Coaches attitudes about returning to play in youth and varsity sports post- COVID-19

BACKGROUND: One industry affected by the COVID-19 mandated social distancing policies is sport. In the wake of pressures to return to some normalcy, sport leagues have begun a return to play, many of which include regulations additional to the typical athlete and fan experience. Youth, Middle School, and High School sport leagues are of specific interest in America given the currently inconclusive national plan for returning to face-to-face instruction of students at schools. PURPOSE: The current goal is to identify the perceptions and experiences of current sport professionals throughout the country regarding a return to play. METHODS: The participants of this study were 181 Youth and High School Sport Coaches of various sports. The sample contained males (n = 123) and females (n = 58). The age of respondents ranged from 20 or more years of age. A return to play questionnaire was created and used to collect data for this study. The survey consisted of 12 yes or no questions regarding a return to play during the pandemic, with an opportunity for an open-ended explanation for each. Statistical methods employed to conduct data analysis included frequencies to determine percentages. A crosstabs analysis and Pearson Chi-Square tests of association were utilized to identify statistical significance within the variables. FINDING: No statistically significant association was found at the p ≤ .05 level between age or years of coaching experience and any response to a yes/no question. Percentages for high school coaches who responded "Yes" to each question are presented. Due to the wide variety of responses in these open-ended explanations, statistical expressions were not conducted, and an inclusive list of explanations for each question is provided. CONCLUSION: While the research result is unclear, the information obtained from coaches in the current study presents a small illustration of the current perceptions of athletic leaders in this region regarding the return to play of youth sport coaches and their respective schools' policies.

When Football Programs Increase the Racial and Gender Diversity at Small, Private Colleges

This research examined if the addition of new small, private college football programs increased the diversity of enrollment on campus and provided opportunities for underrepresented minority students to earn a college degree. The researchers examined enrollment trends at 150 private small colleges: 50 that started new football programs between the years of 1990-2013, 50 that had existing football programs, and 50 without football programs during the same period. The study found that the percentage of small private colleges that experienced high increases in minorities and male students (5% or higher) was higher among the colleges that started a new football program than at institutions with existing football programs or institutions without football programs. The study’s findings provide valuable information for college administrators considering adding a new football program at their institution. The study also contributes new research that explores how adding a new football program impacts the diversity of student enrollment at small, private collegiate institutions. Enrollment management directors must become more aware of the need to hire diverse faculty and staff that can better relate to and serve a diverse student body. In addition, athletic leaders can approach college decision makers with information related to how the addition of a new football program will affect the diversity of student enrollment.

Athletic Director Leader Behavior as a Predictor of Intercollegiate Athletic Organizational Effectiveness

Intercollegiate athletics has come under increasing scrutiny. Questions of leadership and the NCAA’s Presidents’ Commission reflect new levels of exposure and commitment to clean the athletic house. The problem of defining the academic/athletic balance in big-time college sports has polarized faculty, administrators, and athletic leaders at many colleges and universities. The purpose of this study was to examine athletic director and selected assistant perceptions of leader behavior to determine whether their perceptions contributed significantly to the prediction of intercollegiate organizational effectiveness. Findings indicate that effective athletic organizations have leaders who are more predisposed to goal and task accomplishment than to developing good interpersonal relationships with their subordinates. Contemporary leadership theory and management philosophy suggests that organizations that can accomplish both are most effective. Athletic directors may want to adjust their leadership behaviors to meet the managerial demands of today’s intercollegiate athletic program.