Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group

This study aimed to identify the factors elite coaches consider most important in enhancing coach swimmers’ professional education and efficiency. A focus group was conducted with four Portuguese coaches recognized by the Portuguese Swimming Federation as “elite coaches” for having qualified swimmer...

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Main Authors: António Vasconcelos Raposo, António Rosado
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Psychtech & health journal 2025-03-01
Series:PsychTech & Health Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://psychtech-journal.com/index.php/psychTech/article/view/171
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author António Vasconcelos Raposo
António Rosado
author_facet António Vasconcelos Raposo
António Rosado
author_sort António Vasconcelos Raposo
collection DOAJ
description This study aimed to identify the factors elite coaches consider most important in enhancing coach swimmers’ professional education and efficiency. A focus group was conducted with four Portuguese coaches recognized by the Portuguese Swimming Federation as “elite coaches” for having qualified swimmers for finals in the European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. The focus group leader used a prepared set of semi-structured questions to guide the 90-minute sessions. Sessions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by a set procedure for qualitative analysis to identify the coaches’ perspectives on the factors that enhance coach swimmers’ professional efficiency. The coach’s personal and professional characteristics and beliefs about coach education, capacity for continuous updating, and teamwork play a determining role. The results showed that coaches value and recognize the benefits of their academic and informal training, the positive experiences as swimmers, and the importance of science in sports. Multidisciplinary support involving professionals from areas such as medicine, biomechanics, physiotherapy, nutrition, psychology, and rigorous management of the training and competition process complement the determining factors for success in high-performance swimming. In conclusion, the multifactorial nature of success in this sport has highlighted the central role of promoting eclectic training for coaches, considering the challenges of elite sports.
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spelling doaj-art-3bf5fc810cb34b888c62b613e12765872025-08-20T03:41:10ZengPsychtech & health journalPsychTech & Health Journal2184-10042025-03-018210.26580/PTHJ.art74-2025Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus groupAntónio Vasconcelos Raposo0António Rosado1PhD, Elite Swimming Coach, Portugal.Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.This study aimed to identify the factors elite coaches consider most important in enhancing coach swimmers’ professional education and efficiency. A focus group was conducted with four Portuguese coaches recognized by the Portuguese Swimming Federation as “elite coaches” for having qualified swimmers for finals in the European Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. The focus group leader used a prepared set of semi-structured questions to guide the 90-minute sessions. Sessions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by a set procedure for qualitative analysis to identify the coaches’ perspectives on the factors that enhance coach swimmers’ professional efficiency. The coach’s personal and professional characteristics and beliefs about coach education, capacity for continuous updating, and teamwork play a determining role. The results showed that coaches value and recognize the benefits of their academic and informal training, the positive experiences as swimmers, and the importance of science in sports. Multidisciplinary support involving professionals from areas such as medicine, biomechanics, physiotherapy, nutrition, psychology, and rigorous management of the training and competition process complement the determining factors for success in high-performance swimming. In conclusion, the multifactorial nature of success in this sport has highlighted the central role of promoting eclectic training for coaches, considering the challenges of elite sports. https://psychtech-journal.com/index.php/psychTech/article/view/171high-performance swimmingelite coachesthematic analysisfocus groupcoach education
spellingShingle António Vasconcelos Raposo
António Rosado
Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
PsychTech & Health Journal
high-performance swimming
elite coaches
thematic analysis
focus group
coach education
title Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
title_full Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
title_fullStr Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
title_full_unstemmed Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
title_short Success factors in the training of elite coaches in high-performance swimming: Analysis from a focus group
title_sort success factors in the training of elite coaches in high performance swimming analysis from a focus group
topic high-performance swimming
elite coaches
thematic analysis
focus group
coach education
url https://psychtech-journal.com/index.php/psychTech/article/view/171
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