Coaching from a Wheelchair: Perspectives, Perceptions and Reactions

Background/Purpose: The perception of a coach directly influences the motivation, self-perception, and ultimate success level of any team or athletic program. Very few studies have examined the perceptions and reactions of able-bodied athletes who have been coached by a coach with a physical disability. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the perspectives, perceptions and reactions of male high school athletes, and their respective parents and/or guardians in a successful high school basketball program, who were coached by a coach who used a wheelchair. 

Method: Participants included varsity basketball athletes who had been coached for a minimum of 1 season and their respective parents and/or guardians. Parents and Athletes provided anonymous written responses to open ended survey prompts related to initial perceptions of having a coach in a wheelchair, strengths and weaknesses of the coach, and advantages and disadvantages to the athlete and the team by having a coach in a wheelchair. All data responses were transcribed. Once organized, a broad and holistic inductive analysis approach was taken to examine trends. First the data were analyzed for general themes, followed by breaking down the general themes into subthemes.

Analysis/Results: Data analysis identified three broad themes, with subthemes. These themes included: First Impressions, Learning about Life and Earning Respect. First Impressions described both parent and athletes responses to having a coach in a wheelchair. Concerns and Forging Relationships were two subthemes consistently identified by both parents and athletes under the theme First Impressions. The second theme, Learning about Life, focused on the positive attributes that a coach in a wheelchair conveyed to the varsity athletes. Two subthemes presented themselves within this broader theme: Overcoming Adversity and Never Judge. More than Basketball and Coaching Knowledge constituted the third theme, Earning Respect, which highlighted the challenges and advantages that a coach in a wheelchair might experience when coaching an able bodied basketball program.

Conclusions: Athletes and parents alike recognized the unique and positive attributes that having a coach in a wheelchair brought to a high school basketball program in terms of knowledge, experience and building relationships. In this exploratory study, the coach who uses a wheelchair had to earn respect through slightly different avenues within the coaching process than a coach who was not. However, affective coaching variables (perseverance, admiration and dealing with adversity) provided a platform to forge strong program-wide relationships and demonstrate coaching expertise.