2023 – Page 5 – The Sport Journal

The role of coach education in coaching philosophy development and implementation: A dual case study

Authors: Kim Ferner¹, Lindsay Ross-Stewart², and Drew Dueck²

¹Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas

²Department of Applied Health, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Corresponding Author:

Kim Ferner, MS
1155 Union Circle #310769
Denton, TX 76203-5017
Kimberly.Ferner@unt.edu
843-331-2876

Kim Ferner, MS is currently faculty and a Psychosocial Aspects of Sport doctoral student at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. Her research area includes coach education, coaching philosophy, and coach expectations of sport psychology services.

Lindsay Ross-Stewart, PhD, CMPC® is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Health at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, IL. Her research area includes a focus on sources of efficacy for athletes, including the impact of coaches on athlete development.

Drew Dueck, MS is a recent graduate from the Exercise and Sport Psychology graduate program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He is a track and field coach who is interested in coaching philosophy development, leadership, confidence, and motivation.

The role of coach education in coaching philosophy development and implementation: A dual case study

ABSTRACT

Developing a coaching philosophy (CP) is important due to the influence coaches have in creating positive sport environments for their athletes. Despite the numerous benefits identified in literature for developing a CP, limited research exists on whether coaches implement their philosophies, which has created a gap in the coaching literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore coaches’ perceptions of their coach education (CE) experiences and the influence this has had on their CP development and implementation. A secondary purpose was to understand athletes’ perceptions of their head coach’s CP through their experiences with their coach. A case study methodology, which is useful when exploring experiences and perceptions, was employed for this study. Two NCAA head coaches—one female and one male, along with two athletes from each coach’s team, were recruited for this study. The researcher conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant and examined the data with thematic analysis. The current study identified four themes: Comprehension of CP, Influences on CP, Communication of CP, and Coaching Goals. A discrepancy between CP theory and practice was observed via the disconnect in athlete and coach responses. Coaches’ reported experiences with CE were also found to impact their CP development and implementation. These findings indicate having a well-developed CP and positive CE experiences may lead to athletes having a better understanding of their coach, which may lead to a more positive sport experience. This study may be of use to coaches and coach educators interested in CPs and highlights the need for future research with larger, more inclusive samples.

Key Words: coach development, coach perceptions, athlete perceptions

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-08-09T11:13:25-05:00August 9th, 2023|Research, Sport Education|Comments Off

Marketing Division II athletics to college students: The perceived effectiveness of internally focused promotion tactics

Authors: Martin Barrett and Jeffrey R. Farr

Department of Recreation and Parks Management, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD, USA

Corresponding Author:

Martin Barrett, PhD
101 Braddock Road
Frostburg, MD 21532-2303
mbarrett@frostburg.edu
301-687-4475

Martin Barrett, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD. His diverse research interests focus on sport and environmental sustainability, the diffusion of non-traditional sports, and divisional reclassification within intercollegiate athletics.

Jeffrey R. Farr, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Recreation, Parks, and Sport Management at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD. His research interests focus on understanding the relationships between families and youth sport participation.

Marketing Division II athletics to college students: The perceived effectiveness of internally focused promotion tactics

ABSTRACT

Sport-based incentives such as sales promotions and atmospheric efforts such as augmenting the core product with entertainment programming are widely used in sport to increase attendance at events. Despite this, there is little understanding regarding the effectiveness of marketing and promotion activities in persuading and motivating college students to attend Division II athletic events. Therefore, this paper sought to understand the
perceived effectiveness of different types of marketing and promotion activities, as well as the relationship between perceived effectiveness and existing attendance behavior. Surveys collected from students attending a public university in the Mid-Atlantic region (N=327) revealed that behavioral response incentives – marketing tactics where the sport product is augmented to better match the primary motive for fan attendance – have the greatest perceived effectiveness in persuading and motivating attendance. In addition, behavioral response incentives were positively related to attendance behavior; meaning students who were already regularly attendees perceived these types of marketing and promotion activities to be even more effective. The results from this study should guide athletic marketing efforts at the Division II level in the implementation of marketing and promotion activities to generate optimal return on investment.

Key Words: athletics, marketing, promotion, incentives, atmospherics

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-05-12T17:48:58-05:00May 12th, 2023|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Obesity on the Line! An Analysis of High School Linemen Recruited to Play for “Power Five” Schools

Authors: Jeffrey J. Fountain¹, Peter S. Finley², and Thomas Wuerzer³

¹Department of Management at Nova Southeastern University

²Department of Management at Nova Southeastern University

³Department of Public Administration & Real Estate Development at Nova Southeastern University

Correspondence:

Jeffrey J. Fountain
Carl DeSantis Building
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33314-7796
jeffjf@nova.edu
954-262-8129

Jeffrey Fountain, Ph.D., and Peter Finley, Ph.D., are both Associate Professors of Sport and Recreation Management at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. Their research interests focus on issues in college athletics with an emphasis on college athlete welfare.

