The Association between High School Coach’s Leadership Behaviors and Athletes’ Self-Efficacy and Grit

This quantitative study sought to determine the relationship between a coach's leadership behaviors and their athletes' self-efficacy and grit.Specifically, the goal was to determine whether behaviors informed by (a) training and instruction, (b) democratic behavior, (c) autocratic behavior, (d) social support, or (e) positive feedback of a coach impacted the student-athlete.The relationship between athletes and coaches is important and can influence an athletes' athletic performance.This research investigated the effects of this relationship on the student-athletes' self-efficacy and grit.Data were collected from 197 college students from a public university in a rural area in the southern portion of the United States.The findings indicated that studentathletes' perceptions of their former high school coaches' leadership behaviors significantly influenced their self-efficacy and grit.Implications for practice highlighted the importance of the student-athlete and coach relationship and how this relationship can positively impact self-efficacy and grit.