Sports Coaches’ Competence as Correlates of Athletes’ Sports Achievements in South- South Nigeria

This study investigated the relationship between coaches' competence and athletes’ sports achievement in South-South Nigeria, with a focus on gender differences. A correlational research design was used, employing a multistage sampling technique to select 1,402 athletes from a population of 4,669 across six states in South-South Nigeria. The sample selection involved four stages: inclusion of all six states, random selection of universities and sports commissions, and stratification of athletes by gender, and proportionate random sampling from each gender stratum. Data were collected using the validated Coaches' Competence and Athletes' Sports Achievement Questionnaire (CCASAQ), with a Cronbach’s alpha reliability of 0.81. Data analysis was performed using Pearson product-moment correlation and Fisher’s Z statistics at a 0.05 significance level. The results showed a moderate, positive, and statistically significant relationship between coaches' competence and athletes’ sports achievement. The relationship was stronger for female athletes compared to male athletes. The study concluded that coaches' competence significantly impacts athletes' performance. It recommends the implementation of continuous professional development programs for coaches to enhance their competence and improve athletes’ sports achievements.