Subjective lived experience of the coach–athlete relationship and their emotional competences in wrestling competition: a case study

This study investigates the coach–athlete relationship (CAR) and the mobilisation of emotional competences (EC) in wrestling competition. Using case studies with explicitation interviews, we examined the subjective lived experiences of both coaches and athletes through a psychophenomenological approach. Findings highlight how EC – particularly identification, regulation and expression – are linked to the 3 + 1Cs model, depending on the temporal and contextual dynamics (before, during and after matches). Results reveal that coaches not only regulate athletes’ emotions but also strategically manage their own, often limiting expression to avoid negative contagion while fostering confidence and motivation. Athletes, in turn, identify and interpret their coaches’ emotional states, showing reciprocity in their respective activities. Beyond enriching the literature, these insights offer practical contributions to coach education by emphasising the importance of EC, at an interpersonal level, in the quality of the CAR, during competition.