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This study investigated the preferred coaching behaviors of athletes from three distinct Australian sporting contexts (single-gender male, single-gender female, dual-gender male and female), and discussed the significance of the findings in relation to the Multidimensional Model of Leadership (Chelladurai, 1990; Chelladurai & Salah, 1980). The coaching preferences of 317 athletes (Australian football n = 110, netball n = 88, and basketball 11 = 114) were obtained using the Leadership Scale for Sport (Chelladurai & Saleh, 1978, 1980). As previous studies using the Scale reported many gender-based inconsistencies, comparisons between athletes' preference scores were examined on this variable. Despite some small differences between the groups of athletes, the results revealed an overwhelmingly high level of similarity in the coaching preferences between all athletes regardless of gender. Athletes from all three sports indicated that Positive Feedback, Training & Instruction and Democratic behavior were preferred coaching behaviors and that Social Support and Autocratic behavior were not preferred. This study established that athletes participating in some single-gender sporting environments in Australia share similar preferences for coaching behavior to athletes participating in sports of a dual-gender nature, and, that if there are unique socialization processes occurring in the two distinct sporting environments of Australian football and netball, they have little or no effect on the coaching preferences of the athletes. The results of the study challenge the number of member (athlete) characteristics claimed by Chelladurai to determine preferred coaching behavior and have important practical implications for coaching sport, particularly in Australia.
One of the more important roles of the coach in competitive sport is to assist athletes to become more proficient in their performance (Martens, 1987). This role can encompass a wide range of tasks from sequential development and mastery of basic skills for beginners, to the more specialized physical, technical, tactical and psychological preparation of elite athletes (Bompa, 1983). These functions are normally accomplished by the coach engaging in leadership behavior that effectively elicits appropriate actions from the athlete towards achieving set goals, in competitive or practice situations. The type of leadership behavior displayed by the coach can have a significant effect on the performance and psychological well being of the athlete (Horn, 1992). The context of the sport situation and the characteristics of the coach and the...