IT’S ALL ABOUT BUSINESS: AN EXPLORATION OF DIVISION I FEMALE COLLEGIATE ATHLETES’ INTERPRETATIONS OF COACHING PHILOSOPHIES AND PRACTICES

Abstract

In the setting of Division I Inter-collegiate athletics, the purpose of this study was to examine a female athletic program and the player’s interpretation of their head coaches guiding philosophies and behaviors. In particular, how do female athletes make meaning of their coaches’ style of facilitating practices, team meetings, and coaching during game play? A qualitative approach including one-on-one interviews and field notes were used. Upon distinguishing the coaching style of leadership methods and measuring player interpretation, the study found that players choose strict enforcement that comes with the battle of becoming a championship team above the need or want to create a positive coach-player relationship. In the findings, it was clear that the players revealed a true understanding their coach, they made meaning out of his unique coaching style methods, and they interpreted his overall coaching philosophy as impersonal yet preferable in the measures of how they wish to be a successful athlete.