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Coaching education programs, both non-sport specific and sport specific, have been developed by a number of sponsoring agencies. The purpose of these coaching education programs is to develop coaching competencies leading to safe programs that foster skill development, positive social-emotional development, and enjoyment. Little research has been done to support these claims. The purpose of this study was to (1) analyze the content of one non-sport specific and one sport specific (soccer) coaching education program, (2) assess novice coaches' knowledge base and specific coaching behaviors prior to participating in a coaching education program, (3) assess novice coaches' knowledge base and specific coaching behaviors after participating in a coaching education program, and (4) contrast the differences that exist between generic and sport specific coaching education programs to determine if the coaching education programs actually influence novice youth soccer coaches to change their behaviors and does this change reflect the content that was delivered in the course they took part in. Eight novice youth soccer coaches of boys and girls aged 6-12 were assigned to one of two coaching education groups. A descriptive profile of each coach was established using videotape analysis, field notes, and interviews. The Instructional Observation System for Analyzing Coaching Performance (IOSACP) was utilized to assess pre and post coaching education practice behaviors. Results were analyzed following a pretest-posttest design. Pre-intervention analysis demonstrated the novice soccer coaches as a group possessed little soccer content knowledge, had limited pedagogical content knowledge, and had little understanding of what ought to be done in a youth soccer context. The non-sport specific coaching education course was delivered as designed and was presented in a three hour lecture/discussion format. This course provided sound philosophical and structural coaching information but no content knowledge and little pedagogical information. The content presented did not influence the participants to change their practice behavior. The five hour sport specific coaching education course, delivered in both a lecture and field based format was not delivered as designed. It provided more specific soccer content knowledge through a field based component that tied the content and the philosophy of coaching youth soccer together. This was deemed sound and this combination led to this group of coaches to change their practice structure and delivery. This change was based on the philosophy and soccer coaching content delivered in the course. The coaches’ pedagogical skills did change slightly but the changes cannot be attributed to the pedagogical content delivered in this course. The major difference between these two courses was the field based content knowledge component that was presented in the sport specific course. This component had a direct impact on the coaches that participated in the sport specific coaching education course as they completely changed the structure for conducting a youth soccer practice. This change represented the content delivered in the coaching education program. / Ed. D.

Sports coaching has struggled to gain credibility as a profession. It has previously been described as a pseudo profession, though in recent years there have been a number of attempts to rectify this view in order to formally recognize coaching as a profession. Most literature on the professions focuses on the more established professions, with very little research undertaken into the professional development of football (soccer) coaches. The research undertaken examined the ways in which Scottish football coaches learnt their ‘trade’ once they had achieved their initial certification – in other words, how they became socialised into the profession of football coach in Scotland. In order to achieve this aim a number of different samples were examined. First, a sample of aspiring, young professional players were examined, followed by a sample of full time young professionals. Further, two samples of coaches undertaking their initial accreditation courses (SFA UEFA ‘B’ Licence and SFA UEFA ‘A’ Licence - this latter award being essential to become a full time professional football coach in Scotland). Finally, a sample of senior coaches (those that had been practising for at least five years) was examined. The methodology of choice was that of Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) which enabled an idiographic analysis of each coach to be carried out. Using the Repertory Grid (Repgrid) technique all samples, which were exclusively male, completed a grid and the group of senior coaches also had their grid data further analysed using the ‘Laddering’ approach, which enabled a more detailed set of core constructs to be derived. In addition, the development of the ‘Snake’ interview approach, enabled a more detailed examination of senior, elite coaches’tract development. This format enabled the senior coaches to describe perceived critical incidents that had occurred in their professional lives and discussed what meaning such incidents had in their professional development. Results indicated that there was a mismatch between what young professional players thought that coaches should do and what coaches actually did in their daily practice. Further, differences in constructs between “B” level, coaches and “A” level coaches and senior coaches were clearly definable. There was little evidence to support idealistic notions of what should happen in learning situations with senior professional coaches and reasons for such were discussed. It was argued that much more attention should be paid by the National Governing Body, the Scottish Football Association (SFA), to ensure that courses should be better structured to be more relevant to neophyte coaches in their initial learning. Thus, once these coaches become formally qualified (certificated) more precise mechanisms, in terms of realistic Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes, mentoring of coaches at all levels and the establishment and encouragement of ongoing and accepted communities of practice, coaches will benefit and develop as professionals from such continuous life-long learning opportunities.

