Is it Important for Elite Coaches to be Need-Supportive even During Competitive Games? A Dynamic View on the Relation Between Volleyball Coaches' (De)Motivating Styles and Athlete Outcomes

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the current multi-informant study examined whether game-to-game fluctuations in elite volleyball coaches’ motivating (i.e., need-supportive) and demotivating (i.e., need-thwarting) coaching relate to game-to-game fluctuations in athletes’ need-based experiences, motivation, and coach-rated performance. Linear mixed modeling on a sample of 190 elite volleyball athletes (Mage = 23.95, 32.6% male) and their 26 coaches (Mage = 48.12, 95.7% male) showed that athletes reported higher need satisfaction, less need frustration, both more autonomous and more controlled motivation, and less amotivation during games in which they experienced their coach as more need-supportive. Moreover, their coach reported more intrapersonal progress during these games. Conversely, game-to-game variations in need-thwarting coaching related positively to game-to-game variations in need frustration, controlled motivation, and amotivation; and negatively to game-to-game variations in need satisfaction. Moreover, the coach reported less intrapersonal progress and was less satisfied with the team’s overall performance during these games. The discussion focuses on the dynamic nature of coaching and the role of motivating coaching in elite athletes.