Experiencing, coping with, and resolving conflict in a team sport

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reveal specific accounts of the conflict experience of university team sports athletes using phenomenological interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 varsity athletes from the Nanyang Technological University Tchoukball team and were transcribed verbatim and analysed. Results showed that conflicts often occur due to individual characteristics or interpersonal factors which were consistent with previous studies. It is revealed that a mix of feelings and outcomes were experienced during and after conflict. Results also showed that athletes believed in resolving conflicts through communication, reducing bias, as well as compromising and giving in. This study provides useful insights which can help coaches and team coordinators better understand the conflict experience of university team sport athletes. Future research can look to expand the study by focusing on different teams within a varsity, as well as on similar sport teams across different varsities.