Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, August 2009. / Major professor: Damon Burton. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-86). Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Georgia Southern University, 2006. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science." ETD. Includes bibliographical references (p. 36-43) and appendices.

D.Phil. / Sport in South Africa (SA) has undergone a metamorphosis over the past two decades. Statutory restrictions that were prevalent during the period prior to 1980 have been lifted, resulting in increased participation in sport. The increased participation has created a backlog of facilities and services provided by sport organizations. Coaching is one such service that is provided by sport organizations. In order to provide this service, it has become necessary for sport organizations to acquire sports coaches. In SA professional sports coaching is not an easy task since professional sports coaches face distinct pressures that are not found in other professions. This is reflected in the high coach turnover in certain popular codes of sport like soccer and rugby. Thus the question of the human resources management of professional sports coaches has arisen. This study involved research into the management of professional sports coaches in sport organizations affiliated to the South African Sports Commission. The aim of this study was to propose guidelines for the human resources management (HRM) of professional sports coaches in South Africa. This was done by conducting an in depth literature survey to ascertain what different theoretical models existed with regard to human resources management, in order that the principles of HRM in relation to professional sports coaches could be identified. The literature was compared with the current situation regarding the HRM function for professional sports coaches at sport organizations in South Africa. It was supported by an exploratory study conducted through in depth interviews, and an empirical study. Two questionnaires, which were pre-tested to v ensure that they communicated information correctly to the respondents, was developed for professional sports coaches and HR managers. Four hundred and fifty (450) questionnaires each were administered to HR managers and professional sports coaches at sports organizations affiliated to the South African Sports Commission in the different provinces in South Africa. The empirical findings, when compared with the literature study, provided evidence that shortcomings existed, that needed to be seriously addressed by HR managers at sport organizations, with regard to the management of professional sports coaches in South Africa. Sport organizations need to approach the training and development of professional sports coaches with the South African Qualifications Authority’s requirements in mind. This will ensure that the qualifications of professional sports coaches are accredited. As a result of the unique nature of the job that the coach performs, there is a need to utilize recruitment and selection techniques specifically applicable to professional sports coaches. The study revealed that professional sports coaches experience problems with job security, therefore appropriate actions need to be taken by HR managers to satisfy job security needs. The performance of professional sports coaches was mainly based on the win/loss record of the coach. The literature study as well as the empirical study suggests that other factors, in addition to the win/loss record of professional sports coaches, need to be considered in their performance appraisals. The qualitative as well as the empirical study suggests that professional sports coaches are not satisfied with their compensation. HR managers need to investigate compensation packages that are offered to professional sports coaches. / Prof. W.J. Hollander

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2002. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 233 p. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Mary O'Sullivan, Dept. of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-218).

The purpose of this study was to identify how coaches who have surpassed their athletic achievements acquired their coaching knowledge. Six University coaches from basketball, volleyball, and hockey, with a combined total of fourteen coach of the year awards were selected to participate. Each coach was coaching at a higher level (e.g., University level) than he had competed as an athlete, had a winning percentage greater than .500 at the University level, and had been the head coach at their current program for a minimum of five years. Semi structured, open-ended interviews were conducted using an interview guide created exclusively for this study and based on the tenets of Cote, Salmela, Trudel, Baria, and Russell's (1995) Coaching Model and Chelladurai's (1978) Multidimensional Model of Leadership. Data analysis followed the guidelines forwarded by Cote, Salmela, Baria, and Russell (1993). Results of this analysis revealed three higher order categories which indicated the path coaches had taken to reach their current positions including the many ways knowledge was acquired. These were (a) career path which discussed the journey of knowledge acquisition of these coaches, from their earliest sport participation to their current coaching position, (b) personal factors, which included how the coaches' journey of knowledge acquisition had been influenced by who the coaches were, and (c) coaching knowledge, which involved the participants' current level of coaching knowledge. Despite the idiosyncratic nature of each coach's career progression many common themes emerged, including the different ways knowledge was acquired, the coaches' personal characteristics, and the level of coaching knowledge accumulated. Many of the findings that emerged were similar to those highlighted in previous studies pertaining to expert coach development (e.g., Cregan, Bloom, & Reid, in press; Salmela, 1994; Schinke, Bloom, & Salmela, 1995) which suggests that while athletic experiences may be helpful in expert coach development, they are not essential. The results provided evidence that sources of knowledge acquisition are accessible to aspiring coaches to acquire the necessary coaching knowledge, regardless of their athletic background. The current findings could potentially enhance the quality and standard of formal coach education and training programs in Canada by illustrating how a unique sample of coaches acquired the knowledge to achieve success at the university level.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51).

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Wisconsin--La Crosse, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 98 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.