The Relation of Coaching Context and Coach Education to Coaching Efficacy and Perceived Leadership Behaviors in Youth Sport

Abstract

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.The purposes of this study were to examine how coaching context and level of coaching education were related to coaching efficacy and, subsequently, how coaching efficacy was related to perceived leadership behaviors in youth sports. One hundred and seventy-two youth sport coaches completed the Coaching Efficacy Scale and Revised Leadership Scale for Sports. Structural equation modeling revealed that coach education significantly affected the multidimensional construct of coaching efficacy whereas coaching context did not. Coaching efficacy predicted perceived leadership behaviors comprising training and instruction, positive feedback, social support, and situational consideration. These findings question the issue of coaching efficacy as a factor that may distinguish between coaches at different organizational contexts but highlight the importance of coach education training for improving coaching efficacy in youth sport.

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“…The French federation shows clear concern with providing knowledge and strategies to coaches, which reflects a holistic and contextualized vision of coach education. These principles are supported by findings by Sullivan (2012) that "highlight the importance of coach education for improving coaching efficacy in youth sport" (p. 122).…”

Coaching Efficacy and Leadership Style Among Bulgarian Football Coaches

“…Coaching efficacy is a predictor of coaching behavior. A lar ge body of studies (Horn, 2002;Hwang et al, 2013;Teques et el., 2019;Sullivan & Kent, 2003;Sullivan et al, 2012) have provided empirical evidence that as a personality attribute, Coaching efficacy is a strong predictor of Leadership Style. Our results, to a certain extent, differ from those in literature.…”

“…Finally, the effectiveness of coaches' behaviors is influenced by situational factors and athletes' individual differences. A large body of studies (Horn, 2002;Hwang et al, 2013;Sullivan & Kent, 2003;Sullivan et al, 2012) have provided empirical evidence that Coaching Efficacy was a strong predictor of Leadership Behavior. Feltz et al (1999) found out that coaches with hig her coaching efficacy used more encouraging behavior towards their players (Feltz et el., 1999).…”

“More Practice-based Courses and Not Just a Load of Papers to Read”: Youth Soccer Coaches Reflections on Coach Education Programs in Sweden

“…A common view is that education is important for sustaining and developing quality of coaching (Mallett, Trudel, Lyle & Rynne, 2009;Cushion, Nelson, Armour, Lyle, Jones, Sandford & O'Callaghan, 2010;Bolter, Jones Petranek & Dorsch, 2017). Studies point out that trained coaches can have more positive impacts on young athletes compared with non-trained coaches regarding psychosocial well-being and sport longevity (Hedstrom & Gould, 2004;Sullivan, Paquette, Holt & Bloom, 2012). However, studies also point out that there are limitations in coach education programs abilities to improve coaches (Werthner &Trudel, 2006;Côté, 2006;Stoszkowski & Collins, 2014).…”