COMPREHENDING ROLE CONFLICTS IN THE COACHING OF CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND YOUNG-ADULTS - TRANSFERENCE, COUNTERTRANSFERENCE, AND ACHIEVEMENT BY PROXY DISTORTION PARADIGMS

Relationship violations have been documented in all service profession s, particularly those involving a power differential in the relationsh ip. Although the coach-athlete relationship is not a typical therapeut ic interaction, there should be professional and ethical boundaries. B oundary violations, including sexual abuse of a minor, do occur Five c linical cases of relationship disturbances are presented. The authors use the paradigms of transference, countertransference, and achievemen t by proxy distortion to discuss these worrisome vignettes. Colleagues are encouraged to collaborate in an effort to develop awareness and p revention programs through research and education. Developing an enlar ged workbook of similar case studies for use as a stimulus for seminar s and discussions in training environments is an immediate goal.