Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19

Garily Calves Camatison

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

Research Article |

| Peer-Reviewed

Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19

Garily Calves Camatison^*

Published in American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 12, Issue 3)

Received: 5 May 2024 Accepted: 24 May 2024 Published: 30 August 2024

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Abstract

A sports coach is a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. Coaches with the best level of training and the most years of experience in the sport have invested more in their education and are better at adjusting the content of the training to the developmental stages of children and adolescents. The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences. This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic with sub-themes of learning and training modalities and versatility of sports coaching strategies and styles (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs with sub themes of life cycle on social media and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma with subthemes of internal enthusiasm and mind setting. Encouraging athletes to reset their mindsets to see quarantine as a learning opportunity, organizing suitable guidance, educating and motivating athletes to use proper preventive behavior, and establishing acceptable living isolation conditions. Some types of circuit-based body mass resistance training may aid aerobic adaptation. The athlete's needs should be taken into account when organizing sports skills training. The acronym AGAMER was a practical and feasible intervention that can be used by any PE teacher and coach in their respective field of expertise.

Published in	American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 12, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
Page(s)	43-52
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sports Coaching, Sports Coaches Intervention, COVID-19 Sports, Coping Mechanism, Physical Education, PE Teachers

1. Introduction

"Sports coaching is similar to being in a classroom; you cannot provide what you do not have." A sports coach has the corresponding multi-tasking job, considers the key components, and most of all a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. It is widely known that coaches play a critical role in the lives of young athletes and have the potential to influence, positively or negatively, their sporting experiences

[6]

Coaching involves a central tenet of improving team or athlete performance that requires a cognitive activity to make decisions upon a multitude of dynamic situational factors

[15] [16].

Due to the adverse and unstable conditions of their activity, coaches are required to possess the ability to make dynamic decisions, requiring strategic intervention plans, supported by an intensive activity of reflection, decision and implementation. However, research has shown that current formal education programs do not adequately prepare coaches for their task

[1, 24, 25]

. The coaches with the highest level of training and more years of experience in the sport have spent more in their training and have, of course, greater competence in adapting the contents of the training to the stages of development of children and young people

[20]

. Experienced coaches should be stimulated to get involved in the initial stages of athletic development

[4]

At present, it is known that an adequate training of the athletes, through long-term plans is the fundamental condition for the development of sports elites

[18, 19]

. Every aspect of human conduct has gone through a long-term development. Consider the activity of throwing, which is considered a fundamental motor skill. The degree to which a motor task is completed is defined as performance. Thus, reality proves that the evolution of the athlete’s performance requires better and improved knowledge on the part of the respective coach

[9]

. In the case of the athlete, performance is measured by the length of the throw and is referred to as a sporting performance. Efficiency is defined as the capacity to produce a specific result repeatedly.

Any training is better than no training in building positive skills in adolescents, providing opportunity for organizations without access to additional resources to positively impact youth in their programs. Given the vast number of youngsters that participate in organized sports, including positive development discussions into a program might have a major impact on a wide number of young people. Athletes who played for coaches who were trained through their program had greater rates of personal and social skills than athletes who played for untrained coaches

[21]

The stoppage of amateur and professional athletic events around the world, including sports such as basketball, football, soccer, rugby, baseball, tennis, and recently the Olympic Games, illustrates that the sport world is also an important part in this scenario and has a fundamental role in the containment of this pandemic. As a result, those directly and indirectly involved with these events have been impacted. This change causes serious damage to the quality and quantity of training, with further distancing of the athlete from the reality of their daily training in the traditional preparation sites and uncertainties about the future. Physical, technical, and psychological damage is inevitable. To the athlete, significantly reducing training and losing their physical performance capacity can mean loss of competitiveness in the return to competition

[3, 7]

. This research work main purpose is to obtain the experiences of the PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines. Subsequently, from their experiences a proposed intervention that derived from the result of the study was formulated.

2. Statement of Purpose

The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the challenges encountered by the PE teachers in sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic?

2. What are the coping mechanisms employed used by the physical education teachers in sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic?

