Basketball experience: Exploring Nigerian basketball coaches' perspectives of grassroots sport-for-development programming as a tool to enhance well-being

Abstract

Considering the disparity between mental health services and resources available in Nigeria, researchers have highlighted the need for organizations, policymakers, and health service providers to revamp their approaches. Due to its unifying nature and cultural importance in the youth population, grassroots sport programming has been shown to be an effective mechanism in promoting education and life skills. In Lagos, Nigeria, the Basketball Experience program was designed to promote physical well-being, healthy living, mental health, and life skills in Nigerian youth utilizing principles from the Resilience and Youth Development Module. Researchers interviewed seven female and three male coaches using a phenomenological approach to investigate their perspectives of the program's impact on themselves and the youth they coach. Results suggest that implementing mental health education and resilience development, specifically through positive mentorship and strategies such as breathing and mindfulness exercises, into a sport for development program can assist with increased knowledge and reduced mental health stigma. Coaches strongly endorsed increased use of programs like Basketball Experience to promote positive development and combat the disparity in mental health literacy and policy, and they suggested that such programs have the power to help restructure the longstanding cycle of negative stressors inherent to life in Nigeria. Based on these perspectives, the authors discuss how grassroots sport programming can be an effective tool in the development of both coaches and youth. Moreover, the authors advocate for the Resilience and Youth Development Module as an impactful theoretical framework for facilitating resilience and life skills in coaches and youth.

Keywords

Life skills mental health resilience youth

As a nation with a population median of around 18 years old, Nigeria is filled with youth and adolescents, and because of the intense daily stresses present in Nigeria, they also experience heightened psychosocial distress (e.g. heightened levels of anxiety, distrust, hyper-vigilance, anger, sleeplessness, forgetfulness, poor self-care and hygiene, and moodiness).^1,2 Research suggests that one in four Nigerians (∼ 50 million) suffer from mental illness; however, < 10% of these people have access to mental health treatment.³ This can be attributed to the stigma surrounding mental health in Nigeria along with the nation's lack of resources aimed to promote mental health literacy and treatment.^4,5 For instance, one study found that the most frequently discussed causes of mental health according to Nigerians included supernatural factors, psychological factors, substance abuse, and genetics.⁵ Additionally, research on mental health in Nigeria has found that those with mental disorders are commonly described as “mad” or “mental.”^6,7

Various factors have been shown to increase psychosocial distress in Nigerians including separation from family, loss of caregivers, stigma and isolation around verbally reporting psychosocial stressors, high prevalence of sexual violence, child marriage, and a lack of interpersonal relationships and community support.² Daily stressors such as unemployment, poverty, and heightened competition for resources have contributed to the spike in mental health challenges in the country.⁸ Additionally, Nigeria's history of ethnic violence between native tribes and the presence of insurgency groups has led to many experiences of trauma due to witnessing or experiencing violence, which has also led to increased rates of population displacement, food insecurity, lack of safe drinking water, and other health and hygiene issues.² Finally, social isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic and burnout of health and social workers has exacerbated mental illness and suicide which further highlights the need for mental health services in the country.^4,8 These various factors, combined with institutional neglect and stigma, have resulted in a vast increase in mental health struggles in Nigeria.^5,8,9

Research suggests tangible action from the government, non-governmental organizations, and policymakers is required to combat the disparity between the need for mental health services and the actual resources available.⁸ One impactful way to advance mental health literacy is through awareness and education at the grassroots level.^7,10 Furthermore, considering the unifying nature of sport and its cultural relevance in Nigeria, grassroots sport programming focused on positive development (also recognized as Sport-for-Development; SFD) has been shown to be an effective mechanism in promoting education, life skills, and holistic well-being.^11–13

Prior SFD programs have yielded the development of inter- and intra-group responsibility,¹⁴ increased feelings of belonging,^15,16 and enhanced confidence related to relationship development with peers and role models.^12,17 These are qualities related to resilience, which has been defined as “adaptive change or the capacity for positive adaptation in a context of existing or potential threats and surprises.”¹⁸ Research suggests resilience is a “heterogeneous, multidimensional process that involves individual, family, and community-level risk and protective factors.”¹⁷ Community resilience emphasizes loving, supportive, and trusting relationships beyond the immediate family. These may consist of formal and informal networks in the surrounding areas that provide social support in times of need, which in the context of the current study refers to sport coaches.^17,19

While the importance of relationships is inherent to individual and community-wide resilience development, research on marginalized youth suggests that social support from positive adult figures can be limited, thus, developing positive relationships with other adults (in this case, sport coaches) in addition to their primary caregivers can be advantageous.^14,20 Relationship building has also been identified as a key factor in human and community development, and learning to develop close relationships and gaining knowledge about the benefits of positive relationships can transfer to the greater community.^21,22 In the context of SFD, relationship development between program facilitators, coaches, and youth is critical to achieving lasting interpersonal and community development.^12,14

Basketball Experience program and the resilience and youth developmental module

Considering the research supporting the benefits of SFD programming on relationship building and resilience development in marginalized youth, Dream Sports Africa (DSA; disclosure—DSA granted permission to use its name in the publication of this research), a non-profit aimed at engaging, empowering, and educating African youth, created the Basketball Experience (BE) Program in partnership with Expertise France (EF) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). The program utilizes trained coaches to teach life skills and resilience through the sport of basketball as they mentor youth (ages 13–17 years) in Lagos, Nigeria. The BE curriculum was grouped into four main areas (physical well-being, healthy living, mental health, and life skills), revolves around principles from the Resilience and Youth Development Module (RYDM),²³ and is designed to foster improved mental and physical health, social, and academic outcomes among Nigerian youth.

