Perception of amateur baseball players on coach leadership

Question

Sport, Development Management and Coaching Dissertation

Research Plan

Title : Perception of amateur baseball players on coach leadership behavior for team cohesion in Hong Kong

Study Rationale

In Hong Kong, due to policy reasons, baseball players are not allow to conduct the baseball activities in anywhere, according to the provisions of the Hong Kong Baseball Association (HKBA), only the registered baseball team can rent the venue to play the baseball and player must be accompanied by a qualified baseball coach when conduct the baseball activity in Hong Kong, So the relationship between baseball players and baseball coaches is very close, as the sports coach is a leader in the sports team, so the coach's leadership behavior on the players and the team's impact is also great.

The purpose of this study is to explore how the amateur baseball players' awareness of coaching behavior. The study attempts to understand how the coaches' characteristics will affect the trust between baseball players and coaches. Finally, it also aims to explore in the baseball group, how the cohesion will affect the personal performance, and even affect the perception of coaching behavior. With such the research targets, it aims to provide the baseball coaches' future guidance and reference information regarding their coach behavior and the possible effects. This eventually could help the baseball players and coaches to interact in creating better results.

Objectives

This study is aimed at focusing on the amateur baseball players to analyze how the perceived coach leadership behavior will impact on the cohesion of the baseball team. The objectives of the research are as follows:

(A) to understand the current baseball players' perception on coach leadership behavior and leadership trust on the cohesion of the team.

(B) to understand how the different backgrounds of baseball players will show differences in their perception of coach leadership behavior, leadership trust and cohesion.

(C) Based on the above objectives, to provide recommendations to the baseball coaches on their leadership behavior, leadership trust and cohesion.

Literature Review

The preliminary literature review focuses on 3 major variables of the research, namely the coach behavior, trust coaches' leadership and group cohesion.

Coach leadership behavior is divided into five aspects, the definition of coach behavior in this study will based on the reviews on the literatures and summarized as follows:

(A) training and guidance behavior: refers to the baseball coach behavior in the training or guidance swimming process to improve the performance of baseball player (Jowett & Chaundy, 2004).

(B) positive feedback behavior: the coach will give players confidence in the positive direction (Chelladurai, 1984) (Riemer & Chelladurai, 1995).

(C) democratic behavior: the coach will accept the players to possess full self-thinking and ideas (Jowett & Chaundy, 2004).

(D) Social support: The coach allows the players to participate in the discussion of the training, giving them the greatest space and encouraging and supporting. It is considered as an interpersonal relationship-oriented behavior, and it is also known as caring behavior (Jowett & Chaundy, 2004).

(E) autocratic behavior: emphasizing the authority of the coach, prohibiting the players to intervene the coach behavior as an approach to effectively manage the team (Jowett & Chaundy, 2004).

Questionnaire

Part 1:Please compete ALL (4) Basic information
1.Tick the space provided.

1. Gender	Male
	Female
2. Age	Less than 18
	18 - 25
	26 - 30
	31 - 35
	36 - 40
	Above 40
3. The number of years of playing baseball	Less than 1
	1 - 3
	4 - 7
	More than 7
4. How many years have you been with the current coach?	Less than 1
	1 - 3
	4 - 7
	More than 7

Part 2: Perceived Coach behaviour

The following is a description of the baseball players' feelings for the leadership of the coach, please answer according to the degree of your personal feeling and tick the space provided, each question has 5 options: 1. strongly disagree, 2. disagree, 3. natural, 4. agree, 5. Strongly agree.

		Strongly disagree 1	Disagree   2	Natural   3	Agree   4	Strongly agree     5
1	My coach often guides each player individually.
2	My coach often encourages the team to make recommendations on the way of the practicing.
3	My coaches often encourage players to work with each other.
4	My coach will praise the player's performance.
5	My coach will give praise and encouragement to the player who performed well.
6	My coach will give clear instructions regarding the baseball playing techniques
7	My coach will ask the player's advice before deciding on the team's important things.
8	My coach will help the player find a way to solve the problem.
9	My coach will take the time to fix the player's wrong action / position.
10	My coach will ask the player opinion about the game.
11	My coach allow opposition to his opinion.
12	My coach will have physical expression as the appreciation of the performance of the players during the game / after the game
13	My coach will allow the player to try new practice
14	My coach allows the engagement of the external parties regarding the team's issue
15	My coach will encourage players to praise each other.
16	My Coach will only give us reward when we really deserve it
17	My coach will carefully analyze the pros and cons of each player before the game and give suggestions for improvement.
18	My coaches often guide the players in command.
19	My coach will give praise to the player who reaches the training objectives
20	My coach will ask the player to reach the training target set by him/her.
21	My coach will use various ways to help the players to enhance their performances
22	My coach will concern the harmony of the team.

Part 3 Cohesion of the team

The following is a description of the baseball players' feelings for the cohesion of the team, please answer according to the degree of your personal feeling and tick the space provided, each question has 5 options: 1. strongly disagree, 2. disagree, 3. natural, 4. agree, 5. Strongly agree.

		Strongly disagree 1	Disagree   2	Natural   3	Agree   4	Strongly agree 5
1	My teammates will help each other to improve their technical standards.
2	My teammates will help each other to solve the difficulties of training.
3	My teammates can accept each other's personality.
4	I am pleased to accept the team objectives
5	I am popular in my team
6	I will discuss with my teammates about the mistakes made in the training and the game
7	I treat my teammates as family members.
8	I accept my teammates comment to improve my techniques
9	My teammates will care me about the problems I encountered in my life
10	My teammates no matter how the performance will support each other.
11	I was happy when I was involved in team training.
12	I think I can fully cooperate with the team's practice to improve my performance in the team.
13	I will find my teammates to help solve the difficulties encountered in life.
14	My teammates can share their thoughts with each other
15	Some of my friends are my team's partners.
16	I think in the team and each teammate can live in harmony.
17	We can work together for the game together.
18	Our team share the same ideas and views.
19	As we get along with each other, our opinions are very consistent.
20	following the team to participate in the game can be fun.
21	We can help each other to solve the problem of life.
22	We are usually concerned about each other.
23	I am fully able to accept the task assigned to me by the team.

Attachment:- Research Plan.rar