IN THEIR COACH

The purpose of this study was to examine athletes ’ sport-confidence and perceptions of coaching competence following a performance mistake in which the coach removes the athlete from the game or leaves the athlete in the game. A total of 68 participants, both males and females, from 18 to 24 years old, with at least one year of high school varsity basketball experience read a scenario in which they were either taken out of the game or left in the game after a mistake. Results indicated that being taken out of the game did not lower athletes ’ sport-confidence, nor did their confidence differ from those that remained in the game. Those taken out of the game did report lower perceptions of the coach’s competence. Future research should focus on different types of sports, athletes who consistently encounter this situation, and the type of feedback given by their coach