Fostering a Learning Environment: Coaches and the Motivational Climate

Abstract

To foster athletes' learning and to continue to learn as a coach, it is useful to reflect on the motivational climate developed through the coaching process. The purpose of this paper is to provide a synthesis of research concerning the motivational climate fostered by coaches that extends existing notions of the motivational climate beyond competence-focused goals to include other athlete needs such as autonomy and relatedness. The paper brings together quantitative and qualitative research on coaching and examines both athletes' and coaches' perspectives relating to the motivational climate. Conceptualisations of the climate created by coaches have traditionally emphasised competence, but quality coaches also understand, support, and care for athletes as people. In doing so, they can foster athletes' sense of autonomy and relatedness. Satisfaction of these needs has been associated with an environment conducive to learning and research demonstrates that coaches' practices are associated with the extent to which these needs are satisfied. The challenges and implications of this for coaches and researchers are discussed.