Abstract:

The aim of the study is to examine the relationships between athletes' flow state and coach communication skills perceived by athletes and to evaluate the predictive effect of coach communication skills. In addition, the differences dependent on gender of athletes and trainers, the class of license and type of sports and the relationships with the sports and coaching experience, the weekly training time of the athletes and the working time (years) with their trainers were evaluated. The sample of study was consisting of participant in national and international competitions 17-44 age range in different regions in Turkey in a total of 528 athletes in 216 women and 312 men. In the research quantitative techniques were used. It is a correlational and comparative study that examines the predictive relationship between variables without intervention. For evaluation of the data Pearson’s Product Moment Coefficient, t-test, linear regression and MANOVA statistical test techniques. As a results, it was observed that there was a predictive correlation between the coach communication skill (CCS) and the flow state of the athletes (FSA). While the gender of the athlete and their coaches made a difference in the comprehended coach communication skills, the same findings were not reached for FSA. The working time (years) with the same coach was negatively related to both the perceived coach communication skills and the flow state of the athletes. The findings were discussed together with the literature.

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