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The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating effect of passion between coach-athlete relationship and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in NCAA Division II student-athletes. A total of 408 student athletes (247 male and 161 female) completed the questionnaires on coach-athlete relationship (commitment, closeness, complementarity), passion (harmonious and obsessive), and athletes' sports motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic). The PROCESS analysis revealed that passion positively mediated the coach-athlete relationship dimensions (commitment, closeness, & complementarity) and both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Results imply that student-athletes who cultivate a positive relationship with their coaches exhibit a greater level of sports passion, which in turn enhances their athletic motivation. The findings provide empirical evidence regarding the significance of sports passion in fostering a strong connection between coaches and athletes, as well as its impact on athletes' motivation.
Longakit et al. (Tue,) studied this question.