The primary purpose of the study was to examine and analyze high school athletic participation with regard to the achievement of developmental tasks as described by A. W. Chickering and measured through the administration of the Student Developmental Task Inventory, Revised, Second Edition. The investigation was designed to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship among the developmental factors of athletes, both male and female, and non-athletes, both male and female.In order to complete the study, demographic data was collected from the participating students at the same time as the measurement through the SDTI-2. All information was prepared for computer analysis and all data were computer analyzed. Eight null hypotheses were tested by using the commercial package, Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS X)> The 0.05 level of significance was established as the critical probability level for rejection of hypotheses.Conclusions Athletes vs. Non-AthletesWith regard to Developing Autonomy, Developing Purpose, and Developing Mature Interpersonal Relations there is no statistically significant difference in either the male or the female groups.The self reported grade averages were found to be significant for both the male athlete and the female athlete when compared to the non-athletes. Males vs. FemalesWith regard to Developing Autonomy, Developing Purpose, and Developing Mature Interpersonal Relations there is no significant difference in the areas of Developing Autonomy and Developing Purpose. There is a significance at the .04 level for females in the Developing Mature Interpersonal Relations.When considering the athletes only with regard to the developmental tasks, there is no statistically significant difference in the male athletes and the female athletes.The number of sports of participation for the male athletes and the female athletes was also not found to be a significant difference with regard to the three developmental tasks.

M.Com. (Sports Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (M.A.-Psychology)--University of South Africa, 2001.

This study was based upon the Multidimensional Model of Leadership (Chelladurai, 1978, 1990), and the administration of the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) and the Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ) (Gill and Deeter, 1988). The purposes of the study were: 1) To determine the competitive achievement orientations (competitiveness, goal and win) and coaching behavior preferences (training and instruction, democratic, autocratic, social support, and positive feedback) among young male Thai athletes (n=403); and 2) to examine the relationships between competitive orientations and coaching behavior preferences among athletes for two different levels of competition, high and low; two different age groups, from ages 13-15 and 16-18; and two types of sports, team and individual. A preliminary MANOVA and ANOVAs indicated that significant age x type interactions contributed to the competitiveness achievement orientation and all coaching behavior preferences. Thai athletes showed the highest score for goal orientation, followed by competitiveness and win orientations. They preferred training and instruction, and social support coaching behaviors over democratic and positive feedback coaching behaviors. Autocratic coaching behavior was least preferred. Results of the ANOVAs indicated significant group differences in competitiveness orientation variables and all coaching behavior variables. Multivariate multiple regression demonstrated significant relationships between competitive achievement orientations and coaching behavior preferences. Canonical correlation analyses of the four age x type interaction groups were utilized, indicating bidirectional relationships between all of the competitive achievement orientations, and all of the coaching behavior preferences for older athletes who participated in either team sports or individual sports. The younger individual sport athletes presented a relationship between training and instruction, democratic and social support coaching behavior preferences and all competitive achievement orientations, whereas younger team sport athletes showed no relationship. This finding indicated a stronger influenced of coaching behavior preferences on younger individual sport athletes' competitive achievement orientations. / Graduation date: 1993

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Effective leadership is a concept shown to be important for successful team performance in the fields of business, education, and sport. In sport, the role of the athlete leader has been under-examined and specifically, how coaching behaviors can affect athlete leader behaviors and how various leadership models (e.g., trait, behavioral, situational) relate to the athlete leader role has never been studied. The present study examined how autocratic, democratic, and collaborative coaching styles affect the athlete leader behavior preferences of athletes of different genders and sport types. Three coach scenarios reflecting the three aforementioned coaching styles were created so that athletes could imagine that they were coached by the individual presented in the scenario and then rate what type of athlete leader behaviors that they would prefer given the style of the coach that they read about. Results showed that the coach scenarios failed to have a significant impact; however, significant differences were discovered between men and women and between individual and team sport athletes on variables measuring preferred performance/task, relationship, motivation, and representation behaviors. Data were gathered on the style of athletes' current coach and this variable also produced significant differences for such behaviors as resolving conflict, providing positive reinforcement, and acting respectfully towards others. In addition, exploratory analyses showed that athletes who hold different leadership positions prefer different athlete leader behaviors. The current study seemed to offer concrete evidence on how coaching style can affect athlete leader preferences and how the athlete leader role can be explained by trait, behavioral, and situational leadership theories; however, future studies will have to further explore the impact that a coach's style can have on the behavior of athlete leaders as well as analyzing the relationship between athlete leaders and teammates utilizing the transformational leadership approach.

