The Relationship between High School Coaches\u27 Beliefs about Sports Injury and Prevention Practice Readiness

Although sports and other forms of physical activities are associated with numerous health benefits, adolescent sports injury has emerged as an important public health problem. As the most immediate caregivers for athletes, coaches are expected to play an important role in preventing and reducing injuries, -considering that sports medical staff, such as athletic trainers are not always available to care for athletes. However, research on coaches\u27 beliefs and practices related to injury prevention has been limited to coaching competency issues, in which injury prevention is considered only one component. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to describe the coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge pertaining to sports injury and their readiness for injury prevention practice to be incorporated into high school settings. The research questions are: (1) What are the coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge related to sports injury and their readiness for injury prevention practice?; (2) What are the relationships between coaches\u27 beliefs and knowledge pertaining to sports injury and readiness for injury prevention practice?; and (3) What are the differences in coach-related factors between the coaches who have medical staff and those who do not? The participants in the study had average to low perceptions regarding injuries on their team. The knowledge score related to sports injury was not high. However, a majority of the coaches showed strong beliefs in favor of implementing injury prevention interventions as an effective way to prevent and reduce sports injuries. Supporting previous studies, the present study revealed strong associations between self-efficacy and the injury prevention behaviors assessed. It was also found that coaches who employed medical staff were approximately four times more likely to provide injury prevention programs to their athletes and have emergency plans. Findings from this study will provide a broader understanding of coaches\u27 perceptions regarding sports injury, injury prevention interventions conducted by coaches, and the implications for developing quality coaching programs and policies to prevent and reduce sports injuries