This dissertation studied the motivation, satisfaction, and efficacy of volunteer youth sport coaches. Surveys of recreational and competitive coaches found that recreational coaches were most motivated by having children in the program, while competitive coaches were more motivated by coaching at a higher level. Experience significantly impacted coaches' ability to motivate athletes and build team cohesion. While recreational coaches reported higher satisfaction, there were no significant differences in satisfaction between the groups. The study recommends cultivating experienced coaches and providing recognition opportunities to improve coaching retention and competence. It also recommends establishing codes of conduct for parents to reduce coach stress.
Volunteer Youth Sport Coaches Dr. Fletcher MGM Grand 25 July 2012
1. Results of Recent
Dissertations:
Volunteer Youth Sport Coaches:
A Study of Motivation, Satisfaction, and
Efficacy
Dr. Louis L. Fletcher
25 July 2012
2. Introduction
2.5 million adult volunteers on an annual
basis to support the sports activities of
approximately 38 million children
– Parental Expectations
• Future Star Struck
• Gate keeper Syndrome
– Volunteer Youth Coach Stress
• Motivation
• Satisfaction
• Efficacy (Confidence)
3. Introduction
Background of the Problem
– Parallels to Classroom Educators
– Volunteer Youth Coach Dilemmas
• Violence Towards Young Athletes
• Efficacy
4. Introduction
Statement of the Problem
– Identification of the factors which motivate
volunteers to become and remain
recreational or competitive youth coaches,
their level of satisfaction while
volunteering, and the associated coaching
confidence; which is a predictor of youth
coach efficacy, is the purpose of the
present study
5. Introduction
Statement of the Problem
– Necessity of Role
– Motivation
• Children in the Program
• Investment Model (Rusbult 1998)
– Sports Encomia
• Coaches Perceived as Gate Keepers
• Litigation
• Violence (Stress Manifested)
– Education and Certification Movement
• National Standards
• Volunteer’s Time Constraints
6. Introduction
Statement of the Problem
– Research Questions
• Does the level of coaching confidence (efficacy) differ
significantly between volunteer recreational youth
coaches and volunteer competitive youth coaches?
• Does the level of coaching confidence (efficacy) differ
significantly between volunteer youth coaches with
less than 5 years of experience and volunteer youth
coaches with more than 5 year of experience?
7. Introduction
Statement of the Problem
– Research Questions (Cont)
• Does coaching satisfaction differ significantly
between volunteer recreational youth coaches and
volunteer competitive youth coaches?
• Does the desire to coach because they have a young
athlete on the team differ significantly between
volunteer recreational youth coaches and volunteer
competitive youth coaches?
8. Methodology
Research Expectations
– Hypothesis H01 (Null)
• There is no significant difference in the level of
coaching confidence (efficacy) between volunteer
recreational youth coaches and volunteer competitive
youth coaches
– Hypothesis HA1 (Alternative)
• There is a significant difference in the level of
coaching confidence (efficacy) between volunteer
recreational youth coaches and volunteer competitive
youth coaches
9. Methodology
Research Expectations
– Hypothesis H02 (Null)
• There is no significant difference in the level of coaching
confidence between volunteer youth coaches w/ less
than 5 yrs of experience and volunteer youth coaches w/
more than 5 yrs of experience
– Hypothesis HA2 (Alternative)
• There is a significant difference in the level of coaching
confidence between volunteer youth coaches w/ less
than 5 yrs of experience and volunteer youth coaches w/
more than 5 yrs of experience
10. Methodology
Research Expectations
– Hypothesis H03 (Null)
• There is no significant difference in coaching
satisfaction between volunteer recreational youth
coaches and volunteer competitive youth coaches
– Hypothesis HA3 (Alternative)
• There is a significant difference in coaching
satisfaction between volunteer recreational youth
coaches and volunteer competitive youth coaches
11. Methodology
Research Expectations
– Hypothesis H04 (Null)
• There is no significant difference in the desire to
coach because they have a young athlete on the
team between volunteer recreational youth coaches
and volunteer competitive youth coaches
– Hypothesis HA4 (Alternative)
• There is a significant difference in the desire to coach
because they have a young athlete on the team
between volunteer recreational youth coaches and
volunteer competitive youth coaches
12. Methodology
Description of Research Design
– Cohort Study
• Descriptive Statistics
• Demographics
• Response Rankings
• Inferential Statistics
• T-test
• Oneway ANOVA
• Mann-Whitney U
13. Methodology
Operational Definition of Variables
– Competitive Youth Sport League: A league where there
is no mandate for equal playing time and participants
must try out (audition) for a team and are subject to
roster cuts (skill based) to be selected for team
membership.