In this study an ecosystematic approach to sports coaching is forwarded. This approach is illustrated using the analogy of an ecology of ideas. Ideas informing the life span of a coach within an elite team are explored. The researcher engaged four subjects in conversations the life span of a coach in an elite team. these conversations are viewed as co-constructions of realities. The coach abides within a team for a limited time. he or she enters an existing ecology of ideas, which can contribute to, or detract from, the efficacy of the coach in a team. This ecology of ideas evolves as aold meanings shift and new meanings emerge. These menings are explored in this disertation. An awareness of the ecology of ideas within a team can inform the coach to perturb the ecology of ideas in a direction that is mutually qualified as successful / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical psychology)

Beginning as young as five or six years of age, children participate in organised sports and there are an estimated 25-35 million children under the age of eighteen who participate in organised youth sports. Whether success records, statistics, motivational factors or personal reasons are the motivators behind participation in sports, athletes are often studied by the population. Despite a large contingency of children who participate in sports, professional or adult athletes’ thoughts and motivations are often studied. However, one thing is known: The reason children play sports is because they have fun. This study explored the viewpoints of teachers/trainers from Schools in Paarl region from a qualitative perspective on why children choose to participate in sports. The participants were selected via non-probability sampling method with the utilisation of purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected with semi structured interviews with teachers/trainers at Paarl schools. Data were analysed according to Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009:186) framework for the analysing of qualitative data and data were verified according to Guba’s (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) framework for data verification of qualitative data. The verified data were described in specific teams and sub-themes as well as supplemented by literature control. The researcher concludes this study by drawing certain conclusions and recommendations from the research findings / Practical Theology / M.A. (Daiconiology)

In this study an ecosystematic approach to sports coaching is forwarded. This approach is illustrated using the analogy of an ecology of ideas. Ideas informing the life span of a coach within an elite team are explored. The researcher engaged four subjects in conversations the life span of a coach in an elite team. these conversations are viewed as co-constructions of realities. The coach abides within a team for a limited time. he or she enters an existing ecology of ideas, which can contribute to, or detract from, the efficacy of the coach in a team. This ecology of ideas evolves as aold meanings shift and new meanings emerge. These menings are explored in this disertation. An awareness of the ecology of ideas within a team can inform the coach to perturb the ecology of ideas in a direction that is mutually qualified as successful / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical psychology)

Beginning as young as five or six years of age, children participate in organised sports and there are an estimated 25-35 million children under the age of eighteen who participate in organised youth sports. Whether success records, statistics, motivational factors or personal reasons are the motivators behind participation in sports, athletes are often studied by the population. Despite a large contingency of children who participate in sports, professional or adult athletes’ thoughts and motivations are often studied. However, one thing is known: The reason children play sports is because they have fun. This study explored the viewpoints of teachers/trainers from Schools in Paarl region from a qualitative perspective on why children choose to participate in sports. The participants were selected via non-probability sampling method with the utilisation of purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected with semi structured interviews with teachers/trainers at Paarl schools. Data were analysed according to Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009:186) framework for the analysing of qualitative data and data were verified according to Guba’s (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) framework for data verification of qualitative data. The verified data were described in specific teams and sub-themes as well as supplemented by literature control. The researcher concludes this study by drawing certain conclusions and recommendations from the research findings / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Daiconiology)