A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES WITH HUMAN COACHES AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN DESIGNING SPORTS TRAINING PROGRAMS

Paper ID : 1494-SPORTCONGRESS

Authors

سعید یوسفی *1, fariba askarian2, لاله حسن نژاد3 1Uni Tabriz 2Uni Tehran 3Uni Shoshtar

Abstract

Introduction:With the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the field of sports, exploring adolescents’ experiences with this technology has become an emerging and essential area of research.Accordingly, this study aims to qualitatively analyze the lived experiences of high school students interacting with both human coaches and AI-based systems (chatbots) in the design of sports training programs. Methods:The research follows a qualitative methodology based on thematic analysis.Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 student-athletes from various secondary schools in Dezful, Iran. All participants had prior experience using chatbots to receive sports-related guidance. Interviews were conducted voluntarily in school, lasting between 15 to 30 minutes, and were recorded with informed consent. Results:Findings revealed that AI was effective in delivering scientific information, customizing workouts, and providing rapid responses-often aligning with the recommendations of human coaches. However, most students preferred human coaches for practical training, particularly due to their physical presence, real-time feedback, and deeper understanding of individual body characteristics. Trust in human coaches was notably higher, rooted in shared experience and face-to-face interaction. Chatbots played a complementary role in motivation and emotional support. Conclusion:These findings are consistent with previous studies by Zhang et al. (2024), Brewer et al. (2025), Passmore et al. (2025), and Zhang et al. (2023). While chatbots have been able to provide scientifically sound information and reasonably structured training programs, students still preferred the presence of a human coach during actual training sessions. Their use of chatbots was often driven by personal constraints such as financial limitations, time restrictions, lack of access to a coach, embarrassment about asking questions in person, or curiosity to compare with personalized coaching plans-rather than viewing chatbots as a full replacement. Therefore, these technologies should be employed as complementary tools alongside human coaching to enhance efficiency while preserving the quality of human interaction.

Keywords

AI, Human Coaching, Students, Sports Programs, Chatbots

Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation)