Impact of Coaching Behaviors on Athletic Performance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of coaching styles on an athlete’s performance. A survey was given to Goucher College’s men and women’s basketball teams assessing their coaches’ styles of coaching, democratic/instructional or authoritarian/directive. This study used a quasi-experimental design to assess the relationship between athlete’s performance throughout the season and their coaches’ style of coaching. There was no significant relationship found between the coaching style and the athletes’ performance throughout the basketball season. However, additional studies are recommended involving more athletes over a longer period of time in order to gain knowledge on the role of coaching styles on improving athletic performance.