3. What intervention can be proposed based on the results of the study?

3. Methodology

A phenomenology as a philosophy and a method of inquiry is not limited to an approach to knowing, it is rather an intellectual engagement in interpretations and meaning making that is used to understand the lived world of human beings at a conscious level

[26, 27]

. Using this approach, a researcher uses bracketing as a taken for granted assumption in describing the natural way of appearance of phenomena to gain insights into lived experiences and interpret for meaning making. The data collection and analysis take place side by side to illumine the specific experience to identify the phenomena that is perceived by the actors in a particular situation. The outcomes of a phenomenological study broaden the mind, improves the ways of thinking to see a phenomenon, and it enables to see ahead and define researchers' posture through intentional study of lived experiences. Phenomenology that it aims to study and describe reality as it appears in concrete experiences. That description proceeds as much as possible independent of theories that provide causal explanations and free of assumptions that have not been questioned and investigated

[2].

In addition, Morrow, R., Rodriguez, A. and King, N. (2015)

[23]

described the descriptive phenomenology is concerned with revealing the “essence” or “essential structure” of any phenomenon under investigation that is, those features that make it what it is, rather than something else. Colaizzi’s (1978) distinctive seven step process provides a rigorous analysis, with each step staying close to the data. The end result is a concise yet all-encompassing description of the phenomenon under study, validated by the participants that created it. The method depends upon rich first-person accounts of experience; these may come from face-to-face interviews, but can also be obtained in multiple other ways; written narratives, blogs, research diaries, online interviews and so on.

Research Locale. Panay is an island in the central Philippines, located west of the Visayan Islands and bordered by the Sibuyan, Visayan, and Sulu seas; it is separated from Negros by the Guimaras Strait to the southeast. Its form is about triangular and its western coast is paralleled by a steep, almost unpopulated mountain range. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences.

The Background of the Informants. There were six informants in this study, namely, six PE teachers who reside in the different municipalities and provinces in Panay. Each respectively lived in Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Antique, Pavia and Pototan.

Informant 1

The pseudonym “MCool” was created for the first informant. MCool is a MAPEH teacher at Supang National High School, a happily married father of two. Currently residing and working on the Philippine Island of Guimaras. He has been a sports coach in DanceSports for almost five years until present. Since college his passion in dancing never fades and still pursuing his love for sports and dance through conducting trainings and coaching.

Informant 2

The pseudonym “Jel” was created for the second informant. Jel is a PE teacher at Buruanga, Aklan, pursuing his Master degree program at West Visayas State University-La Paz, Iloilo. He was a professional brother to his two other siblings. A multi-talented individual who can play the guitar, is a volleyball enthusiast, and is a dancer. Despite all of the multitasking, he continues to fulfill his responsibilities as a coach, a graduate, a son, and an educator.

Informant 3

The pseudonym “Lemby” was created for the third informant. Lemby is finishing her Master’s degree at West Visayas State University, La Paz, Iloilo City. A Senior High School Teacher- Sports Track in Iloilo National High School and a swimming enthusiast. She also a church server and a cat lover.

Informant 4

The pseudonym “Dee” was created for the fourth informant. Dee finished both of her undergraduate studies and Master’s degree at West Visayas State University. A coach of Pencak Silat and a PE teacher at Moscoso Rios National High School in Hamtic, Antique. She is bubbly and down to eart person. She loves to eat and travel around the country.

Informant 5

The pseudonym “Arvz” was created for the first informant. Arvz is a well-rounded person and ready to help a friend in times of crucial times. He graduated at West Visayas State University both undergraduate and Master’s degree. Currently, he is a good uncle to his nephew and a brother to his two siblings. A senior high school sports track teacher at Pavia National High School. He also loves to have long drive travels and a coffee lover.

Informant 6

The pseudonym “Lowp” was created for the first informant. Lowp is all around sports lover and sharp minded person. She is currently teaching at Pototan National High School and an Arnis coach. She believes that being a sport coach is a tough role to juggle in times of pandemic and even herself needs healing as well to overcome all the unexpected struggles she has been through both personal and professional aspects.

Locating the Informant. In locating the research informants, some of them were already known and some were referred to the researcher since they were selected through purposive sampling. This involves identifying and selecting individuals or groups of individuals that are especially knowledgeable about or experienced with a phenomenon of interest

[10]

(Cresswell & Plano Clark, 2011). Furthermore, the six PE teachers were notified by media discussions such as E-mail and Facebook Messenger. In addition to knowledge and experience, Bernard (2002)

[5]

and Spradley (1979) note the importance of availability and willingness to participate, and the ability to communicate experiences and opinions in an articulate, expressive, and reflective manner.

4. Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher prepared an outline of the interview guide and made communication letter to respective informants. The informants responded that they are willing to participate, some of them opted to have the interview via video call and most of them chose to send their answers via e-mail since most of the participants were juggling with their hectic schedules in preparations of limited face-to-face classes.

In this study, Colaizzi’s (1978)

[8]

descriptive phenomenological method by Morrow, R., Rodriguez, A. and King, N. (2015)

[23]

was used. There were seven categories:

4.1. Method 1: Familiarization

The researcher familiarizes him or herself with the data, by reading through all the participant accounts several times. After I finished the interview, I listened to the recorded data on my phone and transcribed it into Microsoft Word 2010, which resulted in the research's written data. Then I printed the data that was sent to me through email in MS Word format so that I could plot it out. Method 2 began with data that had been transcribed, printed, and was ready to be analyzed.

4.2. Method 2: Identifying Significant Statements

The researcher identifies all statements in the accounts that are of direct relevance to the phenomenon under investigation. In this procedure, I reread the transcribed data from MS Word 2010 and determined what were the direct linked phenomena that emerged from the PE teachers' experiences with sports coaching. I also highlighted the significant statements so that it would be easy for me to do the Method 3.

4.3. Method 3: Formulating Meanings

The researcher identifies meanings relevant to the phenomenon that arise from a careful consideration of the significant statements. The researcher must reflexively “bracket” his or her pre-suppositions to stick closely to the phenomenon as experienced.

I indicated continuous line numbers in method 2 so that it will be easier to spot each sentence with substantial content that will support in the next process I will use.

4.4. Method 4: Clustering Themes

The researcher clusters the identified meanings into themes that are common across all accounts. Again, bracketing of pre-suppositions is crucial, especially to avoid any potential influence of existing theory. The retrieved information's primary elements were grouped into themes based on their relative importance.

4.5. Method 5: Developing an Exhaustive Description

The researcher writes a full and inclusive description of the phenomenon, incorporating all the themes produced at step 4. After creating and organizing the themes from the extracted data, I examined and interpreted the data to see if it corresponded with the research objectives, so I could exhaust contents from the formulated themes.

4.6. Method 6: Producing the Fundamental Structure

After completing the detailed description, I condensed it into a brief, dense statement that captures only the components deemed relevant to the phenomenon's structure.

4.7. Method 7: Seeking Verification of the Fundamental Structure

The researcher returns the fundamental structure statement to all participants (or sometimes a subsample in larger studies) to ask whether it captures their experience. He or she may go back and modify earlier steps in the analysis in the light of this feedback.

5. Ethical Considerations

Sanjari, M., Bahramnezhad, F., Fomani, F. K., Shoghi, M., & Cheraghi, M. A. (2014) detailed that the informed consent has been recognized as an integral part of ethics in research carried out in different fields

[29]

. For qualitative researchers, it is of the utmost importance to specify in advance which data will be collected and how they are to be used. The principle of informed consent stresses the researcher’s responsibility to completely inform participants of different aspects of the research in comprehensible language. Clarifications need to include the following issues: the nature of the study, the participants’ potential role, the identity of the researcher and the financing body, the objective of the research, and how the results will be published and used. In this study, the informants agreed to share their work information but their real name will not be exposed as they were concern of their privacy.

6. Results

The informants' experiences were considered in this study endeavor by employing interviews as a means of obtaining data. The encounters will be classified as a phenomenon and studied. Afterwards, I identified all statements that have direct relevance to the phenomenon by analyzing the informant's experiences, formulated meanings, created themes, developed inclusive descriptions, and condensed the exhaustive contents of each theme to create a fundamental structure of the results that served as the interpretation were human experiences that shaped knowledge of this research.

This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs, and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma

Adversities of the COVID-19 Pandemic describe the achievements and challenges that PE Teachers faced in their sports coaching careers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Learning and Training Modalities, as well as Versatility of Sports Coaching Strategies and Styles, are sub-themes that support the informants' claims.

The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs highlights the informants' views and experiences into how the move from being in the digital realm to providing training for athletes could be for enforcement or enrichment. In addition, the following sub-theme substantiate the informants' assumptions about how they dealt with their adjustments: Life cycle on social media.

Discernments in the Midst of a Global Dilemma discusses personal feelings, as well as how the participants overcame and resolved a scenario that was connected to their coaching skills and tactics. Furthermore, the sub-themes of Internal enthusiasm and Mind setting are used to further expand the ideas of PE teachers who are also sports coaches in their different workplaces.

