, L. (2024). Psychological readiness of football players for the match. Heliyon, 10(3), e27692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27608

Kruk, M., Zawadzki, M. J., & Putyński, L. (2017). Psychological strategies and their role in the performance of soccer players. Journal of Human Kinetics, 60(1), 107–114. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0099

Martens, R., Burton, D., Vealey, R. S., Bump, L. A., & Smith, D. E. (1990). Development and validation of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2. In R. Martens, R. S. Vealey, & D. Burton (Eds.), Competitive anxiety in sport (pp. 117–190). Human Kinetics.

Martin, C. (2024). Coaching dynamics: The impact of behavioral styles on collegiate athlete’s performance, motivation, and relationships. Utah Journal of Communication, 2(2), 129–135. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13905378

McEwan, D., Ruissen, G. R., Eys, M. A., Zumbo, B. D., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2017). The effectiveness of teamwork training on teamwork behaviors and team performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled interventions. PLoS ONE, 12(1), e0169604. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169604

Meierbachtol, A., Yungtum, W., Paur, E., Bottoms, J., & Chmielewski, T. L. (2018). Psychological and functional readiness for sport following advanced group training in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 48(11), 864–872. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2018.8041

Nicholls, A. R. (2021). Understanding and building team cohesion. In A. R. Nicholls (Ed.), Psychology in sports coaching (3rd ed., pp. 9–28). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429322203

Olaosebikan, B., Teman, K., Muktar, M., & Abdullah, A. (2020). Coaches’ required leadership styles and athletes’ motivation in team sports, Adamawa State Sports Council, Nigeria. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 6(5). http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v6i5.3121

Otte, F. W., Millar, S. K., & Klatt, S. (2019). Skill training periodization in specialist sports coaching (PoST framework): A football perspective. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 1, 61. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2019.00061

Park, I. (2023). Psychological skills training for athletes in sports. Healthcare, 11(2), 259. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11020259

Ryska, T. A., Yin, Z., Cooley, D., & Ginn, R. (1999). Developing team cohesion: A comparison of cognitive-behavioral strategies of U.S. and Australian sport coaches. The Journal of Psychology, 133(5), 523–539. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223989909599760

Sheard, M., Golby, J., & van Wersch, A. (2009). Progress toward construct validation of the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 25(3), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759.25.3.186

Tamura, K., & Masuda, N. (2015). Win‑stay lose‑shift strategy in formation changes in football. EPJ Data Science, 4, Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-0150045-1

Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (7th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Weiss, M. R., Moehnke, H. J., & Kipp, L. E. (2021). A united front: Coach and teammate motivational climate and team cohesion among female adolescent athletes. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 16(4), 875–885. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211006905

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.