Thomas Wuerzer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in theDepartment of Public Administration & Real Estate Development at Nova Southeastern University. His research focus is on Geographical Information Systems with an emphasis on Public Health

Obesity on the Line! An Analysis of High School Linemen Recruited to Play for “Power Five” Schools

Abstract

Purpose: This article explored the changing body sizes of high school football linemen recruited to play for “Power 5” schools between 2003 and 2020 when factoring in the position group. This study also allowed for a cross-sectional analysis to explore body size differences within and between “Power 5” conferences. Methods: The dataset contained 7,428 linemen, and a cross-sectional design was used to examine position and conference affiliation related to the differences in height, weight, and Body Mass Index over three time periods. Statistical analysis was conducted using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis H tests and post-hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction for pairwise comparisons. Results: The results showed that while height did not significantly change, weight continued to increase, particularly among defensive tackles, offensive centers, and guards. Conclusions: In some “Power 5” conferences, the number of linemen recruits weighing more than 300 pounds had more than doubled over this period. This adds to the player obesity discussion and the systematic issues that allow linemen to continue to play at weight levels categorized as obese, with little apparent regard for the risk of injury or long-term health implications. Application in Sport: College football decision-makers will be able to use the results of this study to demonstrate a need for new health protocols and policies that reduce the number of obese and significantly overweight linemen.

Keywords: college football, BMI, health risk

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-05-05T15:24:56-05:00May 5th, 2023|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Restructuring NFL Ownership, A New Way Forward

Authors: R. Matthew Hedges¹, David Hughes²

¹School of Continuing Studies, Sports Industry Management, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA
²School of Continuing Studies, Sports Industry Management, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA

Corresponding Author:

R. Matthew Hedges, MPS
295 Durham St.
Unit F
Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034
ramonmhedges@gmail.com
541-727-1008

¹R. Matthew Hedges, MPS, is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies and studied Sports Industry Management. In light of the current sports franchise ownership market and the lack of diversity thereof, Hedges’ interest includes finding a pathway to a more inclusive sports ownership structure.

²David C. Hughes, Ph.D., M.Ed., is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. His specialties include esports, diversity, equity, and inclusion within sports management, and sports technology.

Restructuring NFL Ownership, A New Way Forward

ABSTRACT

Racial discrimination still exists in the NFL today. What has been referred to as a modern-day plantation, NFL franchises have insufficient diversity at the ownership level as well as in the top front office positions. NFL franchise owners have illimitable power and are averse to a 21^st-century progressive society. The league is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that is owned and operated by 32 franchise owners. Although the NFL is the behemoth of the sports industry, there are ingrained systemic issues. Instead of putting a band-aid on a bullet wound, the NFL must address the diversity concerns with strategic initiatives to overcome the deficiencies. A comprehensive top-down structural reformation is required to alter the ownership level. With the introduction of private equity funds, amending the Rooney Rule to include limited partners, and modifying the relationship between NFL franchises and their respective local governments, diversity within senior executives will advance. While the 32 owners have tightly held the reins of the league, a revolution must transpire.

Key Words: NFL Ownership, Diversity in the Workplace, Social Reform, Private Equity, Rooney Rule, Equal Opportunity

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-04-27T16:37:15-05:00April 28th, 2023|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Environmental Sustainability Practices in Minor League Sports [EARTH DAY PUBLICATION]

Authors: Mark Mitchell¹, Melissa Clark¹, and Sara Nimmo²

¹Wall College of Business, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA

²University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Corresponding Author:

Professor of Marketing
Associate Dean, Wall College of Business
NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR)
Coastal Carolina University
P. O. Box 261954
Conway, SC 29528
mmitchel@coastal.edu
(843) 349-2392

Mark Mitchell, DBA is Professor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Melissa Clark, PhD isProfessor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Sara Nimmo is a 2022 Honors Graduate of Coastal Carolina University. Nimmo currently works in Sports Marketing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and previously served as a Fan Engagement Assistant with MiLB’s Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Environmental Sustainability Practices in Minor League Sports

ABSTRACT

Recently, there has been heightened attention on what businesses are doing to sustain the environment. This trend has also impacted minor league sports. Many teams have developed and implemented strategies to lessen the environmental impact of their operations. Consultation with officials of a local minor league baseball team, in addition to extensive information search, identified the strategies used by teams and leagues to improve the environmental sustainability of their part of the sports industry. A cluster analysis was then performed to classify the strategies identified into categories of similar topics. To date, the main areas where minor league sport teams have focused their efforts on environmental sustainability are: (1) facility-related matters (i.e., sustainable certificates, renewable energy, and changes in water and fertilizer usage); and (2) waste reduction (i.e., recycling, paperless ticketing, digital publications). Many of these sustainability initiatives were introduced during the COVID global pandemic as teams and leagues sought to play games while concurrently lower costs and limiting contact among fans and staff. Since their introduction, many of these practices, particularly those dealing with waste reduction, have become standard operating procedures. As fans become more aware of the need to reduce the environmental impact of business operations, they will apply those expectations to minor league sports teams and leagues. Teams and leagues are responding driven by the concurrent desire to sustain their business and to lower the environmental impact of their operations.

Key words: minor league sports, environmental sustainability, facilities, waste reduction

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-04-20T15:01:13-05:00April 21st, 2023|Research, Sports Facilities, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off