Coach on the edge: Precariousness and uncertainty in sport system in Poland

Abstract

Drawing on a nationwide survey of 600 Polish sports clubs, this article interrogates coaches’ labor conditions through the prism of precarization in a club-centered sport system with weakly regulated credentialing. We analyze contract typologies, remuneration, gender and age composition, and governance dynamics. Findings indicate a predominantly male workforce (28% women) and broadly balanced age structure, alongside pervasive insecurity: only 7.9% hold standard employment, while the majority work under civil-law “mandate” contracts (59.9%) or perform unpaid roles (26.1%). Earnings are markedly low, with 68.4% reporting monthly gross pay below €465. Coaches’ strategic participation in governance is uneven, as decision-making is typically concentrated within club boards. Empirical evidence substantiates H1 (precarious employment) and H2 (male dominance), while offering partial support for H3 (limited decision authority). Respondents additionally report recruitment and retention challenges and a shortage of successors, threatening organizational continuity. The study advocates systemic reforms—predictable financing, clarified qualification pathways, more inclusive governance, and robust human-resource supports—to reposition coaching as educational leadership rather than contingent labor.