Struggles and Coping Mechanisms of Inexperienced Festival of Talent Coaches

Abstract

Struggles and Coping Mechanisms of Inexperienced Festival of Talent Coaches represent critical gaps in the Philippines’ public school extracurricular support systems. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 30 inexperienced coaches from the Department of Education, Division of Malaybalay City, who served in different Festival of Talents events during the Division Festival of Talents. Using open‑ended questionnaires supplemented by follow‑up interviews, the study generated four core themes: (1) assignment based on perceived expertise and availability, (2) multidimensional struggles in coaching first‑time festival participants, (3) resourceful, structured, and emotionally grounded coping strategies, and (4) guided patience, structured preparation, and student‑centered coaching.
Findings show that coaches were assigned informally, often because of subject‑matter alignment, administrative trust, and who was available or willing to volunteer, rather than through formal training or selection. In the process, they faced multifaceted challenges rooted in resource scarcity, time conflicts with teaching duties, student inexperience and anxiety, and inconsistent or unclear competition mechanics. In response, coaches exhibited resilience through a combination of practical improvisation, such as borrowing materials and personal financial support, systematic planning, like task breakdowns, timelines, and role assignments, and psychological coping, such as purpose‑focused reframing, celebrating small wins, and self‑learning via digital platforms.
Despite the absence of formal coaching induction, these mentors transformed systemic constraints into opportunities for holistic student development in events such as Impromptu Speech, Bayle sa Kalye, STEMAZING, and other Festival of Talents components. The study culminates in four key recommendations for novice coach sustainability: mastering scoring rubrics and preparing early, implementing graduated skill‑building with stress‑tested performances, building collaborative support networks, and cultivating a relational, confidence‑centered coaching culture. These insights underscore the urgent need for Department of Education‑developed technical assistance protocols, structured onboarding for festival coaches, and targeted resource allocation to professionalize an otherwise informal yet highly impactful mentoring role in resource‑constrained provincial schools.