Student-Athletes’ Perceptions of Leadership Styles of Division III Basketball Coaches

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions of leadership style of Division III head basketball coaches, as well as the relationship between leadership style and both success and satisfaction. In addition, this study also examined variables such as gender and player status (starter or non-starter) to determine if they had an effect on leadership perceptions. Using a combination of a random and snowball sample, 21 teams participated in the study, totaling 13 coach and 145 student-athlete usable questionnaires. Questionnaires consisted of 35 items from the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) developed by , one item measuring overall satisfaction, and nine demographic items. Results showed significant relationships between leadership and success and leadership and satisfaction. There was a significant difference between genders on leadership behaviors, with men rating each behavior higher. No significant difference in perceived leadership behavior was found between starters and non-starters. Practical implications for collegiate coaches and student-athletes are discussed.

Keywords:

• Athletic leadership
• cohesion
• success
• satisfaction

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Corinne Farneti

Corinne Farneti is an assistant professor and program coordinator for sport management within the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business at Mount St. Mary's University. Her primary research interests are collegiate athletic ethics and leadership.

Brian A Turner

Brian A. Turner is an associate professor and the program coordinator for sport management at The Ohio State University. His primary research interests lie in the general area of organizational behavior. Dr. Turner is a co-editor for the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2007, Dr. Turner was named a NASSM Research Fellow.