By Peter Ryan 7:00 PM Wed 15 Aug, 2012

Comments from former Geelong head coach Mark Thompson prompted research into burnout in the area

The AFL Coaching Lifestyle: Improving life satisfaction, health and wellbeing report, released on Wednesday, was commissioned amid fears that the risk of coach burnout was high.

Eighty-five per cent of assistant coaches responded to a survey and 17 assistant coaches (representing the 17 clubs at the time of data collection) were interviewed for the research.

One coach commented: "I think there are legitimate concerns for coaches, and their lifestyles, and maybe you have just got to accept that as part of the job. That might be it, but if there is some way that we can make sure that were not killing them, then thats a good thing too."

While assistant coaches remain motivated by a love of the game and the prospect of developing young players, the AFL Coaches Association has recognised the need to put initiatives in place to ensure the role remains a sustainable career option for the country's best coaching talent.

The AFL Coaches Association has appointed a career and professional development manager Michael Poulton (former coaching manager at Athletics Australia) to assist assistant coaches to build a skill set that is transferable beyond the AFL.

The report also recommended a need for more psychological support to be available for assistant coaches to improve their general health and enable them to cope better with the demands of working in a competitive sporting environment.

The research conducted last year was prompted by talk of burnout amid the sudden departure from senior coaching at the end of 2010 by former Cats coach Mark Thompson, and a need to better understand the roles and expectations clubs place on assistant coaches.

Dr Mandy Ruddock-Hudson, from La Trobe University's School of Public Health, conducted the research with her research team, funded by the AFL research board and supported by the AFL Coaches Association.

See the original post:
High distress common: report