Date of Award

12-2007

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Communication

First Advisor

Dr. Steve Rhodes

Second Advisor

Dr. Autumn Edwards

Third Advisor

Dr. Peter Northouse

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to begin testing assumptions about coaches' leadership and team communication by starting with an examination of the relationship between a head coach's perception of his leadership behavior and his perception of the effectiveness of his team's communication.

The sample in the study consisted of fifty NCAA Division I Men's Head Hockey Coaches during the 2006-2007 season. Demographic data reported included the following: the participants' age, education level, nationality, number of years as a head coach, number of years as an assistant coach, 2006-2007 record, and number of years as head coach at their current school.

A survey methodology was used to test three hypotheses and combined two scales used in similar research; The Leadership Scale for Sport (Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980) and The Scale for Effective Communication in Team Sports (Sullivan & Feltz, 2003).

Results indicated that coaches who regularly provide training and instruction perceive their team members to accept ·each other, have distinct identities, and engage in positive conflict. In addition results showed that coaches who regularly provide positive feedback perceived their team members to accept each other and engage in positive conflict.

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