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A FORMAÇÃO E O DESENVOLVIMENTO PROFISSIONAL DOS PREPARADORES FÍSICOS A DESEMPENHAREM FUNÇÕES NO FUTEBOL PROFISSIONAL EM PORTUGAL
| Summary: | The present study aimed to understand the training and professional development of physical trainers working in the context of professional football in Portugal. Specifically, it sought to explore the physical trainers' perspectives on: (1) professional training pathways and the existing barriers within this journey; (2) the current skills required of these professionals to perform their roles; (3) perspectives on the training methodologies adopted; and (4) the importance of data science in the professional football context. To this end, a qualitative, interpretative methodological design was adopted, involving the participation of seven physical trainers from professional football clubs. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and data analysis followed the procedures of Thematic Analysis. The results revealed that formal training (i.e., university education), although essential for the scientific foundation of the profession, has limitations, highlighting the importance of non-formal and informal training as a determining element for the performance of the physical trainer role. The findings also emphasized the importance of both hard and soft skills for integrating these professionals into the organizational structure of clubs. Additionally, the study showed that the training methodologies adopted by these professionals align with existing scientific evidence. However, the trainers frequently face challenges such as resource scarcity, lack of decision-making autonomy, and the data overload generated by new technologies, which limits the application of their practices. This study provides a significant perspective on the training and professional development of physical trainers in Portuguese professional football, contributing to the appreciation of this profession and highlighting the need for the development of specific training programs within the Portuguese sports context. |
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| Subject: | Other social sciences Outras ciências sociais |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | master thesis |
| Access type: | Restricted |
| Associated institution: | Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto |
| Language: | Portuguese |
| Origin: | Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto |
| Summary: | The present study aimed to understand the training and professional development of physical trainers working in the context of professional football in Portugal. Specifically, it sought to explore the physical trainers' perspectives on: (1) professional training pathways and the existing barriers within this journey; (2) the current skills required of these professionals to perform their roles; (3) perspectives on the training methodologies adopted; and (4) the importance of data science in the professional football context. To this end, a qualitative, interpretative methodological design was adopted, involving the participation of seven physical trainers from professional football clubs. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and data analysis followed the procedures of Thematic Analysis. The results revealed that formal training (i.e., university education), although essential for the scientific foundation of the profession, has limitations, highlighting the importance of non-formal and informal training as a determining element for the performance of the physical trainer role. The findings also emphasized the importance of both hard and soft skills for integrating these professionals into the organizational structure of clubs. Additionally, the study showed that the training methodologies adopted by these professionals align with existing scientific evidence. However, the trainers frequently face challenges such as resource scarcity, lack of decision-making autonomy, and the data overload generated by new technologies, which limits the application of their practices. This study provides a significant perspective on the training and professional development of physical trainers in Portuguese professional football, contributing to the appreciation of this profession and highlighting the need for the development of specific training programs within the Portuguese sports context. |
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