6.1. Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic

The challenges that they have faced as both a classroom teacher and a coach in the field have to be overcome. Generally, it was discovered that the restricted physical encounter for trainings presents challenges to the coach and athletes, as it is difficult to aid the athlete if he or she requires corrections in doing a skill. The informants' experiences also revealed the difficulties of contacting the athletes due to a lack of communication tools and a declining level of enthusiasm. On the bright side, despite the many concerns about the changeover of training methods, sports coaches continued to make decisions based on their enthusiasm and perseverance.

“In this COVID-19 pandemic situation, things are limited and restricted to do. Being a sports coach for almost 5 years in DanceSport, it is a hard thing to do in continuing what you have started and what you have been invested in the training process. First, you cannot meet them physically since it is pandemic and to avoid the spread of virus,” MCool said.

“Jel said that as a coach and a district sports coordinator, one of the major challenges I encounter today, is the lack of opportunity to train and to coach athletes due to health restrictions. I couldn’t exercise and apply my coaching skills because there are no sports competitions available for us to participate. Thus, training the student-athletes is not that possible this pandemic time. despite these challenges, I grab this chance to evaluate my coaching performance from the previous years of participating in sports competitions. I realized that this is a good time to educate myself more as a coach.”

“There is no chance of having face to face training, there were difficulties in term of coping with developmental skills among athletes since I need to begin from the start,” Lemby uttered. In addition, Dee also stated that “this COVID-19 pandemic put a period on our normal routine in everyday life. One of which is in our education sector. Physical Education is a Performance based subject/course in which learners learn best in a face-to-face discussion. So many factors were considered before the new normal education implemented. At first quarter of the school year 2019-2020, we as Physical Educator barely makes a good plan just to transfer knowledge to the learners.”

“This pandemic, my coaching duties frozen due to my responsibilities as an educator that we have to focus on doing modules and producing it to learners. I did not have much time to carry out my coaching towards my athletes since most of them have difficulty in online communication,” Arvz said. Then, Lowp it is difficult to validate the athlete’s skills if as a coach you cannot perform it physically and give the instruction in a face-to-face manner especially in our set up in our country.”

Learning and Training Modalities. Significantly, the isolation from the quarantine days provided many realizations to sports coaches on how to deal with distant delivery of training sessions and athlete learning styles. PE teachers must deal with the lack of physical activities and mentoring due to a variety of issues.

MCool elaborated that first, due to the epidemic and the spread of the virus, you are unable to meet them personally. Training is likewise on hold, and he expect them to struggle with execution and conditioning skills when we meet them personally. Second, seminars and workshops are only appropriate for virtual platforms where your actual presence is not a concern. You are unable to comment on their implementation in this manner. Finally, bonding and socialization are challenges because, as a member of a team or a coach, you must establish strong relationships with your athletes.

Dee said that being a coach of a sports specifically the contact sports put her in halt in this pandemic situation. We cannot bring student- athletes in school to train and have simple drills. We can only update them through home workout just to help their endurance and weight monitoring.

Arvz shared about his difficulty using remote training sessions toward his student-athletes because most of them need gadget to access online tutorials. Lowp explained, one of the most difficult challenges she had experience in times of pandemic was how to communicate with her athletes. Another one is how to motivate her athletes to still continue their trainings even at home and follow online tutorials.

Versatility of Sports Coaching Strategies and Styles. Each participant was keen to express their thoughts on how they dealt with the needs of their respective sportsmen. The COVID-19 outbreak puts sports coaches to the test in terms of their ability to be adaptive and resourceful in the face of adversity.

“The strategies and techniques that I have been implemented so far is the training-on-screen. With this initiative, I used the social media platform to continually conduct my training program. And since we do not have a training for almost 2 years, I started from conditioning, cardio, stretching and the like. After this, I introduced again the basic skills in doing the movement such as in count pattern, foot works and many other things,” MCool said.

“It buys me some time to read books and view some coaching skills development videos. This leads me to acquire new strategies and coaching philosophies which will be beneficial in the future”, Jel explained. He also added that he is a democratic but also a strict and a goal-oriented kind of coach. A week before our training, he designs skills and fitness program, team plays and strategies with specific goals based on the needs of his athletes. As a coach, he is focusing on the area that needs improvement.

