The Impact of the Psychological Stress on the Heart Rate of the Losing and Winning Coaches of the Soccer Premier League

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of psychological stress on the heart rate of winning and losing coaches of the Iranian Soccer Premier League in the tournament (2005-2006). The subjects of this study were 16 professional coaches from the Super League with average age of (52.27 ± 9.18), having a history of coaching in league (11.67 ± 6.01 years) and the average heart rate of (64.40 ± 5.91) beats per minutes. Salivary samples were collected on the day of the match in five stages (one hour before the match, before the match, between the two periods, at the end of the match and one hour after the match). The heartbeat of the coaches during the rest and at the time of the match have been analyzed using the team polar heart rate measurement unit. In addition at the critical moments of the match (scoring, receiving goal, penalties, free kicks around the penalty area, conflicts of the players with the referee) the heartbeats of the coaches have been recorded in a special form. Data from laboratory analysis of salivary specimens using variance analysis test with repeated ANOVA measurements and post-scheffe test, as well as independent t test have been used to analyze the hypothesis with significant level of p <0.05. The results of this study showed that in all the cases there was a significant difference between heart rate in the different moments of the game in comparison with resting time, this difference was very impressive at the critical moments of the competition. The average heart rate of coaches in the critical moments of the game was (135/80 ± 9/49) beats per minute, which showed a 70-beats difference from the rest time.

Keywords: Psychosocial stress, Cortisol, Testosterone, IgA, Heart Rate, Winning Coaches, Losing Coaches.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-3-09