An exploration of reciprocity between female athletes and their coach in elite junior swimming: a shared reality theory perspective

Based on the proposition that the relationship between a coach and athlete is at its best when both parties contribute to enhancing its quality, the present study sought to investigate if Shared Reality Theory could provide new insights on the topic. Specifically, the purpose of the present study was to explore: (a) how a shared reality is established, or fails to be established, over the course of the sporting partnership between athletes and their coach; and (b) how the presence of a shared reality (or not) in the coach-athlete relationship is related to the experienced quality of the relationship between athletes and their coach, as recorded over time. Narrative inquiry, embedded within …