Introduction: "A good coach can change a game; a great coach can change a life" (Wooden, n.d., para. 1). The focus of this dissertation was to explore associations between attachment of high school athletes to their coach and the athlete's ability to cope in the athletic environment. In looking at high school coach-athlete relationships through the lens of attachment theory, this pilot study aimed to explore processes that link levels of anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment and different indicators of adolescent athletes' coping skills in the athletic environment. Method: Self-reported attachment to coach (Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale, CAAS) and self-reported ability to cope in the athletic environment (Athletic Coping Style Inventory, ACSI) in addition to demographic variables such as gender, age, and number of years played for the coach were assessed for 66 high school athletes at a public school in Louisiana (Davis & Jowett, 2013; Smith et al., 1995). Initially, gender differences for attachment and coping were assessed using independent t-test analyses. Subsequently, associations between anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment and aspects of athletic coping were assessed using bivariate correlation analyses. Unique contributions of predictors were evaluated through multiple regression analyses to determine if controlling for attachment to coach, total coping, any coping subscales, age, number of sports played, and length of time playing for their primary sports coach. Finally, confidence and achievement motivation were explored as mediators in the link between attachment and coping. Results: Significant gender differences were found for athletes' level of attachment, total coping, and coping with adversity, in addition to a trend in coachability. Male athletes reported higher levels of secure attachment to one's coach, higher total coping scores, higher scores for coping with adversity, and slightly higher scores of coachability. Avoidant attachment was negatively associated with coachability and total athletic coping and continued to predict both in the multiple regression. In addition, secure attachment levels were positively associated with higher total coping scores, higher coping with adversity scores, higher coachability scores, and higher confidence and achievement motivation scores and continued to predict total coping and coping with adversity controlling for demographic variables and other aspects of attachment. Secure attachment levels were mediated by confidence and achievement motivation, in the prediction of peaking under pressure and concentration. Conclusions: The findings confirmed that the quality of the coach-athlete attachment relationship plays a crucial role in helping athletes develop healthy coping skills for athletic performance. The study illustrates the importance of the coach-athlete relationship and its impact on adolescent athletes' ability to thrive and flourish. Understanding the practical implications of the magnitude of the coach-athlete attachment relationship can encourage coaches to learn how to foster felt safety and security in their relationships with their athletes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]