Team leadership - mental preparation and the coach’s role
Stewart Cotterill (2013) emphasises on team leadership as a dominant aspect for success and makes it clear that it is not necessary that the most talented group of players always win games but insist that what matters most is how well these players function as a team. In his opinion, effective leadership is a crucial determinant in optimising team functioning. Many times, after a defeat coaches tend to say, ‘we were not mentally prepared to win’, or ‘the team was not united and nobody stood up to lead’, or ‘there was no leadership on the field’. A fundamental principal to the coaching process is the coach-athlete interpersonal dynamics. The perception of an athlete relating to the coach-athlete relationship has motivational effect. Coaches can positively influence athletic performance, as well as the psychological and emotional comfort of an athlete (Horn, 2008). Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta