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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of goal setting by the coach and/or athlete on athletic team performance. It was hypothesized that goal setting would have a positive relationship with athletic team performance. The data were collected through administration of a questionnaire mailed to randomly selected high school volleyball coaches (N = 62) and their starting six athletes (N = 372). The survey instrument contained 20 Likert items, four open-ended questions, and a background information section.
Findings and conclusions. (1) No relationship was found between the use of goal setting by the coach and athletic team performance or career winning percentage. (2) A positive relationship existed between the use of goal setting by the athlete or by the athlete plus the coach and athletic team performance. (3) No relationship existed between the use of goal-setting items related to team unity, coach support, and athlete involvement by the coach and athletic team performance. (4) A positive relationship was found between the use of the goal-setting items relating to team unity by the athlete or by the athlete plus the coach and athletic team performance. (5) No relationship existed between the number of years of coaching experience, number of returning starters, or career coaching percentage and athletic team performance. (6) No gender differences for male and female coaches existed for winning percentage for the year, career coaching percentage, or number of years of coaching experience. (7) Coaches and athletes agreed on how often team goals were set and on what the most important team goals were. (8) Coaches stated more often than athletes that they set the team goals. (9) Coaches and athletes disagreed on how team goals were used to motivate the team.