The RYDM was constructed through the California Department of Education Healthy Kids Program Office's youth development initiative, who created a questionnaire called the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS; 2009)²⁴ aimed at measuring risk and resilience factors through student self-reporting. The RYDM is one component of this larger survey and was designed to examine youth's protective factors such as internal and external assets. The RYDM framework suggests that should youth have highly perceived external assets, like caring adult relationships, high expectations, and meaningful participation within their environments (e.g. school, at home, and peers), they are more likely to be provided with the eight core needs of safety, belonging, love, respect, mastery, challenge, power, and meaning. Satisfaction of these core needs can lead to the development of internal resilience assets. There are six internal assets (internal characteristics of youth) that the model addresses: cooperation and communication, self-efficacy, empathy, problem-solving, self-awareness, and goals and aspirations. Moreover, the model suggests that internal assets are developed naturally and in response to structurally sound external assets, which combined can lead to improved health, social, and academic outcomes.

Although there is limited research supporting the RYDM as a theoretical framework, there have been studies supporting RYDM constructs, including the relationship between positive developmental outcomes and strong internal and external assets.^25–27 Moreover, research supports the psychometric properties of the RYDM survey across racial–ethnic groups.^23,28,29 One critique of the RYDM has been that it was developed as a population-based survey, thus it does not account for individual differences among youth.²⁸ Nevertheless, in the context of this study and the BE program in general, the RYDM was utilized as a theoretical framework guiding the curriculum rather than a questionnaire to collect data from participants.

The BE program currently has a network of over 20 coaches who oversee the program activities, which include classroom visits and outdoor program sessions. Coaches were selected based on previous experience coaching in DSA-based programming, along with newly formed relationships created through networking and word-of-mouth. Within the program, coaches were educated on the intricacies of the resilience model and how to foster an environment that emphasizes caring relationships (e.g. trust, feeling heard, and listened to) and high expectations (e.g. following rules and giving maximum effort), and meaningful participation through the sport of basketball. During program sessions, coaches facilitate discussions and activities targeting the youth core needs associated with the RYDM; the session includes information about each topic, an overview of the relevance to youth development, and reflection application to basketball and daily life. Coaches were provided with tips on how to foster engaging and inclusive discussions while bringing in examples from their own lives to enrich these conversations. Activities in the program included psychoeducational presentations, active discussions, reflective journaling, basketball skills sessions, and general physical activity.

The aim of the current study was to focus on coaches’ experiences in the BE program, specifically examining their perspectives on the importance of resilience development, relationship building, and mental health education in Nigerian society. Based on these perspectives, the authors discuss how grassroots sport programming, such as the BE program, can be effective tools in enhancing the life experience of both the coaches themselves and the youth in the program. Moreover, they advocate for the RYDM as an impactful theoretical framework to facilitate both coach and youth development.

Methodology

The current study utilized the qualitative approach of interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA),³⁰ which aims to investigate how participants make sense of their subjective experiences. Rather than attempting to objectivize an object or experience, this approach emphasizes the exploration of an individual's detailed perception of an object or experience. This process involves a two-stage interpretive process including the participant attempting to make sense of their own world and the researcher trying to make sense of the participant attempting to make sense of their own world. Thus, IPA revolves around a theoretical assumption that participants’ words, cognition, and affect are all connected while also recognizing that people often struggle to convey their thoughts and feelings. This approach was used due to its emphasis on the lived experiences of the participants, allowing their words and perspectives to drive the results of the study.

Participants

Of the 20 coaches involved with the BE program in Lagos, Nigeria, all were recruited to participate in this study, resulting in 10 Nigerian coaches (seven female and three male) participating in this study. The average age of participants was 28.7 years old (SD = 3.6), ranging from age 23 to 36 years. Coaches had been in the BE program for an average time of 12.7 months (SD = 2.4) at the time of the interviews, ranging from 10 months in the program to 17 months. For de-identification and to give life to the quotes provided, participants were given culturally relevant pseudonyms (see Table 1).

Table 1.

Participant demographics.

Participant	Gender	Age (years)	Time since joining Basketball Experience (BE)
Coach Blessing	Male	36	15 months
Coach Abigail	Female	31	11 months
Coach Samuel	Male	26	17 months
Coach Abebe	Female	28	11 months
Coach Mary	Female	23	10 months
Coach Joy	Female	28	11 months
Coach Victoria	Female	28	14 months
Coach Patience	Female	31	15 months
Coach Rose	Female	26	12 months
Coach Precious	Male	30	11 months

Data collection instruments

For the current study, data collection included a semi-structured interview guide and Google Meet Communication technology to conduct virtual interviews.

Researcher

The researcher was a 27-year-old male graduate student studying sport and exercise psychology and clinical mental health counseling at a university in the Midwest region of the United States. The researcher has trained for this research experience through multiple research methods courses, assisting on various Sport-for-Development (SFD) research projects, and through extensive involvement in the BE program planning and implementation. The researcher played competitive basketball from age 11 to 23 years old and holds a strong opinion that with the proper resources (e.g. supportive coaches, safe environment, and healthy relationships with peers), youth sports can create positive experiences for disadvantaged youth. In 2011, the researcher crossed paths with three youths from South Sudan who had been brought to the United States to play basketball.

