Research on the effect of the coach-athlete relationship on performance in handball players

The aim of this study is to examine how the relationships between professional athletes playing in the Turkish Handball Federation Women's and Men's 1st League and their coaches are reflected in their performance. Additionally, the impact of this relationship on athletes' performance was evaluated in terms of demographic variables such as gender, age, national athlete status, years of sports participation, and education level. In this study, the Sport Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Coach–Athlete Relationship Scale were used. These scales measure the athlete's ability to understand themselves, develop empathy, control emotions, perceive, evaluate, make decisions, and respond appropriately to situations. The method of the study involved collecting quantitative data through questionnaires administered to the participants. The research found a significant and positive relationship between emotional intelligence and the coach–athlete relationship. According to the gender variable, male handball players had significantly higher scores in the sub-dimensions of emotional intelligence and the coach–athlete relationship levels compared to female players. Regarding age, a significant increase in emotional intelligence levels was observed particularly among athletes aged 22 and above. In terms of education level, athletes with higher education levels demonstrated stronger empathy and stronger relationships with their coaches. However, no significant difference was found between national athlete status and either the coach–athlete relationship or emotional intelligence. The Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire evaluates the relationship between athletes and their coaches across three fundamental dimensions: trust, commitment, and respect. Through these dimensions, it aims to measure athletes' perceptions of their coaches, the quality of the relationship, and the interactive strength of that relationship. The findings reveal that a strong coach–athlete relationship and enhanced emotional intelligence have a directly positive and decisive impact on the performance of handball players. In this context, coaches adopting an empathetic, emotionally supportive, and effective communication approach can strengthen athletes' psychological resilience and elevate their performance to higher levels.