Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious implications on the health and well-being of student-athletes (Economou et al., 2021; Rowe et al., 2022).  The present study explored the athletic experiences of NCAA Division II collegiate athletes during the competitive hiatus caused by the pandemic as well as in their return to sport participation.  Twenty male and female student-athletes from a variety of sports (freshman = 2; sophomores = 4; seniors = 9; graduate = 5) participated in semi-structured interviews to explore how the pandemic affected their athletic identity, anxiety, and mental health.  Through the use of thematic content analysis, the following major themes were identified: a) influence of COVID on athletic identity; b) increased anxiety during COVID; c) social aspects of sport participation; d) factors that influence mental health.  Findings indicated a combination of positive and negative effects on the athletic identity, anxiety and mental health and well-being of student-athletes.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2022-0153

Abstract
The competitive nature of sports and the high stakes associated with success can cause the line between acceptable coaching behavior and athlete abuse to become blurred (Stirling & Kerr, 2008).  In this article we illustrate the repercussions of coaching aggression, how this type of negative behavior can affect athlete well-being and performance, and what actions can be taken by coaches to bolster current and future chances of success.  Given the importance of coach-athlete interactions to team productivity, we focus on two key concepts from Steiner’s model of productivity (Steiner, 1966) that detract from optimal team outcomes: 1) loss of athlete motivation through emotional abuse and thwarted psychological needs; and 2) loss of coordination through faulty coach-athlete communication processes.  Understanding these concepts and how they are affected by coaching aggression is critical for achieving optimal sporting outcomes.  Coaches need to be aware of how their actions, specifically those which are negative in nature, affect their athletes’ basic needs, motivation, and performance, if they wish to succeed at the highest level. To this end, a self-reflective worksheet, grounded in Basic Needs Theory, is provided to enhance coaches’ understanding of their behaviors on athletes’ performance and well-being.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08924562.2021.1919581

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