Relationship towards goals: investigating the impact of the coach-athlete relationship on perceived fitness and sports performance of BulSU student-athletes
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https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2025.11.3.11679Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the influence of the coach-athlete relationship on subjective physical fitness and subjective sports performance satisfaction among Filipino state university student-athletes. A quantitative research design was employed, involving 213 student-athletes selected through simple random sampling during the second semester of Academic Year 2024–2025. Data were gathered using three validated instruments: the Coach-Athlete Relationship Scale (assessing Closeness, Commitment, and Complementarity), the Self-Perception of Physical Fitness Scale (evaluating morphological, muscular, motor, and cardiovascular fitness), and the Athlete’s Subjective Performance Scale (reliably categorized into six levels). Ethical clearance was obtained, and informed consent was provided by all participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 30 with multiple linear regression. Results showed that the coach-athlete relationship significantly predicted both subjective sports performance satisfaction and all dimensions of subjective physical fitness for the overall group. For female athletes, the relationship was a strong predictor of both performance satisfaction and fitness dimensions, while for male athletes, it did not significantly influence performance satisfaction and had limited effects on some fitness components. These findings emphasize the importance of nurturing positive coach-athlete relationships, especially for female athletes, to enhance motivation, fitness, and satisfaction. The study’s limitations include modest sample size and exclusive use of quantitative methods; thus, future research should employ sport-specific designs, larger samples, and qualitative or mixed methods to further explore these dynamics.
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