Impacts on athlete motivation

Leadership styles can have a direct impact on both the individual athlete, as well as the entire program itself. Research attributes a direct correlation between the leadership style and coaching behavior of the head coach and the success of the entire program. By understanding the behavior desires that a player will need to in turn produce a high level of motivation, a coach will understand the individual player more intently. The study examines the attitudes, perceptions, and motivational drive of Division II women’s basketball players in response to the coaching behaviors that were displayed within their respective programs. The study explores the coaching behaviors, external factors, and preferred coaching traits to describe which components of these three categories contribute to the highest level of motivational success as perceived by the athletes within the programs.