– Recreational Youth Sport League: A league where there
is a mandate for equal playing time and participants do
not try out (audition) for a team and are not subject to
roster cuts (skill based) to be selected for team
membership.
14. Methodology
Selection of Subjects
– Gold Crown Foundation Youth Basketball
• Competitive League
• Non-Profit 501 (c) 3
• Volunteer Coaches
– YMCA Youth Basketball
• Recreational League
• Faith Based
• Volunteer Coaches
15. Methodology
Procedure
– Questionnaire (Self Report)
• Competitive Coach Cohort Sample
• Recreational Coach Cohort Sample
– Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
• Data Input
• Data Analysis
16. Methodology
Description of Instrumentation
– Motivation to Volunteer Questionnaire (MVQ)
• 19 items with six sub-scales
• Purposive Factors (PF)
• Solidary Factors (SF)
• External Factors (EF)
• Commitments (CM)
• Children in Program (CP)
• Teach and Become Involved with Youth (TIY)
• 4-point Likert scale
21. Findings
Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
– Quantitative Analysis
• T-test
• Oneway ANOVA
• Mann-Whitney U
– Hypothesis Testing
• Null
• Alternative
22. Findings
Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
– Although the rankings of recreational coaches were
consistently higher than competitive coaches for
multiple items and the second order factors no
significant results were found using an Independent
Samples T-test, Oneway ANOVA, or Mann-Whitney
U. Therefore; the Hypothesis HO1 (null): There is no
significant difference in the level of coaching
confidence (efficacy) between volunteer recreational
youth coaches and volunteer competitive youth
coaches is not rejected.
23. Findings
Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
– The “ability to motivate athletes” (p=.03) and “ability
to build team cohesion” (p=.055) were found to be
significant using the Independent Samples T-test
and Oneway ANOVA. Therefore; Hypothesis HA2
(alternative): There is a significant difference in the
level of coaching confidence (efficacy) between
volunteer youth coaches with less than 5 years of
experience and volunteer youth coaches with more
than 5 years of experience is accepted for both
items.
24. Findings
Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
– Despite the differences noted in the descriptive data
no significant results were found using an
Independent Samples T-test, Oneway ANOVA, or
Mann-Whitney U. Therefore; Hypothesis HO3 (null):
There is no significant difference in coaching
satisfaction between volunteer recreational youth
coaches and volunteer competitive youth coaches is
not rejected.
25. Findings
Analysis and Evaluation of Findings
– The recreational coaches’ top ranking of “my
children are involved in sports program” is
significantly different than the competitive coaches’
ninth place ranking. This item was found significant
(p=.003) using the Independent Samples T-test and
an Oneway ANOVA. Therefore; Hypothesis HA4
(alternative): There is a significant difference in the
desire to coach because they have a young athlete
on the team between volunteer recreational youth
coaches and volunteer competitive youth coaches
is accepted.
26. Conclusions
Recommendations
– Characterizing your target recruiting population is
the first step to understanding if what you have to
offer is what the potential workforce wants.
Motivation is the root of desire but it must be
sustained for the desire to coach to remain strong.
Satisfaction is the fuel which feeds the engine of
motivation; therefore, it is a necessary component
for retention. Coaching confidence (efficacy) is the
vehicle which carries motivation and satisfaction to
coaching success.
27. Conclusions
Recommendations
– The number one motivation factor for recreational
coaches was found to be the fact they had children
in the program. This factor ensures a subset of the
workforce will continue to enter coaching as long as
they have young athletes who are interested in
playing.
– It is recommended that this group be cultivated to
inspire selected coaches to coach beyond their
child’s tenure.
28. Conclusions
Recommendations
– Competitive coaches do not espouse having a child
in the program as the most important factor. The
latter group is also a recommended target for
cultivation because they have faced a higher level
of competition and usually more technically
proficient in teaching young athletes.
– One factor that could deter the consistent recruiting
of competitive coaches is the desire to “coach at a
higher level” that was informally reported to the
investigator by many competitive coaches.
29. Conclusions
Recommendations
– If coaches are rewarded with the opportunity to go
to a professional coaching clinic conducted by
prominent high school, college, or professional
coaches this could make education a reward.
– It is recommended that a recognition program for
coaches would both satisfy egoistic desires and
build coaching competence.
30. Conclusions
Recommendations
– Parent-stakeholders should be required to sign a
statement of acceptable parental behavior with
respect to coaches as condition of their child being
in the league. If the aforementioned contract is
breached, then sanctions such suspensions and
expulsions should be levied and refunds for fees
should not be entertained.
– It is recommended that all stakeholders be exposed
to the accountability processes of the league.