Management Mechanism Utilized Among Sport Coaches in Relation to Playing Situation Injuries of Athletes

AUTHOR(S)

DAVE A. CANOY IVO MATHEW M. SIATON

ABSTRACT

— This research investigated how sports coaches used different management mechanisms to address athletes’ playing situation injuries. The focus is on these four key areas: ensuring coaches are prepared (readiness), minimizing the risk of injury (reduction), reacting effectively to injuries when they occur (response), and helping athletes recover properly (recovery). This study employed a quantitative method with a descriptive-correlational approach to determine the injury management mechanism sports coaches employ in response to athletes’ injuries. Ultimately, this approach provided a solid framework for defining the research topic and setting clear objectives. Further, statistical tools were used to interpret the data gathered such as the frequency count, weighted mean, chi-square, and kruskal wallis. The data was set at a .05 confidence level. The result reveals that sports coaches performed a high level of competence in reducing or preventing the risk of injuries, wherein coaches placed an important factor in determining the athletes’ safety. Moreover, coaches also administer preparing necessary items for safety guidelines and protocol before the occurrence of injury, respond as the first point of contact during the incident, and render assistance that helps athletes recover from injury. The study recommends the following significant approaches to address injuries and promote safety such as: formulating a training program per sports discipline, maintaining a well-managed reduction of injury management, sports coaches were given an orientation about the safety protocol and guidelines on student-athletes training and competition, and required to participate in injury management trainings. Further, sports coaches should understand and exercise the legal liabilities in handling athletes’ injuries, there will be a formulated re-entry plan or return to sports for recovered athletes, and injury surveillance for athletes undergoing in rehabilitation phase. In addition, coaches may extend emotional and psychological support to athletes who encounter injuries and there should still be a need to conduct future studies on qualitative research to assess the anxieties met by the coaches on athletes’ sports injuries. Keywords — injury management, injury mechanism, playing injury situation, 4rs of injury management: readiness, reduction, response, recovery