“During the height of pandemic, being a coach is not that functional and cannot simply apply the training plan design for the athletes’’ specific needs due to limitations of physical training. Applying and preparing variations and different set of exercises drills which I do since we cannot have the face-to-face training, and told our athletes to do their land exercises at home,” as Lemby explains herself. “Training plan, workout plan, training drills and morning exercises; these are what we need to put in the table, as a coach we have responsibilities towards our athletes which is why we need to keep updating them. At first semester of school year of 2020-2021,” Dee explained.

“Before pandemic it was attainable to apply the strategies and techniques, I have got from the seminar workshop in Pangasinan which I use in my coaching approach, but in the distance training I was not able to completely transfer it to my athletes’ due many limitations we have to deal in the height of COVID-19 pandemic,” Arvz mentioned. He shared also that the use of biomechanics ad calisthenics were the options to cater the needs of training of athletes in their respective homes for muscles memory. Also, Lowp added that she was using fifty percent democratic and fifty percent of autocratic style of coaching because she believes that as a coach, she is not only giving instructions but you can also from our athletes. She used journal to write down the plans for her athlete’s performance as basis for her improvement plans. In carrying out my strategies and techniques I am realistic, being a listener and gaining my player’s trust is at my top most priority.

6.2. The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs

Undeniably, education and sports activities sort to online platforms to deliver the instructions, classes and skills improvements among athletes. In the Philippines, sports trainings were stagnant for more than two years that. However, in the aspect of sports athletes it was one of the major concerns of acquiring gadgets in order to sustain the online sessions of continuous or improving their skills.

Life cycle on social media platforms. Most of the people around the world with their routinized checking of gadgets from the time someone wakes up until the time of sleeping time. Communication using the Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Google meet, zoom meetings and other social media platforms gave at least a great help in connecting to athletes.

MCool expounded about his execution of his strategy by introducing the skill which is the part-whole method in teaching the movement via zoom or google meet. He let them recall what they had been for the last 2 years of training with his program. Then followed by count pattern foot works and other technical aspects in doing the movement. “You can only contact with them using social media sites such as Facebook, Google Meet, or Zoom,” MCool expounded. Furthermore, the rest of the participants had the same thought with informant MCool.

From the weekly training plan that we gave to our student-athletes, we do monitor and updating thru sending videos and vice versa, Lemby added. Dee elaborated that she tried to contact her athletes and asked how is their routine and weight. All they can say was they started gaining some weights. She tried so many techniques and strategies like virtual video calls and sending morning exercise routines. They also have afternoon kicks in sports complex but as the COVID arises they tend to stop creating improvements on their skill. As time goes by several private virtual competition popped up.

Arvz also shared that it is quite relieving that the existence of various social media platforms can provide better way of following up the student athletes at home.

6.3. Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma

The home quarantine period had a significant impact on most people's emotional and psychological well-being around the world. Overthinking, anxiousness, and a lack of exposure to physical activities resulted from the shift in routine. It was critical for everyone who was unprepared for the pandemic era.

Internal enthusiasm. Passionately, PE teachers who are also sports coaches vary with their perceptions. Hence, this is the ability of any PE teacher or sports coach to show a significant interest in and willingness to participate in responsibilities. A step to inquisitiveness and from the experiences of constituted in this study it revealed that the informants were enthusiastic and had a great drive to accomplish their job.

MCool said one of the opportunities that keeps him going as a coach and as an official are the training and workshops conducted by the DepEd. This virtual training helped him understood things that have not been introduced since he started the course. And luckily, there are social media platforms that help you understand better to continually do what you have started.

Jel shared that he imposes ethics and values to his athletes. These values should be emphasized in and out of the court during training, competition or in school. He does not care if they win or lose in the competition. What matters most, is they gave all their best and heart during the game. When people around appreciate his athletes’ enthusiasm and performance during the competition, it is already a win for him and for his athletes.

Coping mechanism really started on myself by not gaining some weights, I turn the scapegoat of not having sports activity by training to build some muscles and losing some fats. I think this was me coping mechanism on the hiatus in sports education. I want to build something on our team in school, but pandemic gives me barrier to do it. The halt and giving student-athletes control towards their skills is one of my coping mechanisms which gave us pause and deteriorate the skills they have, Dee uttered.

Mind setting. PE teachers’ mindsets have a big impact on how things turn out in life. They enhance their health, reduce stress, and become more dynamic to life's obstacles by better understanding, adjusting, and shifting their mentality in different aspects of their work.

