Authoritarianism and success of high school wrestling coaches

Wolfe, Daniel A., December 1976 Health, Physical Education and Recreation Authoritarianism and Success of High School Wrestling Coaches (59 pp.) Director: Dr. John L. Dayries The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between authoritarianism exhibited by coaches and their success in coaching high school wrestling. The subjects for the study were Class AAA high school wrestling coaches in Iowa who had been a head coach for at least three years immediately preceding the study. Data was collected concerning degree of authoritarianism, number of years of coaching experience and coaching success. Degree of authoritar­ ianism was measured using a modified F-Scale—Rokeach Dogmatism Scale and success was measured by won-lost percentage in dual meets for three years prior to the study. Initially, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were deter­ mined between F-cale score and won-lost percentage, F-Scale score and years in coaching and won-lost percentage and years in coaching. Following this a 3(F) Authoritarianism x 3 (C) Experience unweighted means analysis of variance was usgd with success as the dependent measure. Won-lost percentages were transformed using the arc-sine trans­ formation. A Scheffe Test was then calculated from the data to determine if significant differences occurred among cell means. Results indicated that, among the measures, years in coaching and wonlost percentage proved to be the only significant relationship (p<.01). The results of the analysis of variance indicated significant main effects of years of coaching (p^.Ol) and authoritarianism (p<.05) to success. No interaction was found. The Scheffe Test Indicated that conchcs hlph In both authoritarianism and coaching experience were sig­ nificantly more successful (p<.05) than those high in experience and of middle authoritarianism. Although more successful than coaches high in experience and low authoritarianism, no significant differences occurred.