Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches

Sport cultures transmit values for anticipated conduct. Recent events have resulted in injuries/deaths of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes, usually during off-season football training. Through media reports, strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) have been allegedly...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andreas Stamatis, Grant B. Morgan, Patrick Nyamaruze, Panagiotis Koutakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-06-01
Series:Sports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/6/92
_version_ 1797482196611629056
author Andreas Stamatis
Grant B. Morgan
Patrick Nyamaruze
Panagiotis Koutakis
author_facet Andreas Stamatis
Grant B. Morgan
Patrick Nyamaruze
Panagiotis Koutakis
author_sort Andreas Stamatis
collection DOAJ
description Sport cultures transmit values for anticipated conduct. Recent events have resulted in injuries/deaths of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes, usually during off-season football training. Through media reports, strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) have been allegedly involved by incorporating military-style training (MST). Mental toughness (MT) has been associated with hypermasculine subcultures in sports. For the first time, perceptions of collegiate SCCs were chosen to contribute to the development of cultural best practices in sports, via a multiphase mixed-method design (Phase 1, <i>n</i> = 465; Phase 2, <i>n</i> = 72; Phase 3, <i>n</i> = 99). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected aiming to confirm and explore the use of MST in the NCAA, its connection to SCCs, its association with MT development, and the role of the media. MST is uncommon in the NCAA. MST takes place mostly during the off-season in the form of physical, in-scope protocols while football is the most common sport. MST promotes MT. The recent media backlash is considered unfounded. Cultures promoted by SCCs do not indicate conformity of student-athletes to unethical/unhealthy expectations. Future sport psychology research and practice should continue to prioritize culture, cultural identities, and physical and mental well-being.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T22:28:49Z
format Article
id doaj.art-43c4a1d63cee44989177b71f7347ce4d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2075-4663
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T22:28:49Z
publishDate 2022-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sports
spelling doaj.art-43c4a1d63cee44989177b71f7347ce4d2023-11-23T19:00:03ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632022-06-011069210.3390/sports10060092Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning CoachesAndreas Stamatis0Grant B. Morgan1Patrick Nyamaruze2Panagiotis Koutakis3Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, USAEducational Psychology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USAPsychology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaBiology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USASport cultures transmit values for anticipated conduct. Recent events have resulted in injuries/deaths of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes, usually during off-season football training. Through media reports, strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) have been allegedly involved by incorporating military-style training (MST). Mental toughness (MT) has been associated with hypermasculine subcultures in sports. For the first time, perceptions of collegiate SCCs were chosen to contribute to the development of cultural best practices in sports, via a multiphase mixed-method design (Phase 1, <i>n</i> = 465; Phase 2, <i>n</i> = 72; Phase 3, <i>n</i> = 99). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected aiming to confirm and explore the use of MST in the NCAA, its connection to SCCs, its association with MT development, and the role of the media. MST is uncommon in the NCAA. MST takes place mostly during the off-season in the form of physical, in-scope protocols while football is the most common sport. MST promotes MT. The recent media backlash is considered unfounded. Cultures promoted by SCCs do not indicate conformity of student-athletes to unethical/unhealthy expectations. Future sport psychology research and practice should continue to prioritize culture, cultural identities, and physical and mental well-being.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/6/92sport psychologyCSCCasport cultureNSCAmentally toughstudent-athlete
spellingShingle Andreas Stamatis
Grant B. Morgan
Patrick Nyamaruze
Panagiotis Koutakis
Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
Sports
sport psychology
CSCCa
sport culture
NSCA
mentally tough
student-athlete
title Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
title_full Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
title_fullStr Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
title_full_unstemmed Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
title_short Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches
title_sort mental toughness development via military style training in the ncaa a three phase mixed method study of the perspectives of strength and conditioning coaches
topic sport psychology
CSCCa
sport culture
NSCA
mentally tough
student-athlete
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/10/6/92
work_keys_str_mv AT andreasstamatis mentaltoughnessdevelopmentviamilitarystyletraininginthencaaathreephasemixedmethodstudyoftheperspectivesofstrengthandconditioningcoaches
AT grantbmorgan mentaltoughnessdevelopmentviamilitarystyletraininginthencaaathreephasemixedmethodstudyoftheperspectivesofstrengthandconditioningcoaches
AT patricknyamaruze mentaltoughnessdevelopmentviamilitarystyletraininginthencaaathreephasemixedmethodstudyoftheperspectivesofstrengthandconditioningcoaches
AT panagiotiskoutakis mentaltoughnessdevelopmentviamilitarystyletraininginthencaaathreephasemixedmethodstudyoftheperspectivesofstrengthandconditioningcoaches