Carefully supporting autonomy – learning coaching lessons and advancing theory from women’s netball in England

Abstract

Carefully supporting autonomy-learning coaching lessons and advancing theory from women's netball in England.

Back to Netball: Motivations for Participation in a Female-Focused Netball Sport Program

“…This research demonstrates how autonomous exercise motives can influence more than behaviour adherence. Indeed, as previously mentioned Cronin et al, (2018) found an autonomy supportive environment to be a key factor in engaging females in a netball program. More specifically, those who were given choice and were allowed to contribute to the netball sessions reported high levels of engagement.…”

“…Within female orientated sport and physical activity research, the Self Determination Theory has played a key underpinning theory to explain and understand how autonomy, relatedness and competence (Cronin et al, 2018;Walsh et al, 2018;Nicholas et al, 2018) are key drivers of participation. Within this study what has become apparent is that the nature of the activity in addition to the coach's behaviours are both equally important in the motivation to engage female participants.…”

“…In addition, from a coaching perspective, Duda (2013) and Cronin et al (2018) have emphasised the important of autonomy-supportive environments where the coach acknowledges athlete's preferences and welcomes their input in decision making, and that such environments promote prolonged engagement. It is thought that increased perceptions of autonomy supportive coaching behaviours significantly predict increase in feelings of competence, autonomy and relatedness (Balaguer et al, 2012).…”

“…Furthermore, as evidence previously by Cronin et al, (2018), Walsh et al, (2018) & Nicholas et al, (2018), it is important to acknowledge the environmental context, in that it should allow for the development of intrinsic motivation through social inclusiveness, autonomy supportive opportunities, which facilitate competence development. Although previous studies have shed some light in this area, specifically within the sport of netball, (Cronin et al, 2018;. It is important that more is done to improve the understanding of women's engagement in recreational sport and physical activity.…”

“…Within a successful female specific sporting program such as B2N, Cronin, Walsh, Quayle, Whittaker and Whitehead (2018) emphasised the importance of an autonomy supportive environment, where caring relationships are features of a successful program. Walsh, Whittaker, Cronin and Whitehead (2018) also found that social connectedness amongst team mates was a key factor in developing physical activity engagement within a female sporting program, such as netball.…”