Through years of playing basketball and growing as friends off the court, the three South Sudanese men became part of the researcher's family, and they have been present in each other's lives ever since. The researcher acknowledges a bias toward the role of positive youth development-based sports programs in the psychosocial development of youth based on his own experience playing basketball and seeing its impact firsthand. This awareness led to careful consideration of question choice when designing the interview guide, with the researcher making a concerted effort to design open-ended questions allowing the participant to drive the conversation in their chosen direction. Additionally, being that the researcher is a white American studying Nigerian experiences in a sport for development program, he recognized that there are cultural differences at play. The researcher's experience hearing stories and learning from his South Sudanese brothers’ experiences contributed to the chosen methodology of IPA, as the researcher found it important to explore how participants make sense of their unique experiences.

Research team and statement of reflexivity

In addition to the lead author, the research team consisted of two female graduate students in a sport and exercise psychology graduate program. While the two female members of the team have knowledge and experience in research related to SFD, they were not involved in the conceptualization and curriculum development of the BE program. The lead author had an extensive history of assisting Dream Sports Africa with the development of the curriculum and the training of coaches in the BE program. This involvement may have led to bias in the interview process, potentially involving a “good subject” bias, with participants aiming to tell the interviewer what they wanted to hear as opposed to reflecting on their true experiences. Considering the lead author's inside involvement in the development of the BE program, it was vital to include members of the research team who could provide an outsider's perspective on the data analysis process.³¹

Interview guide

IPA³⁰ posits that semi-structured interviews are the optimal data collection instrument due to their ability to allow both the researcher and participant to engage in a flexible dialogue. The semi-structured interview guide (see Table 2) included prompts and questions and a series of follow-ups that revolved around gaining an insight into why participants decided to start coaching, their experience in the BE program, strategies and behaviors used to cultivate meaningful relationships, and how they believe Nigerians can optimize youth development and mental health literacy.

Table 2.

Data analysis demonstration table.

Excerpt	Code	Theme	Finding(s)
“Okay, I try as much as possible to listen to them. And listen to them first, I try as much as possible to see where they're coming from.”	Listening	Developing Trust	Listening to youth and attempting to put oneself in their shoes to establish a relationship foundation of trust
	Communicating
	Empathy
“Teach them to be respectful, teach them to be kind, teach them saying thank you won't hurt, you know, teach them they should learn to be appreciative. Thank you goes a long way. It heals wounds, I'm sorry. You know, saying sorry, it heals wounds, you know, let's be let's, let's just teach them the right thing on and off the courts”	Respect		Not only teaching kindness, respect, and accountability but demonstrating these qualities through coaches’ own actions
	Kindness	Establishing Behavioral Expectations
	Accountability
	Leading by example
“I think this is a very big topic. A lot of people really overlook it, and I think he goes a long way, resilience, it helps a lot no matter what you're going through. You see a lot of people going through mental issues, emotional issues, and a big problem for them they are giving up so easily. Because the country Nigeria we have right now, they don't job, some are struggling … So trying to bring resilience, like don't give up no matter what is going on, its going to get better, build them back up and working on their mental health.”	Stigma	Cultural Relevance of Resilience	Resilience identified as culturally relevant trait that, if explicitly taught, can benefit the well-being of Nigerians who are navigating the struggles of daily life
	Resilience not explicitly taught
	Resilience beneficial in well-being
	Daily struggles
	Mental health challenges

Procedure

Once the IRB approved the study, the PI utilized an established relationship with the directors of the BE program by asking them to share the study information to coaches in the program. The researcher then reached out via to coaches via WhatsApp to schedule an interview time with those who agreed to participate. Informed consent was obtained from each participant electronically at the start of the interview, with interviews lasting between 35 and 60 min. The researcher first obtained demographic information, and then used the interview guide as a reference during the interview; however, it was important to allow the participant to drive the conversation. Once interviews were completed, the audio recordings were uploaded to the Otter.ai online transcription service, then the PI thoroughly reviewed each transcription to ensure accuracy.

The researcher utilized member checking³² by reporting the results of the study to the Nigerian program directors of the BE program, who provided feedback reporting an accurate portrayal of what was derived from the interviews.

Data analysis

The researchers utilized guidelines from Smith and Osborne³⁰ along with Noon³³ when analyzing data. The stages of analysis included reading and note making, connecting emergent themes, producing a table of themes, continuing to the next case, and producing a master table.

Using these guidelines and following the completion of interviews and transcription of each interview through the Otter.ai transcription service, the researcher began by reading one transcript multiple times and annotating various points of interest or significance about what is said, including preliminary interpretations.³⁰ Once this initial transcript was thoroughly annotated, the researcher then returned to the beginning and transformed the initial notes into concise themes derived from participant interviews and a priori themes generated from and supported by previous literature. Moreover, specific quotes from the interview were identified that illustrate various themes. This analysis involved the clustering of themes that may overlap and the identification of superordinate concepts that various themes fit under.

Once this process was completed with the initial transcript, the initial list of themes was shared with the research team and used as a loose guide for the analysis of the subsequent transcripts. The remaining transcripts were split between the researcher and the additional members of the research team, with at least two members of the team analyzing each transcript. This was an important element of ensuring reflexivity, as the researcher was heavily involved in the curriculum development of the BE program. Thus, it was important for an additional member of the research team to analyze each transcript to provide an outsider's perspective and insights that may have initially been missed by the researcher. After analyzing the subsequent transcriptions, the research team met twice to thoroughly compare the themes and quotes derived from each interview. Following the analysis of the transcripts, a master table of superordinate concepts and subthemes was collaboratively created including quotes in the transcripts that richly captured and conveyed the themes being presented. With great care given to the distinction between what was said by the respondent and how the researcher interpreted it, the master table of themes was then translated into a narrative account. The demonstration table (Table 2) provides a glimpse into the data analysis process of identifying quotes, assigning codes, and generating themes from the transcriptions.

Results and discussion

In investigating coaches’ experiences in the BE program, various themes were identified from the data surrounding their perspectives on promoting positive youth development and well-being through sport in Nigeria. These themes included (1) the cultural relevance of resilience and relationships in promoting well-being, (2) support for grassroots sport programming as an effective tool in restructuring the cycle of negative stressors, (3) participation in the BE program shifted coaches’ mental health beliefs, and (4) coaches learned strategies for practicing self-care and fostering well-being in others.

Theme 1: Cultural relevance of resilience and relationships in promoting well-being

Coaches frequently discussed the stress that accompanies life in Lagos and highlighted the need for programs like DSA to promote strategies that can help people self-regulate. With a population of over 24 million people and a growth rate of 3.33%, it is the largest city on the continent of Africa.³⁴ Research suggests that with this rise in population has come increases in daily stressors such as competition for basic resources (e.g. jobs, food, traffic, and health services) and a spike in mental health struggles.⁸ Coach Blessing highlighted the level of stress associated with competition for resources in Lagos along with the need for preparation in facing such stress, stating:

Lagos is a very busy, busy place, a busy and stressful area. And challenges come, we face challenges, every minute every seconds, every, every every hour. How well or how prepared we are to overcome such challenges or to or to take care of the challenges is, is what is something we lack in this part of the world.

Furthermore, Coach Patience expressed how “there is a lot of pain in the country … it's a whole lot … it's difficult to even survive as a Nigerian.” Considering the challenges that Nigerians are currently going through, along with the stigma associated with mental health, it was important to approach this topic through a culturally appropriate lens. In developing the program approach for BE, resilience was identified as a trait that captures the essence of mental well-being from a growth perspective as opposed to something along the lines of mental illness, which carries a negative connotation.

In exploring their perceptions of the role of resilience in Nigerian's well-being, coaches elaborated on how the difficulties previously mentioned have led to a culturally engrained need for resilience to survive. In the interviews, coaches were asked to define resilience and utilize that definition in the discussion. In combining participants’ definitions of resilience, researchers found that phrases such as “overcoming obstacles,” “getting up after being pushed down,” and “never give up” summarized coaches’ definitions of resilience. To further illustrate the importance of resilience in Nigerian life, Coach Abebe noted that:

Basically, we Nigerians, I think that's our core, resilience. Because every day Nigeria is pushing you down. Nigeria is dragging you. But then for us to every day stand up and also push, that is a big factor to be very honest. I think majority of Nigerians are resilient, even if they don't know they are.

Furthermore, Coach Victoria described how “Nigerians we don’t give up easy. You know—that's one thing I like about being in Nigeria. We don’t give up easily. We have this never say die attitude.” Coach Samuel echoed a similar sentiment, stating how “Nigerians have gotten to the point where we are supposed to just quit, but you find out that they still keep pushing.” Additionally, Coach Abebe added that educating youth about mental health and resilience-building strategies can be a proactive strategy in navigating future struggles, stating that:

Resilience is also a life skill which a lot of people don't really have or we don't think about it. So we try to teach the sense in their head that okay, it's okay to fall, but stand up. Don't don't stay where you are, pick up and keep moving. Keep pushing. Because life is never going to be easy. It's never it's never it's not easy for anybody at all. Everybody has what they are going through in life, but then it's your ability to push back and be strong.

Coaches also discussed the importance of relationships as an important factor in facilitating resilience and promoting positive development. Coaches’ definitions of positive relationships in this study included words such as “trust,” “communication,” “listening,” and “safe.” Furthermore, coaches believed that meaningful relationships involved making a positive impact that transcends the basketball court. Nevertheless, coaches specifically mentioned that positive relationships and resilience building are currently lacking in Lagos. For instance, Coach Blessing exclaimed:

Like I said, Lagos is a very very stressful place. A lot of these kids go through distress, lot of the parents when you have gone to the stress in your work you come back or you put all of the work stress on your kids … so we need all these kids to come out and express themselves and have somebody to look up to say yes this person gives me, this person is the reason why I want to be a coach or be a doctor I'm looking up to this person.

Coach Blessing highlights the impact that the stressful nature of life in Lagos can have not only on an individual level, but also on a community level (i.e. family). He uses the example of an adult experiencing stress in their work life, then internalizing that stress and allowing it to trickle into life at home. This sets a precedent for kids at home and how they learn to handle stress, which can continue through generations. Coach Blessing suggests that breaking this cycle starts with positive relationships, as adults set the example for the next generation.

Coach Victoria summarized her perception of the need for resilience and relationships as well:

Nigerians, and the present-day Nigeria, the problems we are facing, we actually need good relationships. We need, we need a space to vent our frustrations … It's important because, you know, I said before mental health. So that way it helps it helps, you know, build strong mental capacity, have someone to talk to, you know, you, you have let go of some load off your shoulders … Because you won't feel depressed, bottling everything up inside you without telling everybody. Eventually you will cave in from the whole stress of not even telling people what your problems are. So very, very important.

Coach Victoria expands on the previous quote made by Coach Blessing, noting how the stress inherent to life in Lagos is often internalized, which can build up and negatively impact an individual's well-being. She emphasizes the importance of trusting relationships that enable individuals to be vulnerable and express their thoughts and feelings, which can contribute to a healthier release of stress and lead to improved well-being.

