The experience of a handball coach during a career toward elite performance: what are the relationships with emotions?

While the working conditions of elite sport coaches remain unknown, a recent study conducted in France (Burlot & Delalandre, 2019) highlighted the significant constraints associated to this profession throughout the career. This study emphasized viewing this occupation as particularly demanding from an emotional standpoint. The aim of this research was to analyze the life course of a professional handball coach working at the highest level of French women’s handball, with a career spanning over 20 years, focusing on the relationships between various experience components and emotions. Based on a cognitive ergonomics approach (Theureau, 2006), we adopted the methodological principles proposed by Hauw and Lemeur (2013) to analyze the “life course related to a practice” in a sports context. An interview based on a timeline was conducted with the coach. He was asked to explicit his life course throughout her career. Ten periods were identified and characterized in terms of open potentialities, realized events, and virtualities: (1) Transitioning from player to handball coach (2000-2002); (2) Exploring the coaching profession in a “family-oriented” club (2002-2010); (3) Advancing to high-level coaching as an assistant (2011-2014); (4) Taking on responsibilities as a head coach at a high level (2014-2016); (5) Facing a contract termination (2016-2017); (6) Revitalizing a career by coaching abroad (2017-2018); (7) Reestablishing legitimacy in coaching in France (2018-2020); (8) Taking a step back (2020-2021); (9) Engaging with uncertainties at the highest level (2021-2022); (10) Building team performance at a high level (2022-2024). The results are discussed according to four highlights: (1) emotions related to the alignment between projects and the feasibility of their realization; (2) emotions tied to the guidance of actions and decisions; (3) emotions associated with the enrichment of knowledge and professional development; (4) consideration of emotions to support transitions and improve working conditions. This discussion therefore opens up possibilities for applying these findings to other work settings and career paths.