Low intensity aerobic training increases cardiac vagal modulation and reduces sympathetic activity. These adaptations are factors to prediction of healthy. Resistance training (TR) is am usual component of fitness programs, however the effects on autonomic regulation are not totally clear. Our hypothesis is low intensity resistance training promotes beneficial adaptations in cardiac autonomic modulation, as aerobic exercise. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the effects of low intensity TR on blood pressure, cardiovascular autonomic balance and vascular reactivity. One group of animals were submitted to TR, trained group (GT). Control animals (CO) were fictitious trained (no exercise). After 8 weeks of TR with 40% of 1RM (1 Maximal Repetition) or fictitious exercise, blood pressure and pulse interval were recorded and mesenteric artery was removed and sliced in rings for vascular reactivity analysis. The utilized drugs were: Acetilcholine (ACh): 10-9 10-4 M; Nù-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME): 100ìM. The variabilities of pulse interval, blood pressure and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were also analyzed. TR animals showed an significantly reduction in mean arterial pressure (CO 117.04 ± 2.68 vs GT 105.5 ± 4.28, p=0.045), diastolic arterial pressure (CO 107.71 ± 2.95 vs GT 97 ± 3.42, p=0.001) and heart rate (CO 395 ± 7.1 vs GT 344 ± 13.25, p=0.007) when compared to CO animals. In addition, it was seen in trained animals an increase in cardiac vagal modulation (LF/HF: CO 0.35 ± 0.08 vs GT 0.14 ± 0.03, p=0.034), BRS (CO 0.77 ± 0.01 vs GT 1.05 ± 0.1, p=0.019) and percentage of ACh-induced relaxation of mesenteric arterial rings (pD2: CO 6.2 ± 0.1 vs GT 7.1 ± 0.1, p<0.001) when compared to the CO animals. Furthermore, the addition of L-NAME reduced the ACh-induced relaxation (CO 52 ± 3.2% vs GT 35.8 ± 3.7%, p<0.01). In conclusion, we observed that low intensity TR apparently was able to promote beneficial cardiovascular adaptations mediated by neurohumoral adjustments, being able to be a possible instrument on maintenance and treatment for a healthy life. / Treinamento aerobico de baixa intensidade aumenta modulacao parassimpatica e reduz atividade simpatica. Estas adaptacoes sao fatores para predicao de saude. O treinamento resistido (TR) e um importante componente de programas de condicionamento fisico, porem seus efeitos na regulacao autonomica nao estao totalmente claros. Nossa hipotese e que o treinamento resistido de baixa intensidade promova, assim como o exercicio aerobico, adaptacoes beneficas na modulacao autonomica cardiaca. Sendo assim, os objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar os efeitos do treinamento resistido de baixa intensidade na pressao arterial, no balanco autonomico cardiovascular e reatividade vascular. Um grupo de animais (n=8) foi submetido a treinamento resistido (GT), os animais controle (CO) foram treinados ficticiamente (sem exercicio). Apos 8 semanas de treinamento com 40% de 1RM (1 Repeticao Maxima) ou periodo ficticio de treinamento, a pressao arterial e o intervalo de pulso foram gravados e a arteria mesenterica foi removida e seccionada em aneis para analise da reatividade vascular. As drogas utilizadas foram: Acetilcolina (ACh): 10-9 . 10-4 M; hidrocloreto de N Ö-nitro-L-arginina metil ester (L-NAME): 100 ÊM. A sensibilidade espontanea do barorreflexo (SBR) e variabilidade do intervalo de pulso e da pressao arterial foram analisadas. Os animais que foram submetidos ao periodo de treinamento em baixa intensidade apresentaram reducao significativa da pressao arterial media (CO 117,04 } 2,68 vs GT 105,5 } 4,28, p=0,045), pressao arterial diastolica (CO 107,71 } 2.95 vs GT 97 } 3,42, p=0,001) e frequencia cardiaca (CO 395 } 7,1 vs GT 344 } 13,25, p=0,007) quando comparados ao CO. Em adicao, foi observado no GT um aumento da modulacao vagal cardiaca (LF/HF: CO 0,35 } 0,08 vs GT 0,14 } 0,03, p=0,034), SBR (CO 0,77 } 0,01 vs GT 1,05 } 0,1, p=0,019) e percentual de relaxamento induzido pela ACh nos aneis de arteria mesenterica (pD2: CO 6,2 } 0,1 vs GT 7,1 } 0,1, p<0,001) quando comparados ao CO. Alem disso, adicao de L-NAME reduziu o relaxamento induzido pela ACh (CO 52 } 3,2% vs GT 35,8 } 3,7%, p<0,01). Em conclusao, foi observado que o TR em baixa intensidade aparentemente tem um grande potencial em promover adaptacoes cardiovasculares beneficas mediadas por ajustes neuro-humorais, podendo assim ser uma possivel ferramenta na manutencao e tratamento para uma vida saudavel.

