Psychological preparation in wrestling coaching: A qualitative exploration of athlete- and coach-focused strategies

Coaching in elite sport involves complex psychological, emotional, and interpersonal demands that influence both coaching effectiveness and athlete performance. In wrestling, coaches play a central role in facilitating athletes’ psychological readiness while simultaneously regulating their own psychological states during competition. Despite the established importance of psychological preparation and Psychological Skills Training (PST) in sport, limited research has examined how coaches apply and adapt these strategies within applied coaching environments. The present study therefore explored psychological preparation strategies used by wrestling coaches, focusing on athlete- and coach-focused practices in competitive settings. A qualitative interpretivist design using reflexive thematic analysis was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 wrestling coaches selected through purposive sampling. The analysis developed three interconnected themes: (1) athlete-focused psychological preparation strategies, (2) self-regulation and emotional management in coaching under pressure, and (3) reflective and experience-based evaluation of psychological preparation practices. The findings indicated that coaches implemented a range of applied psychological strategies, including motivational communication, imagery, self-talk, breathing techniques, routines, and reflective practices, to support both athlete performance and coaching effectiveness. These strategies appeared to function as informal and embedded forms of Psychological Skills Training (PST) integrated within everyday coaching routines. The findings also highlighted the reciprocal relationship between coaches’ psychological states and athletes’ performance preparation. Overall, the study contributes to a more context-sensitive understanding of psychological preparation in wrestling coaching and provides insight into how psychological strategies are translated into coaching practice. The findings have practical implications for developing evidence-informed approaches to psychological preparation in competitive sport.