This study examined the perceptions of leadership style of Division III head basketball coaches and whether it had an effect on the perceived cohesion of the team. The relationships of leadership and cohesion with both success and satisfaction were also explored. In addition, this study also examined variables such as gender and player status (starters or non-starters) to determine if they had an effect on leadership and cohesion.
A combination of convenience and random sampling was used to select potential participants for the study. After receiving the agreement to participate, packets containing a questionnaire for each athlete and head coach, as well as an explanation of the study and instructions, were mailed to the teams. Fourteen of the 21 teams returned their questionnaires, with 13 coach and 145 athlete questionnaires being usable.
Athlete questionnaires consisted of 35 items from the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS), examining four behaviors of leadership: Training and Instruction, Social Support, Democratic Behavior, and Positive Feedback. Also on the athlete questionnaire were 18 items from the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ), which measure four dimensions of cohesion: Attraction to Group - Task, Attraction to Group - Social, Group Integration - Task, and Group Integration - Social. One item for measuring overall satisfaction was included, as well as nine demographic items. Coach questionnaires included only the 35 leadership items and seven demographic items.
Results showed a significant relationship between leadership and cohesion, specifically between Training and Instruction behaviors and three of the four cohesion dimensions (Attraction to Group - Task, Group Integration - Task, Group Integration - Social). Other noteworthy findings included the significant relationships found between leadership and success, leadership and satisfaction, cohesion and success, and cohesion and satisfaction. Also, there was a significant difference in perceived cohesion between starters and non-starters; no significant difference in perceive leadership behavior was found between these groups. There was a significant difference between genders on leadership behaviors, with men rating each behavior higher. No significant difference was found between genders on cohesion. A discussion of the results includes practical implications for collegiate coaches and athletes and recommendations for future research.