Coaching and Leadership in Sports

Coaching and Leadership in Sport

Influence of Coaches: Positive Aspects

• Consistency helps coaches be a positive influence
• Innovative training methods and strategies can improve athletic performance
• Positive leadership, such as democratic approaches, fosters a healthy environment
• Coaches can instill loyalty, promote education, and emphasize integrity in athletes

Influence of Coaches: Negative Aspects

• Coaching without proper training can be detrimental
• Punishing athletes for poor performance can be counterproductive
• Focusing solely on winning can lead to unethical behavior
• Instilling prejudice creates a negative team culture
• Physical or mental abuse is unacceptable and harmful

Status of Coaching

• There are over 3 million youth sport coaches, mainly volunteers
• Coaching standards are often few, low, and set by organizing groups
• National Standards for Sport Coaches exist
• Defining coaching as a profession is difficult
• Coaches can be employed by community youth sports programs, sports organizations, or be self-employed as volunteer coaches
• Coaches can also be found at the high school, college, university, and professional levels

Problems with Relying on Volunteers

• The need for coaches leads leagues to welcome volunteers
• This reliance often results in inexperienced and untrained coaches
• Even with training, the turnover rate among volunteers is high
• Volunteers provide a short-term benefit to the knowledge base, requiring constantly training new coaches

Percentage of Youth Coaches with Training by Subject

• CPR/Basic first aid training: 25.7% in the last 12 months, 26.2% in the last 1-2 years, 14.0% in the last 3+ years, 34.1% never received training
• Concussion management training: 24.5% in the last 12 months, 16.7% in the last 1-2 years, 9.4% in the last 3+ years, 49.4% never received training
• General safety and injury prevention training: 29.3% in the last 12 months, 18.0% in the last 1-2 years, 9.7% in the last 3+ years, 42.9% never received training
• Physical conditioning training: 26.2% in the last 12 months, 19.7% in the last 1-2 years, 10.3% in the last 3+ years, 43.8% never received training
• Sports skills and tactics training: 27.0% in the last 12 months, 17.8% in the last 1-2 years, 19.3% in the last 3+ years, 35.9% never received training
• Effective motivation training: 28.0% in the last 12 months, 15.7% in the last 1-2 years, 13.2% in the last 3+ years, 43.1% never received training

Coach Training: Youth Sport and High School

• NFHS Coach Education Program offers training resources and programs
• Human Kinetics Coach Education provides coaching education materials
• SHAPE America offers resources for health and physical education
• National Youth Sports Coaches Association provides training and certification

Coach Training: College and Pros

• College coaches typically need a degree and playing experience
• Professional coaches generally require experience in playing or coaching

Coaching Males and Females

• Both females and males look for similar qualities in a coach
• Females tend to be more motivated to improve their own performance
• Males are often more driven to outperform others

Gender of Coach by Type of Sport

• Baseball/softball: Male coaches 64.3%, Female coaches 35.7%
• Basketball: Male coaches 57.4%, Female coaches 42.6%
• Cheer: Male coaches 9.6%, Female coaches 90.4%
• Dance: Male coaches 10.7%, Female coaches 89.3%
• Gymnastics: Male coaches 14.3%, Female coaches 85.7%
• Martial Arts: Male coaches 68.2%, Female coaches 31.8%
• Soccer: Male coaches 66.0%, Female coaches 34.0%
• Swimming: Male coaches 32.7%, Female coaches 67.3%
• Track: Male coaches 51.0%, Female coaches 49.0%
• Volleyball: Male coaches 25.1%, Female coaches 74.9%
• Other: Male coaches 47.6%, Female coaches 52.4%

Coaching Personality

• Coaches are often former athletes
• They often have strong beliefs based on religious and cultural backgrounds
• Coaches commonly come from working-class families with traditional values
• Many are under pressure to use an authoritative coaching style
• They also are often held accountable for team performance and may use authoritarian leadership

Autocratic Coaching Leadership Style

• Setting the team's vision, goals, and operational plans is a hallmark
• Criticism and punishment will occur when there is a lack of effort or subpar performance
• Coach relies on extrinsic motivation to improve athleticism
• There are rules and expectations for how athletes should conform to team policies
• Inspiration and enthusiasm will be provided; athlete behavior is controlled on and off the field

Athlete-Centered Coaching Leadership Style

• Athletes get involved in setting goals and developing plans
• There is encouragement, positive reinforcement, and intrinsic motivation used by the coach
• Reinforcement around building the social dynamics
• A focus on improving the performance and full effort of each person
• A focus on encouraging respect for the group
• Group spirit and cohesion is also encouraged
• Differences in viewpoints are valued
• Coaches perceive mistakes as growth experiences

Manager Coaching Leadership Style

• The coach plans, administers, supervises, facilitates, and organizes
• There is a willingness to fulfill player wishes
• Focus is kept on player cohesion and unity
• As needed advice will be distributed
• Mature guidance will be given
• Optimism and great team morale
• Experience is also a great teacher here
• Respect for others and the sport itself

Challenges for the Future of Coaching

• Offering proper certification
• Recruiting, training, and support
• Recruiting more racial miniority and female coaches
• Athlete protection

Chapter Summary

• Coaches can have a positive and negative impact on athletes
• The amount of illegal, unethical, and immoral actions by coaches have went up in the recent years
• Philosophy of the coach should match the coach level and all athlete expectations
• Number of leadership styles a coach can have