Overall, coaches’ emphasis on the importance of developing meaningful relationships and fostering resilience aligns with the program's theoretical framework (RYDM).²³ Moreover, while the current study utilizes sport and coaching as mechanisms to foster relationships and resilience, these are factors that can be addressed through a multitude of grassroots programming (i.e. school teaching and mentorship programming) to help combat the negative cycle of stressors in Nigeria.

Theme 2: Support for grassroots sport programming as an effective tool in restructuring the negative cycle of stressors

Coaches strongly supported grassroots sport programs, such as BE, as a useful way to promote relationship building and resilience development as well as restructure the cycle of negative stressors in Nigeria. The factors identified by coaches as useful for future youth development programs in Nigeria and around the world included (1) BE's emphasis on giving back to the next generation of Nigerians, (2) the education of coaches in the program, (3) ensuring that coaches felt thoroughly prepared and supported throughout the program, and (4) the program's emphasis on developing relationships and fostering resilience.

To illustrate coaches’ endorsement of grassroots sport programming as a potential driver of community-level change, Coach Joy suggested that if the principles and skills taught in BE such as mental health literacy, self-regulation strategies, positive coaching principles, and organizational support were adopted as the cultural norm, Nigeria would be a better place. She said:

I think we should need more coaches trying to learn a lot of ideologies we’ve gotten, a lot of lessons we’ve learned, a lot of things we’ve acquired from this program, which a lot of coaches would become better … I think Nigeria would be better if the coaches are utilizing this experience we learned and passing it to the kids. Because I know most of those kids don’t really have this opportunity.

This quote is not only an endorsement of the theoretical approach and goals of the BE program, but also a call for action for programs like this to expand their reach. Coach Joy highlights the valuable role that coaches play in instilling values and lessons into the youth, and she suggests that teaching these lessons on a wider scale could have positive implications for the next generation of Nigerians.

Coach Samuel further echoed the sentiment that coaches play a significant role in providing mentorship and passing along useful information that can have a positive individual and community-wide influence. He noted:

I believe, with positive relationships, and resilience, they can do more, when we all reinforce it, when everyone is telling when we all reinforce positive mindset, good relationship, resilience to the youth, I believe we can build a better Nigeria. The great asset of the better future for this country. And also we have peace in the country. Because the more we, the more we we enlighten the younger ones, we educate them, we give them a sense of purpose, the more peaceful the generation after Gen Z will be. Because it's like we’re laying the foundation.

Coach Rose voiced congruent thoughts, highlighting positive relationships as the starting point for individual and community-wide unity and peace. She mentioned:

Now with the present situation with what is going on presently in Nigeria, I’m sure positive relationship will go a long way. If every if every little circle will do what DSA is doing, trust me, Nigeria will be a better place. Irrespective of your religion, irrespective of your ethnic group, wherever you come from. What matters is we are human. What matters is we have feelings. What matters is we have blood running through our veins. So let's look out for each other let's let's extend this hand of kindness. Hating won’t help. So one of the major things that positive relationship would do to Nigerian children through what DSA is doing is unity. And that's what Nigeria does one of the key thing that Nigeria need right now. Unity.

Despite the recent increase in psychosocial distress in Nigeria, these quotes emphasize the faith that coaches in the BE program have in their ability to work toward a better future. While grassroots sport programming does not serve as a panacea, this study provides a glimpse into the positive development that organizations like DSA and programs like BE can have on its coaches. Moreover, considering the importance of relationship building in both individual and community development,^12,22 this study provides hope that the impact the program has had on its coaches will transfer to the greater community as well.

Theme 3: Participation in be shifted coaches’ mental health beliefs

Another important theme identified in the data and consistent with prior research^4,5,8,9 was the need to shift the current stigma associated with mental health in Lagos. In pointing out the severity of this stigma in Lagos, Coach Victoria discussed her experience learning about mental health in school and the need for increased education and knowledge. She explained how:

All of what we knew in secondary school as mental health was, okay, somebody's walking around naked on the streets of Lagos. It means that person is mad. You know, that was how we thought as oh, this person is mental…

Coach Blessing endorsed a similar experience of mental health knowledge in Lagos, noting how “We are in this part of the world where a lot of kids aren’t taught, or the teenagers, they don’t even know what mental health is.” Coach Joy discussed how this stigma is negatively impacting the lives of Nigerians, stating how “a lot of people really overlook it (mental health) … you see a lot of people going through mental issues, emotional issues, and a big problem is they are giving up so easily.” These statements highlight how the combination of (1) lack of knowledge and education and (2) stigma are contributing to the increase in mental health in Nigeria. The BE program aimed to target these exact issues.

Considering this stigma associated with mental health in Lagos and to ensure coaches were equipped to holistically impact the lives of their students, BE led coaches through various developmental training workshops in preparation for the program. These trainings occurred on a weekly basis for approximately four weeks leading up to the BE program and covered various topics revolving around the four program buckets (physical wellbeing, healthy living, mental health, and life skills) along with basketball-specific technical training. Regarding the topic of mental health, coaches were taught about the status of mental health in Nigeria, the current stigma associated with mental health in Nigeria, and how their role as coaches can provide youth with environmental resilience assets and youth needs that can positively impact their internal resilience assets and enhance overall well-being. More specifically, coaches learned about the importance of self-awareness and creating safe learning environments through pedagogical instruction, group discussion, and personal reflection.

