Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the development of leadership among model youth football coaches. Six award-winning model youth football coaches (M age = 46.0 years, SD = 5.8), and one athlete from each stage of the coaches' careers (early, middle, recent; n = 18, M age = 24.4 years, SD = 4.3) were purposefully sampled and completed semi-structured interviews. Interviews included questions on leadership behaviours and factors that have influenced the development of the coaches' leadership. Deductive and inductive analyses were completed. First, data regarding the coaches' leadership behaviours from the coaches' and athletes' interviews were deductively coded into categories from the charismatic, ideological, and pragmatic (CIP) model of outstanding leadership (Mumford, 2006). The majority of reported behaviours the coaches used aligned with a pragmatic leadership style. However, none of the coaches' behaviours exclusively aligned with a single style. Second, data from the coaches' interviews were inductively analysed to identify factors that contributed to the development of their leadership. The following factors were identified: role models; networks of coaches; experience and reflection; and formal, non-formal, and informal learning. These factors were consistent, regardless of the coaches' leadership styles. Overall, the results of this study indicated that there may be benefit to considering broader models of leadership in coach education and in the study of leadership in sport, and establishing alternative coach education pathways for leadership development.
