"They can coach themselves essentially": goalball coaches' perspectives on athlete-centered coaching with youth...

Coaching plays an important role in shaping the sport experiences of youth athletes with visual impairments (VI). Although athlete-centered coaching (ACC) has been proposed as an approach to support athlete involvement, development, and well-being, limited research has examined how ACC is understood and applied within youth disability sport.

A descriptive qualitative design was used to explore goalball coaches' perspectives on ACC. Nine goalball coaches from the United States and Canada participated in semi-structured interviews conducted online or by phone. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Two themes were constructed: (1) "It Sounds Like What I'm Already Doing" and (2) "It's Harder Than Traditional Coaching." Most coaches were unfamiliar with ACC as a formal concept, yet described coaching practices aligned with athlete-centered principles. Coaches also reported challenges applying ACC consistently, particularly when balancing athlete independence with structure, guidance, and competitive demands.

Findings suggest that goalball coaches value coaching approaches consistent with ACC, even without formal training or terminology related to athlete-centered coaching. However, coaches described uncertainty regarding the practical implementation of ACC within youth goalball environments. Greater education and coaching support may help facilitate more intentional application of ACC principles in disability sport settings.