For the time being, the only thing we can do is make judicious use of technology's possibilities, particularly the social media platform. We are all aware that our options are restricted, and we have chosen to employ any answers to our concerns relating to the coaching and training procedure in our chosen sport. And, most likely, our commitment and determination are the most important factors in keeping our athletes on the track, according to MCool.

I always encourage them to see me on their spare time to play and to have some fun. I found it as a good opportunity to work out their skills this time of pandemic where sports activities are limited. This way, I can still reach them out and coach them even in an informal setting, Jel added. In this situation, as a coach, you should lower your expectations and make sure to make them feel your support to maintain a good athlete and coach relationship. It is effective the coaches do not need to get stress because of the limited face-to-face. Most important is to remind that even today's situation should be active even at home because they are student athletes, Lemby stated.

From the results derived from the experiences of the PE teachers, this acronym was created and the following terms with specific responsibilities to work on as a guide for interventions which applicable to any sports coaches.

Table 1. AGAMER Intervention Model by G. Camatison (2022)

	Meaning	Details	Actions to be Taken
A	Adaptable	Flexible approaches with the modality of delivery of training Understand the athletes’ situation and needs	In order to become more effective, the coach must adapt to changing conditions, learn from experience, and change. After repeated exposure to or stimuli, the coach must also react with improved efficacy. This intervention can assist athletes in transitioning from isolated conditions to more normal situations.
G	Grasp	Delayed progression on athletes’ skill Conditioning training	The coach must assess his or her athletes' skill levels and devise a new training plan to meet the athletes' demands in the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Coaches must conduct conditioning sessions with their athletes as part of this intervention in order to create a foundation on which to address the need for improvement or enhancements on their players.
A	Attainable	Set goals that will lead to proficiency in skills Provide the various stages of training	The coach should create goals the he/she projected after assessing the progress of their athletes. In case the coach must revisit the training principles.
M	Management	Create a roadmap of training and coaching sessions	The coach must devise a re-entry strategy for dealing with transitions and organize the flow of the athletes' recovery after being stranded at home. Establishing schedules for minimal face-to-face training is reliant on the guidelines or regulations of each municipality.
E	Effort	Coaching application & approaches	The coach will continue to employ their coaching techniques and strategies to improve their physical presence and conduct sessions in the athletes' training area.
R	Recuperate	Recover, reboot, refresher	The coach must continue to attend refresher courses or webinars to improve his or her abilities and skills and be properly informed on how to use new policies and principles in future coaching attempts.

7. Discussions

Distance study has taken away the social side of sports, but it has ensured student-athletes' health. Regardless of the challenges that come with sports and coaching sports, coaches adapt and strive to make it a positive experience for everyone.

[11, 12]

Coaches may send training drills and courses to supplement the athletes' learning materials. [22] This virtual learning may aid athletes in better understanding the drills they must accomplish, particularly in terms of the abilities and endurance that will be required of them.

Coaches and athletes should strictly follow the safety protocols during training. This training program should consist of skills and fitness development activities for the athletes as they will be inspired to be back and gradually reengage in their sports. [28] Moreover, it will serve as an avenue for the coaches to apply their coaching skills and expertise even though school sports competitions are still not in sight.

[30, 31]

Based on the current scientific by Mallinson, J. E.; Murto, A. J.

[21]

(2013), they strongly recommend encouraging the athlete to reset their mindset to understand quarantine as an opportunity for development, organizing appropriate guidance, educating and encourage athletes to apply appropriate preventive behavior and hygiene measures to promote immunity and ensuring good living isolation conditions. Some forms of body mass resistance circuit-based training could promote aerobic adaptation. Sports skills training should be organized based on the athlete’s needs.

A major consideration when training athletes in home isolation is compliance, especially regarding the intensity and volume of exercise.

[31]

It is difficult to monitor and ensure that the load that athletes use at home is appropriate to maintain physical fitness and performance at the required level. For recreational and ordinary people in isolation, maintaining an acceptable level of physical fitness is possible with moderate exercise.

