AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) – New findings released on Friday, in conjunction with Texas High School Coaches Day, show the broad effect coaches in the state can have on their high school student-athletes.
Joshua Childs, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, worked with research firm EverRise and the Texas High School Coaches Association to collect and analyze survey data.
The study aimed to identify the various ways coaches assist their athletes – on and off the field.
“They’re also educators, teaching classes, leading bands,” Childs said. “Sometimes janitors, sometimes even leading schools and school districts.”
Childs and his team surveyed more than 18,000 high school student-athletes in Texas. One of the key findings was how well coaches communicated with their athletes.
On a 5-point scale, 86 percent of athletes gave their coaches a 4 or 5 when evaluating their overall communication abilities.
One way Texas sets itself apart from other states is by providing teams the ability to gather during a designated athletic period during school hours. This provides opportunities to do more than simply practice.
“What we found is that student-athletes really appreciate the athletic period as a way for their coaches to check in with them,” said Childs. “About academics, their mental health, what’s happening at home.”
The survey also showed more than 85 percent of athletes felt more comfortable taking risks, including in areas unrelated to athletics.
Childs says the athletic experience helps “propel them to become leaders or even to become better teammates in their sport.”
In addition to preserving the athletic period, the study recommends that school districts provide opportunities for professional development.
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