When asked about how this newly acquired knowledge impacted them, coaches expressed changes in their perceptions of mental health. For example, in discussing her experience in the program, Coach Victoria highlighted a significant shift in her beliefs about mental health, stating:

You know, after we got all the necessary teachings from DSA, I found that that mental health is something very, very, very serious. Yeah, it's something that we really need to hold close to our heart and think about how we can help. So I’m really, really appreciative of it, that at least we’re able to preach mental health issues, because it is one of the one of the overlooked problems here.

Furthermore, Coach Rose discussed how coaching in the BE program improved her ability to empathize and connect with others, aiming to understand what they may be going through before coming to conclusions. She noted:

My relationship with people has improved tremendously. And I’ve learned how to apply wisdom. And I’m still learning that part too, and also, how to be diplomatic … You know, maybe there's a lot going on in that person's head and you have no idea of so don’t just conclude. So I’ve actually learned a lot. I’m still learning.

These quotes highlight the value in education and training, both pedagogical and practical, in shifting coaches’ pre-existing beliefs about mental health. Furthermore, as mentioned by Coach Rose, the lessons learned through coaching in a program like BE have the potential to positively impact self-regulation and empathy. Despite recent progress, mental health remains stigmatized in Nigeria and around the world. While prior research suggests that mental health education can be addressed at the grassroots level,^7,8 the current study expands on this by specifying sport as a useful intervention within grassroots sport programming with coaches leading the programming. Through participating in the BE program, coaches adopted more favorable beliefs toward mental health as a serious topic that needs to be addressed in Nigeria which further illustrates the power that sport can have in addressing larger-scale societal issues.

Theme 4: Strategies for practicing self-care and fostering well-being others

In addition to the mental health knowledge gained in the preparation phase of the BE program, coaches were also equipped with strategies that fostered holistic well-being, both within themselves and in the youth, they are coaching. For instance, coaches were trained on how to utilize empathic listening and communication with students through skills like asking about life outside of basketball, establishing ground rules to ensure each student feels safe, utilizing positive encouragement and feedback, connecting lessons from the program to life outside of BE, and self-awareness through discussion and reflective journaling. Furthermore, coaches learned the connection between the mind and body and strategies to self-regulate such as mindfulness, yoga, and breathing techniques.

In reflecting on how this preparation impacted their personal development, coaches discussed how learning and utilizing these strategies helped strengthen their own well-being. For instance, Coach Blessing discussed how he frequently implemented the breathing and mindfulness techniques he learned through the program curriculum to navigate stressful situations:

I was on my breathing and mindfulness exercises, I just tried breath in breathe out. I try to keep myself calm. Like I said, Lagos is a very busy city … I saw I had to come back calm myself so I will be in proper shape of mind for this meeting. I have been practicing that personally. The mental health exercises, basically. So I think it's, it has helped me tremendously.

Coach Abigail expanded on this point, discussing how her newfound knowledge of strategies to navigate difficult situations assisted in her ability to self-regulate. She explained how:

If I’m stressed out, I do the, the breath and mindfulness exercise, you know, that alone. I didn’t know, something like that existed before … So it has, it has really helped me to, you know, be able to help myself in some tough situations.

Coach Mary noted how the education she received along with her experience in the program, her “self-awareness,” and sense of “responsibility,” explaining how “I’m actually not just a girl, I’m a coach, I’m a teacher, and personally, I just grew up.”

The statements by Coaches Blessing, Abigail, and Mary point out tangible self-regulation strategies such as breathing and mindfulness exercises, in addition to growth in areas such as self-awareness, that were direct results of participation in the BE program. These are skills and strategies that will be beneficial in their personal and professional lives moving forward, and they are now able to pass such skills to the next generation.

Coaches also discussed how this newfound knowledge and strategies impacted their ability to promote mental health in others. For instance, Coach Victoria noted how she has improved in her ability to navigate challenges in her interpersonal relationships. She stated how, “instead of me flipping or getting angry, I just take that deep breath, and I’m very pleased when it calms me down.” Considering the various stressors inherent to life in Lagos that were discussed in theme one, negative emotions such as anger have the potential of triggering conflicts if not managed effectively.³⁵ Thus, the ability to mindfully self-regulate during times of heightened emotion may lead to improved conflict resolution and overall well-being.³⁶

The examples above from coaches in the program and their improved self-regulation skills also demonstrate the importance of holistic coach education that expands beyond traditional coaching competencies.^36,37 The implementation of education including, but not limited to, resilience, life skills, mental health, and physical well-being, along with the implementation of that education into action through the program, not only equipped coaches with the necessary knowledge base and skill set to positively impact the lives of their students, but it also resulted in their own self-growth.

Implications

The current study highlighted the Nigerian coaches’ perspectives on the importance of resilience development, relationship building, and mental health education through grassroots sport programming, specifically utilizing the theoretical framework of the RYDM.²³ The study provides a glimpse into coaches’ perceptions of how participating in the BE program has impacted their lives and how programs like this can benefit society. More specifically, coaches’ perceived growth in knowledge (e.g. mental health literacy, positive coaching, and self-awareness) and strategies (e.g. self-regulation, relationship-building skills, positive communication, and creating a safe environment) suggest that the RYDM can be an effective framework to guide the development of coaches and educators in addition to the youth they coach.

Another takeaway from this study that can be utilized in future SFD programming is organizational support provided to coaches by program leadership. Though RYDM was designed to guide the development of youth, coaches in this study suggest that the internal and external assets and youth needs highlighted in the framework positively impacted their experiences as well. DSA hired coaches whose values aligned with the program's framework and supported their professional growth (e.g. formal education and training, networking with other coaches in the program, financial support from robust funding, and skillset transferrable to future employment). Moreover, DSA provided personal support (e.g. RYDM external assets such as caring relationships, meaningful participation, and high expectations) by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and abilities revolving around mental well-being and self-regulation as well as frequently communicating with coaches to ensure that they felt supported during the program.

