‘We are first responders’: Coaches’ management of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors among young people in sport

Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people under the age of 25 in Australia. Sports environments may be opportune contexts for suicide postvention and prevention. Coaches occupy pivotal leadership roles; yet little is known about how they navigate self-harm and suicide among the young people they support. This research aimed to understand coaches’ experiences of recognizing and responding to SRTB among young people in sport, alongside the key barriers and needs required to respond effectively to SRTB. This involved exploring coaches’ perspectives around responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges for supporting young people to identify key needs and enhance ongoing suicide prevention efforts. Twelve coaches with self-reported experience with youth self-harm or suicide were interviewed, with data analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were created: 1) Sport as a potential context for suicide prevention; 2) Devastating events that sharpen focus; 3) Providing an effective response is challenging; and 4) Coaches aren’t equipped to respond effectively. The findings identify complex and challenging experiences from coaches, while also recognizing the unique context that sports environments hold for both formal and informal suicide prevention. Far more work is needed to enhance training and resources available to sports organizations to support both coaches and young people through these challenging experiences.