FUTEBOL E DESENVOLVIMENTO POSITIVO DOS JOVENS: A PERCEPÇÃO DOS COORDENADORES TÉCNICOS

Abstract

Positive Youth Development (PYD) has been widely studied; however, these works focus on the actions of coaches, and there is a lack of literature regarding the agents who serve as the link between the club's ideals and the youth. From the perspective of soccer technical coordinators (TC), as influential agents at a macro level within the structure of youth sports clubs, this study aimed to analyze their perceptions and intentionality regarding PYD, as well as to investigate the guidelines provided to coaches for the integration of PYD into youth training. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven technical coordinators. A thematic analysis was conducted on the following topics: (1) technical coordinator; (2) transfer of life skills from soccer; (3) PYD; (4) TC and coach relationship. From this analysis, it was found that TCs assume multiple roles and have difficulty recognizing their importance in youth training. Regarding PYD, they demonstrated a conceptual gap, although they acknowledged the importance of its principles and the potential for transferring these skills to other life contexts. However, no intentionality was observed in their actions to achieve such objectives. Additionally, it was found that TCs delegate to coaches the responsibility for teaching life skills, without providing explicit guidelines for integrating PYD into youth training. This study highlights the need for technical coordinators to reflect on their role as facilitators, at a macro level, in the holistic development of athletes.