Urban Jillian E, Wiseman Kimberly D, Moore Justin B, Marks Madison E, Holcomb Ty D, Lazzara Braydon B, Miles Christopher M, Flashman Laura A, Stitzel Joel D, Foley Kristie L
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America.
Virginia-Tech, Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2025 May 30;20(5):e0322373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322373. eCollection 2025.
The objective of the study was to gather perspectives and experiences of parents, coaches, and organizational leaders surrounding safety in youth football as it relates to roles and responsibilities of the coach. Parents (n = 13) and coaches (n = 10) of two youth football teams participated in separate, team-specific monthly focus groups to gather their perspectives and experiences surrounding youth football safety. Six organizational leaders participated in one-on-one interviews. Focus groups were coded in Atlas.ti. Interviews were summarized using methods of rapid analysis. Data from focus groups and interviews were integrated and analyzed for thematic content. Parents, coaches, and organizational leaders regarded the youth football coach's role as "so much more than football," often serving as role models, mentors, and father figures to athletes. Parents place trust in their son's coaches and expect them to have knowledge and skills necessary to coach football and teach proper skills to prevent injuries. Organizational leaders set expectations of coaches but recognized the coaches' autonomy in determining team activities and responsibility for safety. Coaches who teach techniques that are not aligned with current practices and coaches who prioritize winning over safety were identified as concerns for safety. Results demonstrate the important role coaches play in the personal and technical skill development and safety of youth football players and should be considered in the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies to improve safety in community-based sports.
本研究的目的是收集家长、教练和组织领导者对于青少年橄榄球运动安全方面的观点和经验，这与教练的角色和职责相关。两支青少年橄榄球队的家长（n = 13）和教练（n = 10）分别参加了特定球队的月度焦点小组，以收集他们对青少年橄榄球安全的观点和经验。六位组织领导者参与了一对一访谈。焦点小组在Atlas.ti中进行编码。访谈采用快速分析方法进行总结。对焦点小组和访谈的数据进行整合，并分析其主题内容。家长、教练和组织领导者认为青少年橄榄球教练的角色“远不止于橄榄球”，他们常常是运动员的榜样、导师和父亲般的人物。家长信任儿子的教练，并期望他们具备执教橄榄球和教授预防受伤适当技能所需的知识和技能。组织领导者对教练设定了期望，但认可教练在确定团队活动和安全责任方面的自主权。那些教授与当前实践不一致技术的教练以及将获胜置于安全之上的教练被视为安全方面的隐患。结果表明，教练在青少年橄榄球运动员的个人和技术技能发展以及安全方面发挥着重要作用，在制定和实施基于证据的策略以提高社区体育安全性时应予以考虑。
