Strategic leadership and athlete development in elite sport

Elite sport performance is shaped not only by physical and tactical preparation but also by the quality of leadership, communication and relationships within sporting environments. Strategic leadership in sport encompasses the ways in which coaches, athletes and support staff collaboratively develop decision-making, accountability, motivation and long-term performance. However, leadership and performance research are often examined separately, with performance analysis focusing primarily on physical, technical and tactical indicators while giving less attention to the developmental and relational processes that influence how these outcomes are achieved. Constructive-developmental theory provides a valuable framework for examining how coaches and athletes develop more complex approaches to thinking, self-regulation and problem-solving, yet its application in elite sport remains underexplored. In parallel, research on coach-athlete relationships, coach education and organizational leadership has highlighted their importance for performance and well-being, but further interdisciplinary investigation is needed to connect these areas with evidence from performance analysis and athlete development.This Research Topic aims to examine how strategic leadership, constructive development and coach-athlete dynamics contribute to sustainable performance and athlete development in elite sport. It will explore how leadership models can be applied to coaches, athletes and sport organizations; how the quality of coach-athlete relationships influences performance, well-being and long-term development; and how physical, technical and tactical performance data can be integrated with leadership and management perspectives. The Research Topic will also consider how constructive-developmental and adult-learning approaches can support coach education, leadership growth and effective decision-making in complex sporting environments.To gather further insights into the relationships between leadership, athlete development, coaching practice and performance analysis in elite sport, we welcome original research, systematic and scoping reviews, theoretical and conceptual papers, perspectives and methods articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Strategic leadership models in elite sport and sport organizations• Constructive-developmental approaches to coaching and athlete development• Coach-athlete relationship quality and its association with performance and well-being• Leadership development and decision-making among coaches, athletes and support staff• Physical, technical and tactical performance analysis in sports• Integration of performance data with leadership and coaching research• Athlete-centred leadership and collaborative performance environments• Organizational culture, accountability and communication in elite sport• Long-term athlete development and sustainable high performance• Leadership challenges in high-performance team sports• Interdisciplinary research connecting sport science, education and management Topic editors: Abdelaziz Qarouach, John Cairney Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84640/strategic-leadership-and-athlete-development-in-elite-sport