Abstract

PIRES, P; BATISTA, M; MESQUITA, H  and  IBANEZ, SJ. Decision and planning style of Special Olympics Portugal coaches: the influence of formal and non-formal training. CPD [online]. 2022, vol.22, n.2, pp.236-246.  Epub May 12, 2023. ISSN 1989-5879.

Special Olympics Portugal is one of the main national organizations for the development of sport for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Coaches play a relevant role in the development of athletes, and the decision and planning styles are essential aspects to adapt the training to the athletes' specific needs. These prerogatives are scientifically little explored related with the coaches of this type of athletes. The study aims to identify the decision and planning styles of the Special Olympics Portugal coaches. It also intends to analyze the relationship of formal and non-formal training with the decision and planning styles. The research is descriptive and cross-sectional of the Special Olympics Portugal coaches, with the participation of 50 subjects. Two questionnaires were used: the Questionnaire of Decision Styles in Sport and the Questionnaire of Planning Styles in Sport. The results show that the Special Olympics Portugal coaches have a wide spectrum of styles of action in training, predominantly the democratic decision style and flexible planning. This situation implies that the coaches in this area are more reflective, and need to adapt their methodologies to work with the athletes and seek new solutions, in order to adapt the training to the effective needs of the athletes.

Keywords : Learning Stages; Development of Training; Coaches; Adapted Sports; Intellectual Disability.

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