Another important point to note is the autonomy awarded to coaches by DSA. While DSA effectively trained coaches and educated them on the principles of the RYDM and how they guided the curriculum, coaches were given the freedom to tailor their coaching style to best fit their personality. As is evident by the variance in stories and quotes provided by participants, this autonomy allowed coaches to be themselves and optimally learn and grow in their own unique ways. Future programs must consider their treatment and support of coaches, as they are typically the primary vehicle in delivering the curriculum to the youth involved.

Finally, DSA's use of resilience to impactfully address the topic of mental health from a strengths-based perspective (i.e. well-being) as opposed to the traditional deficit perspective (i.e. mental illness) highlights the importance for future SFD programs globally to take a culturally informed approach when planning their programs, especially if the goal is to address a stigmatized topic. Utilizing the RYDM,²⁴ the curriculum of the program was designed to target environmental resilience assets such as caring adult relationships, high expectations, and meaningful participation. Coaches were educated and trained in effectively providing such aspects along with the youth's needs of safety, love, belonging, respect, mastery, challenge, power, and meaning. While the internal resilience outcomes of the youth participating in this program are to be determined, as the program is ongoing, this study demonstrates how effective training, education, and experience can positively impact coaches and educators. Moreover, it provides tangible support for the RYDM as a culturally adaptable framework that can facilitate impactful growth among coaches in an SFD program.

The personal growth discussed by coaches in the current study illustrates the profound impact that effective SFD programming can have on the lives of its stakeholders. By equipping coaches and youth with newfound knowledge on the importance of mental health and strategies to self-regulate and promote the well-being of others, the BE program has positively contributed to its stakeholders’ ability to advance well-being in their own lives and in their relationships. It is the hope of the researchers that these positive outcomes translate to their lives outside of the program thus initiating a ripple effect of relationship building and resilience development. While the BE program alone is not a panacea to the world's problems, it demonstrates the effectiveness of grassroots sport programming as a tool in advancing the life skills and well-being of its participants. Programming akin to BE, especially in areas with high psychosocial distress, can play a small but meaningful role in making the world a better place.

Limitations and recommendations for future studies

The findings of the study offer an advancement in SFD research, but there are limitations to consider. There were cultural differences between the research team and participants which presents the potential for certain cultural sayings, body language cues, and other data collected in the interviews to be misinterpreted. Another limitation was the lack of cultural immersion. Because the researchers were not able to observe coaches in the BE program in person, the researchers were not able to fully understand the culture and gain a glimpse into their coaching behaviors in action. Future cross-cultural, qualitative studies ought to consider in-person interviews that allow for a more substantial ethnographic experience. For instance, by spending time with participants and observing them in their place of work, researchers may develop a better understanding of coaches’ lived experiences and the culture they come from.

Another recommendation for future study is to gather data from program stakeholders and directors. More specifically, due to many SFD programs being funded by external funding, research involving SFD program stakeholders and program directors may be beneficial in determining best practices in designing effective SFD programs and how to best allocate resources to provide coaches and youth with the best experiences possible.

Finally, future programs should consider pre-and-post-program quantitative data assessing coaches’ knowledge gained in addition to the qualitative data utilized in this study. For instance, while the BE program utilized the RYDM as a theoretical framework, future studies may implement the RYDM questionnaire itself to gather quantitative data supporting its effectiveness. Pre-and-post-program quantitative data assessing youth's knowledge of the four program buckets (i.e. physical well-being, healthy living, mental health, and life skills), along with qualitative data investigating the youth's lived experiences in the program would be useful in gaining a more complete understanding of the program's impact.

Supplemental Material

sj-pdf-1-spo-10.1177_17479541231213552 - Supplemental material for Basketball experience: Exploring Nigerian basketball coaches' perspectives of grassroots sport-for-development programming as a tool to enhance well-being

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-spo-10.1177_17479541231213552 for Basketball experience: Exploring Nigerian basketball coaches' perspectives of grassroots sport-for-development programming as a tool to enhance well-being by Adam S Kroot, Lindsey C Blom, Khushbu Patel, Chelsea Davis, Matt A Moore and Thalia M Mulvihill in International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching

Footnotes

Declaration of conflicting interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Adam Kroot

Supplemental material

Supplemental material for this article is available online.

References

Akinroye

Adeniyi

. Results from Nigeria’s 2018 report card on physical activity for children and youth. J Phys Act Health 2018; 15: 393–394.

UNICEF. Psychosocial support for children: A rapid needs assessment in North-Eastern Nigeria, https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/reports/psychosocial-support-children-rapid-needs-assessment-north-east-nigeria (2019, Accessed June 2021).

Suleiman

. Mental health disorders in Nigeria: A highly neglected disease. Ann Niger Med 2016; 10: 47.

Alabi

Kanabe

. World mental health day: How outdated legislation, COVID-19 worsen situation in Nigeria. Premium Times, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/489202-world-mental-health-day-how-outdated-legislation-covid-19-worsen-situation-in-nigeria.html (2021, Accessed June 2022).

Labinjo

Serrant

Ashmore

, et al. Perceptions, attitudes, and cultural understandings of mental health in Nigeria: a scoping review of published literature. Ment Health Relig Cult 2020; 23: 606–624.

