Abstract - Beginner Coach or High-Performance Coach Which profile fits the identifiers of champions in Portuguese judo
Background. To reach the highest level in sports, you should be helped by someone who understands your needs. Scholars have discussed the existence of more than one coach profile. Problem and Aim. Who could be responsible for the identification and development of high-level judo athletes? This study aimed to identify the profile of the coaches who have trained the most prominent judo athletes in Portugal.
Methods. The methodology applied was that of oral history (OH). We interviewed the Beginners’ Coaches (BC) [n=5] and Higher Performance Coaches (HPC)[n=10] of those athletes. The criteria established was to interview the coaches who trained athletes who won medals in the Olympic Games (OG) and world championships (WCh) in the senior category.
Results. Six athletes won those medals. They had at least two major influences, first a BC, and later, one or more HPCs who helped them win those medal(s).
Conclusions. We found two different profiles of judo coaches. During initiation, the BC develops the fundamentals of the sport, and mainly retains the student in the sport. However, to achieve high-performance levels, the coach must have different skills and goals. They should be able to offer athletes better conditions regarding the dojo and higher-level sparring partners.