Coach and player attitudes to injury in youth sport

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate coach and player attitudes to injury in New Zealand (NZ) secondary school sport.

Design: Cross-sectional survey SETTING: Secondary school sport.

Participants: Secondary school coaches and players.

Main outcome measures: Responses to a survey of injury attitudes. The survey was distributed in electronic and paper-based form to secondary school coaches and players across three sporting organisations. Coaches' uptake of injury prevention training and whether they had first aid qualifications was also elicited.

Results: 117 coaches and 226 players from netball, football and basketball participated. The majority of coaches surveyed (n = 82, 70%) reported having a coaching qualification and 72 (62%) had completed a sport related first aid/injury prevention programme. Overall, 196 players (87%) reported hiding an injury to continue playing, and 102 coaches (87%) and 205 players (91%) had witnessed injured players play on. Approximately 50% of players and coaches had seen players put under pressure to play when injured. A lack of knowledge, the desire to win, and not letting the team down were key reasons given for the behaviour reported.

Conclusions: The observed prevalence of players playing on when injured and associated attitudes to secondary school sport injuries demands further investigation.

Keywords: Adolescent; Athlete; Behaviour; Injuries.