Adeola

OOA

Omigbodun

. Effect of a mental health training programme on Nigerian school pupil’s perceptions of mental illness. Child Adolesc Psych Ment Health 2017; 11: 1–10.

Bella-Awusah

Adedokun

Dogra

, et al. The impact of a mental health teaching programme on rural and urban secondary school students’ perceptions of mental illness in southwest Nigeria. J Child Adolesc Ment Health 2014; 26: 207–215.

Wada

Rajwani

Anyam

, et al. Mental health in Nigeria: A neglected issue in public health. Public Health Pract 2021; 2: 1–3.

Oyetunji

Arafat

SMY

Famori

, et al. Suicide in Nigeria: observations from the content analysis of newspapers. Gen Psychiatr 2021; 34: 1–7.

10.

Oduguwa

Adedokun

Omigbodun

. Effect of a mental health training programme on Nigerian school pupils’ perceptions of mental illness. Child Adolesc Psych Ment Health 2017; 11: 1–10.

11.

Blom

Gerstein

Stedman

, et al. Soccer for peace: evaluation of in-country workshops with Jordanian coaches. J Sport Dev 2015; 3: 1–12.

12.

Huysmans

Whitley

Clement

, et al. The relationship was a big success – the bond: exploring coaching strategies to foster life skills development in Eswatini. J Appl Sport Psychol 2021; 34: 1–51.

13.

Whitley

Massey

Wilkison

. A systems theory of development through sport for traumatized and disadvantaged youth. Psychol Sport Exerc 2018; 38: 116–125.

14.

Blom

Bronk

Sullivan

, et al. Peace and development indicators in Liberia through youth sport for development programming. Peace Conflict J. Peace Psychol 2021; 27: 284–296.

15.

Hall

. “Give It Everything You Got": resilience for young males through sport. Int J Men's Health 2011; 10: 65–81.

16.

Whitley

Massey

Camire

, et al. A systematic review of sport for development interventions across six global cities. Sport Manage Rev 2019; 22: 181–193.

17.

Johns

Grossman

McDonald

. “More than a game”: the impact of sport-based youth mentoring schemes on developing resilience toward violent extremism. Soc Incl 2014; 2: 57–70.

18.

Masten

. Global perspectives of resilience in children and youth. Child Dev 2014; 85: 6–20.

19.

Van Metre

Calder

. Peacebuilding and resilience: How society responds to violence. United Institute of Peace, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/PW121-Peacebuilding-and-Resilience-How-Society-Responds-to-Violence.pdf (2016, Accessed June 2021).

20.

Mason

Hajovsky

McCune

, et al. Conflict, closeness, and academic skills: a longitudinal examination of the teacher–student relationship. School Psychol Rev 2017; 46: 177–189.

21.

Jegede

Irewole

Dada

. Youth empowerment as catalyst for sustainable development in Nigeria. Cimexsus 2019; 14: 135–152.

22.

Levitt

. World peace, positive peace, and how do we get there? A review of the following: positive psychology: reflections on peace education, nonviolence, and social change, U.S. + them: tapping the positive power of difference, and positive relationships: evidence-based practice across the world. Peace Conflict J Peace Psychol 2014; 20: 100–104.

23.

Hanson

Kim

. Measuring resilience and youth development: the psychometric properties of the Healthy Kids Survey. Regional Educational Laboratory at WestEd, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_2007034.pdf (2007, Accessed January 2021).

24.

California Department of Education. California Healthy Kids Survey, https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/at/chks.asp2009 (2009, Accessed August 2023).

25.

Benard

Slade

. Listening to students: moving from resilience research to youth development practice and school connectedness. In: Gilman

Huebner

Furlong

(eds) Handbook of positive psychology in the schools. New York: Routledge, 2009, pp. 353–370.

26.

Benard

. Resiliency: What we have learned. San Francisco: WestEd, 2004.

27.

Appleton

Christenson

Furlong

. Student engagement with school: critical conceptual and methodological issues of the construct. CASP 2008; 45: 369–386.

28.

Furlong

Ritchey

O’Brennan

. Developing norms for the California resilience youth development module: internal assets and school resources subscales. CASP 2009; 14: 35–46.

29.

Suratana

Atmoko

Hidayah

. Validation of psychological resilience youth development module and implication for guidance and counseling. GUIDENA 2017; 7: 68–77.

30.

Smith

Jarman

Osborn

. Doing interpretative phenomenological analysis. In: Murray

Chamberlain

(eds) Qualitative health psychology: theories and methods. London: Sage, 1999, pp.218–240.

31.

Merton

. Insiders and outsiders: a chapter in the sociology of knowledge. Am J Sociol 1972; 78: 9–47.

32.

Lincoln

Guba

. Naturalistic inquiry. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1985.

33.

Noon

. Interpretive phenomenological analysis: an appropriate methodology for educational research? JPAAP 2018; 6: 75–83.

34.

World Population Review. Nigeria population 2023 Live. https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/nigeria-population (2023).

35.

Filella

Ros-Morente

Oriol

, et al. The assertive resolution of conflicts in school with a gamified emotion education program. Front Psychol 2018; 9: 23–53.

36.

Luo

Chen

, et al. Pleasure attainment or self-realization: the balance between two forms of well-being are encoded in default mode network. Soc Cog Affect Neuro 2017; 12: 1678–1686.

37.

Falcao

Bloom

Caron

. Youth athletes’ perceptions of humanistic coaching. Int J Sport Psychol 2019; 60: 279–290.

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

0.13 MB