Coaching Under Stress and Burnout

This chapter will explore stress and burnout in the context of sports coaching. First, an effort will be made to provide some conceptual clarity in defining the stress, burnout, and related terms, and in exploring the multiple and often overlapping, theoretical perspectives underpinning coach stress and burnout research. The coach stress literature that has examined stressors, coping methods, and the impacts of coach stress will be critically discussed, and relationships between stress, burnout, and coach well-being/ill-being will also be highlighted. Avenues for future coaching research related to stress, burnout, and well-being will be outlined, and practical implications for coaches, coach educators, and other key stakeholders are also provided. More specifically, existing research reveals a real need to place coach well-being at the forefront of the coaching agenda by coach educators and developers, and this chapter will conclude by suggesting potential strategies for promoting coach well-being in various high-performance and developmental contexts.