Building the evidence to improve coach wellbeing and strengthen Australia's high-performance sport system
High-performance coaches play a pivotal role in athlete success, yet their own wellbeing has historically received limited attention. This collaborative research program is generating the evidence needed to understand the challenges facing coaches and translate that evidence into practical strategies that improve both wellbeing and performance across Australia's elite sport system.
Working in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australian Catholic University and the University of the Sunshine Coast, Griffith University researchers have helped develop the first evidence-based framework for coach performance wellbeing in Australia. The research has already influenced national policy, informed new coaching resources and contributed to the development of Australia's first embedded Performance Wellbeing Lead pilot.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and committed to creating sustainable cities and communities and tackling global challenges around climate action and life on land.
Why this research matters
High-performance coaches often:
- work long and unpredictable hours
- prioritise athletes' wellbeing ahead of their own
- experience high psychological and emotional demands
- have limited access to dedicated wellbeing support
- operate within organisational systems that can either support or undermine wellbeing.
What makes this research different?
Without effective support, coach burnout, reduced retention and declining organisational capability can ultimately affect athlete performance and the sustainability of Australia's high-performance sport system.
Research approach
Project 1
Mind the gap
Explored athlete career transition through qualitative interviews with elite athletes and wellbeing practitioners, identifying the critical role coaches play in supporting successful transitions.
Project 2
Prioritising performance wellbeing for coaches
Including an audit of existing AIS resources, a national survey of 118 high-performance coaches and six co-design workshops involving 40 coaches from 29 sports.
Project 3
Organisational stakeholders’ perspectives
Examined organisational perspectives through interviews with 21 senior leaders, including CEOs and Performance Directors, to understand how organisational decisions shape coach wellbeing.
Research impact story
Winning Well: From Research Evidence to Embedded Practice
Transforming Coach Wellbeing in Australian High-Performance Sport
Working in partnership with the AIS High Performance Coach Development and Sport Wellbeing & Engagement teams.
Meet our researchers
Chief Investigator
- Dr David Fleischman,
University of the Sunshine Coast
Research team
- Associate Professor Popi Sotiriadou, Griffith University
- Dr Ann-Marie Gibson, Australian Catholic University
- Dr Justine Stynes, Australian Catholic University
- Dr Alyse Wilcox, Australian Catholic University
- Tania Stevenson
- Associate Professor Rory Mulcahy
- Dr Kate Kirby
- Dr Addie Green
- Dr Peter English
- Dr James Clarke
Industry collaborators
- Kathy Fahim,
Australian Institute of Sport - Bill Davoren,
Australian Institute of Sport - Christine Higgisson,
Australian Institute of Sport