Leadership Behaviors of Athletic Coaches in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership behaviors of coaches within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities using the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport. A secondary purpose was to gain greater insight into the democratic and positive feedback leadership behaviors of male and female coaches in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Three hundred and ninety-six head coaches in the CCCU participated in the study; 320 (80.5%) males and 76 (19.5%) females. The participants completed the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport (Zhang, J., Jensen, B.E., & Mann, B.L., 1997). The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference in the coaching behaviors (training and instruction, situational consideration, autocratic, democratic, social support, and positive feedback) of head coaches in the CCCU when comparing the sports coached. Results of the RLSS indicated that the softball and track and field coaches perceived themselves as exhibiting the highest rates of positive feedback to their athletes. Track and field and volleyball coaches exhibited the highest rates of democratic behavior in their coaching. It was also discovered that there were no significant difference between male and female coaches in the coaching dimension when evaluating the different coaching leadership behaviors by gender. Coaches that scored high and low in the positive feedback and democratic behavior categories were asked to participate in a follow up interview. Two themes emerged from the interviews with coaches when questioned about their democratic behavior: gender differences and communication with players. Two themes also emerged related to the coaches use of positive feedback: correcting mistakes and team-building. Additional information emerged from the interviews relating to how coaches in the CCCU prioritize different aspects of their job and their relationship with God.