[14]

(Izquierdo, M.; Ibañez, J., González-Badillo, J. J., Ratamess, N. A.; Kraemer, W. J., Hakkinen, K., Bonnabau, H., Granados, C., French, D. N., Gorostiaga, E. M., 2013)

Personalized conditioning training should be carried out with emphasis on neuromuscular performance. Strategies should be developed to control body composition. Mental fatigue should be anticipated and mental controlled. Adequate methods of recovery should be provided. Daily monitoring should be established. This is an ideal situation in which to rethink personal life, understanding the situation, that can be promoted in these difficult times that affect practically the whole world. Reduced or complete absence of strength training can cause loss of muscle mass. Muscle atrophy results from an imbalance between protein degradation and synthesis in favor of the former (Mallinson, J. E.; Murto, A. J. 2013).

8. Conclusions

As a result, an athlete's isolation due to a COVID-19 problem and imposed quarantine should take on a new, positive meaning. This is a fantastic moment to reflect on and rearrange one's own life and value system. Humility, gratitude, understanding of the global situation, empathy for others, family values, attitude toward knowledge, spirituality, and helping the less fortunate are just a few of the qualities that can be advocated and sincerely lived in difficult times that affect almost everyone on the planet.

Coaches can become exhausted and burned out as a result of the constant pressures to support athletes, balancing expectations of administrative stakeholders, parents, and athletes, as well as greater scrutiny from the media and news outlets. Many of the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic are dealt with by universities and polytechnic institutes, who have made numerous efforts to rearrange their curriculum and provide significant learning opportunities for candidate young sport coaches. There are several aspects such as course designs, topics, strategies, and assessment that should be addressed to better understand the impact of improvements made to coach training programs and present prospective routes moving ahead for enhanced coach learning outcomes.

Organize appropriate guidance and support for athletes via technology (video call, e-mail, telephone, text messages) from experts (sports coach, strength and conditioning coach, nutritionist, doctor, psychologist); Establish alternative sports skills training (kinesthetic ball training in a small space, visualization, virtual reality technical aids, video analysis, theoretical training) based on the athlete's deficits and needs;

[13]

Organize personalized strength and conditioning training. Form mental fatigue tracking and mental training (mental self-help strategies and/or telephonic support from a psychologist).

Using technology (phone, apps, e-mail, text message), keep track of the athlete's health, wellness, physical fitness, recovery, and workload on a daily basis. Then, given that any losses are quickly restored, muscle memory is critical in the education of athletes. This should help to calm you down. Coaching clients can use the coaching process to help them see themselves in the mirror even if they don't have assessments. Clients can use assessments to organize their self-perceptions and set concrete goals based on a better understanding of themselves.

[13]

Through various ways of assessing the sports coach, the clients or organization can have a concrete basis on how to choose a sports coach that will be suited in the objectives and goals that can help them in achieving it.

[17, 18]

As I do my job as sports coordinator or a sport coach, I have to understand that the physiological preparations of our athletes are vital in the training process. It may take it ample time to master their anatomical body, thus, it will help my athletes to become more ready for any injuries, mindset, behavior, and health in any sports that they will be representing. From the results of what constituted from the experience of the informants, I can also be enlightened on how to plan, organize, and periodize the training, it is important to know what principles are we going to utilize, or the energetic and technical requirements needed for the specific sport my athletes are preparing for. Aside from the application of these principles to my athletes, these can be also useful to achieve the MVPAs of an ordinary person to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Abbreviations

BMI	Body Mass Index
COVID-19	Coronavirus Disease
MAPEH	Music, Art, Physical Education and Health

Author Contributions

Garily Calves Camatison is the sole author. The author read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Camatison, G. C. (2024). Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. American Journal of Sports Science, 12(3), 43-52. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

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Camatison, G. C. Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2024, 12(3), 43-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

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Camatison GC. Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. Am J Sports Sci. 2024;12(3):43-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13,
  author = {Garily Calves Camatison},
  title = {Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19
},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {12},
  number = {3},
  pages = {43-52},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20241203.13},
  abstract = {A sports coach is a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. Coaches with the best level of training and the most years of experience in the sport have invested more in their education and are better at adjusting the content of the training to the developmental stages of children and adolescents. The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences. This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic with sub-themes of learning and training modalities and versatility of sports coaching strategies and styles (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs with sub themes of life cycle on social media and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma with subthemes of internal enthusiasm and mind setting. Encouraging athletes to reset their mindsets to see quarantine as a learning opportunity, organizing suitable guidance, educating and motivating athletes to use proper preventive behavior, and establishing acceptable living isolation conditions. Some types of circuit-based body mass resistance training may aid aerobic adaptation. The athlete's needs should be taken into account when organizing sports skills training. The acronym AGAMER was a practical and feasible intervention that can be used by any PE teacher and coach in their respective field of expertise.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19

