Profanity use and its instructional impact in professional coaching

Abstract

This descriptive case study examined the frequency, context, grammatical usage, and communicative function of profanity used by a professional ice hockey coach. Two practice sessions, sampled from a broader season-long dataset with a semi-professional adult ice hockey team, were analyzed using manual content analysis of verbatim coach quotations. Expletives were coded for frequency, grammatical function, intended target, and communicative purpose using researcher consensus procedures. Descriptive counts and category comparisons indicated that profanity occurred consistently, approximately once every three sentences, and was most often used as adjectival fillers to describe objects, actions, or situations. A smaller proportion was directed toward individuals. Profanity was most commonly coded as a conversational filler or an emotional intensifier, suggesting that it may, in some instances, compete with instructional precision rather than add task-relevant information. Although the adult coaching context may shape how such language is interpreted, person-directed expletives raise ethical and pedagogical concerns because they may be perceived as disrespectful, demeaning, or personally targeted. These findings should be interpreted cautiously because athlete understanding, psychological safety, and communication outcomes were not directly measured. Findings emphasize the need for coach education to include content that encourages coaches to reflect on the balance between emotional expression and precise, respectful communication. Future research should investigate the impact of coaching language on athlete outcomes across age groups and competitive levels.