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.

The purpose of this study was to make an investigation of the use of motion pictures and film strips in the coaching of athletics in a selected group of high schools in Texas. It was proposed, also, to formulate conclusions as to the practices utilized in connection with these visual aids in the coaching technique and to make recommendations for their use by coaches as outgrowths of the study.

The purposes of the study were (a) to examine selected areas of knowledge perceived by collegiate basketball coaches as essential for inclusion within a masters degree curriculum for collegiate basketball coaches, then (b) based upon these findings, to construct a model curriculum for the masters degree preparation of collegiate basketball coaches. A survey instrument, Questionnaire on the Areas of Knowledge Essential to Collegiate Basketball Coaches, was constructed and mailed for the purpose of collecting data from NCAA coaches. There were 252 instruments returned (58%). The coaches were asked to respond to topics which they perceived to belong within a graduate curriculum for intercollegiate coaches. The areas of knowledge were extrapolated from the 1995 National Association for Sport and Physical Education National Standards for Athletic Coaches. Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests and paired t-tests were performed on the data. Major findings of the study led to the conclusion that the areas of knowledge (a) training, conditioning, and nutrition; (b) skills, tactics, and strategies; and (c) teaching and administration mean rankings were not significantly different from one another but were significantly different from mean rankings from all other areas of knowledge. The areas of knowledge (d) social/psychological aspects of coaching; and (e) professional preparation and development mean rankings were not significantly different from one another but were significantly different from mean rankings of the other areas of knowledge. The areas of knowledge (f) injuries: prevention, care, and management; and (g) growth, development, and learning mean rankings were significantly different from all other areas of knowledge mean rankings. Additional conclusions were that perceptions of collegiate coaches concerning the seven areas of knowledge were independent of coaching experience, division of NCAA affiliation, academic degree, gender, or the gender of the team they coach. A model curriculum was proposed for the masters degree preparation of collegiate basketball coaches. This curriculum, if implemented, could provide students with the academic preparation needed for a successful career in collegiate basketball coaching.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-59).

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This thesis contributes to the study of occupational sex segregation, a major source of societal inequality. A dramatic shift toward desegregation of the coaching profession in women's basketball has occurred since the early 1970s. The major research question is whether or not the structural shift from female domination to male domination is associated with the adoption of a coaching philosophy that follows a "corporate" model, representative of traditional men's basketball, rather than a "relational" model, indicative of traditional women's basketball. Content analyses were undertaken of media articles which discussed male and female coaches of women's basketball teams. Four key dimensions of coaching philosophy were operationalized: technical values, hierarchical relations, democratic relations, and personal-social development ethos. Comparisons were made between the coaching philosophies of female and male coaches, as well as differences between NCAA Division I, II and III coaches. / Master of Science