AU  - Garily Calves Camatison
Y1  - 2024/08/30
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
T2  - American Journal of Sports Science
JF  - American Journal of Sports Science
JO  - American Journal of Sports Science
SP  - 43
EP  - 52
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
AB  - A sports coach is a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. Coaches with the best level of training and the most years of experience in the sport have invested more in their education and are better at adjusting the content of the training to the developmental stages of children and adolescents. The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences. This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic with sub-themes of learning and training modalities and versatility of sports coaching strategies and styles (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs with sub themes of life cycle on social media and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma with subthemes of internal enthusiasm and mind setting. Encouraging athletes to reset their mindsets to see quarantine as a learning opportunity, organizing suitable guidance, educating and motivating athletes to use proper preventive behavior, and establishing acceptable living isolation conditions. Some types of circuit-based body mass resistance training may aid aerobic adaptation. The athlete's needs should be taken into account when organizing sports skills training. The acronym AGAMER was a practical and feasible intervention that can be used by any PE teacher and coach in their respective field of expertise.

VL  - 12
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Garily Calves Camatison

Iloilo Science and Technology University-Leon Campus, Iloilo, Philippines

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2216-4116

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Table 1

Table 1. AGAMER Intervention Model by G. Camatison (2022)

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Camatison, G. C. (2024). Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. American Journal of Sports Science, 12(3), 43-52. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

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ACS Style

Camatison, G. C. Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2024, 12(3), 43-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

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AMA Style

Camatison GC. Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19. Am J Sports Sci. 2024;12(3):43-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13,
  author = {Garily Calves Camatison},
  title = {Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19
},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {12},
  number = {3},
  pages = {43-52},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20241203.13},
  abstract = {A sports coach is a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. Coaches with the best level of training and the most years of experience in the sport have invested more in their education and are better at adjusting the content of the training to the developmental stages of children and adolescents. The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences. This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic with sub-themes of learning and training modalities and versatility of sports coaching strategies and styles (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs with sub themes of life cycle on social media and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma with subthemes of internal enthusiasm and mind setting. Encouraging athletes to reset their mindsets to see quarantine as a learning opportunity, organizing suitable guidance, educating and motivating athletes to use proper preventive behavior, and establishing acceptable living isolation conditions. Some types of circuit-based body mass resistance training may aid aerobic adaptation. The athlete's needs should be taken into account when organizing sports skills training. The acronym AGAMER was a practical and feasible intervention that can be used by any PE teacher and coach in their respective field of expertise.
},
 year = {2024}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Redefining Coaching in a Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Physical Educators' Responses to Sports During COVID-19

AU  - Garily Calves Camatison
Y1  - 2024/08/30
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
T2  - American Journal of Sports Science
JF  - American Journal of Sports Science
JO  - American Journal of Sports Science
SP  - 43
EP  - 52
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20241203.13
AB  - A sports coach is a total package individual who is competent and well-equipped for the role we are demonstrating. Coaches with the best level of training and the most years of experience in the sport have invested more in their education and are better at adjusting the content of the training to the developmental stages of children and adolescents. The main purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of PE teachers is sports coaching in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. On the professional aspect, the informants were able to bring their MAPEH teaching skills into practice in their own municipalities and provinces. As a result of the researcher's inability to travel, online communication and interviews were used as data collection methods to elicit the informants' experiences. This part includes the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from the six informants from Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Potatan, and Pavia. It includes (1) Adversities of COVID-19 Pandemic with sub-themes of learning and training modalities and versatility of sports coaching strategies and styles (2) The Resiliency in Virtual Hubs with sub themes of life cycle on social media and (3) Discernments in the Midst of Global Dilemma with subthemes of internal enthusiasm and mind setting. Encouraging athletes to reset their mindsets to see quarantine as a learning opportunity, organizing suitable guidance, educating and motivating athletes to use proper preventive behavior, and establishing acceptable living isolation conditions. Some types of circuit-based body mass resistance training may aid aerobic adaptation. The athlete's needs should be taken into account when organizing sports skills training. The acronym AGAMER was a practical and feasible intervention that can be used by any PE teacher and coach in their respective field of expertise.

VL  - 12
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download