Evaluating the performance of the coaches of the Iraqi Gymnastics Federation from the point of view of players and experts

This study focuses on evaluating the performance of coaches of the Iraqi Gymnastics Federation from the perspectives of both athletes and experts, emphasizing the critical role of gymnastics as a foundation for many other sports. The significance of the research lies in improving evaluation mechanisms for gymnastics coaches through the use of validated questionnaires and scientific models, thereby enhancing coaches’ effectiveness and consequently the athletes’ performance. The study employed a descriptive–survey method and included a statistical population of 340 participants, comprising athletes and experts from the Iraqi Gymnastics Federation. Data collection was conducted using the Performance Evaluation Questionnaire developed by Rouhani et al. (2012), which demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.943. The findings revealed that the average performance evaluation of coaches from both athletes (M = 4.23) and experts (M = 4.24) was significantly higher than the theoretical mean (3), indicating satisfactory coaching performance. Among the evaluated dimensions, the “technical-educational factor” emerged as the most important, followed by team and individual management, team retention, experience, and behavioral-educational aspects. Furthermore, results indicated no significant differences between athletes’ and experts’ evaluations. In conclusion, the overall performance of Iraqi Gymnastics Federation coaches was found to be within the expected standards, with technical-educational factors playing the most critical role in performance evaluation. The study recommends prioritizing the enhancement of coaches’ technical and educational competencies, alongside strengthening behavioral and managerial skills, to ensure comprehensive improvement in both coaching practices and athletes’ achievements.