Sport is a medium through which the leader can greatly influence the consequences. The purpose of this research was to examine the ways in which perceived coach leadership behaviors impact perceptions of coaching performance, individual athlete performance, team performance, and lifelong outcomes. In this study, two hundred seventy nine former student-athletes were asked to recall and report on the experiences they had as an athlete during high school along with specific lifelong outcomes (e.g., confidence, control etc.). Student judgment of their coaches' types of behavior, (e.g., Democratic vs. Autocratic) was compared with perceptions of their coach's performance, their individual performance, their team's performance and various lifelong outcomes. Results revealed that Training and Instruction, Social Support, and Positive Feedback were related to Coach Performance. Training and Instruction and Democratic Behaviors were related to Individual Athlete Performance. Training and Instruction and Positive Feedback were related to Team Performance. Social Support structures were related to Athlete Challenge. Training and Instruction was related to Athlete Confidence in Abilities and overall Lifelong Outcomes. Autocratic Behaviors were related to Athlete Control of Emotions. Training and Instruction was found to be related to every short-term performance component. Coaches seeking to impact performance of their teams can do so by utilizing these leadership behaviors. Many of these behaviors also have a long-term positive effect on the individual. Sport managers seeking to satisfy the goals of the organization may employ these leadership behaviors to select, train, and evaluate staff members to increase the overall effectiveness of the organization.

ABSTRACT: The researcher sought to compare the leadership styles and coaching behaviors of high school and collegiate head wrestling coaches, and the dynamic changes throughout the course of the wrestling season based on the perception of their student-athletes and the coaches' self-perceived leadership styles. The purpose of the current study was to compare the coaching behaviors and leadership styles of high school and Division III collegiate head wrestling coaches across three different points in time throughout the wrestling season (pre, mid, post). The Coaching Behavior Scale for Sport (CBS-S) was administered to high school and collegiate student-athletes three times throughout the season. The self-perceived version of the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) was administered one time to high school and collegiate head wrestling coaches. Qualitative measures in the form of one open-ended question was administered to student--athletes at each of the three time points throughout the season, and two open-ended questions were administered to the head wrestling coaches one time simultaneous to the LSS. Results of the LSS selfperceived version showed no significant main effects in leadership strategies between high school and collegiate head wrestling coaches. Significant differences throughout the course of the season were indicated on the CBS-S in the subscales of goal setting, positive rapport, physical training and conditioning, and mental preparation. Goal setting and positive rapport increased for both groups from the preseason to midseason, and then leveled off from the midseason to postseason. Physical training and conditioning, and mental preparation increased gradually throughout the season. Significant difference between groups existed on the CBS-S in the subscales of technical skills and competition strategies. Based on the perceptions of the student-athletes on the CBS-S scores, high school head coaches scored high on the subscales of technical skills and competition strategies when compared to collegiate coaches. The results of the open-ended questions indicated that according to the student-athlete perceptions, and self-perceptions of the head coaches, high school and collegiate head coaches displayed many similarities in some leadership and coaching behaviors, most notably training, technique and practices, but also had notable differences in leadership and coaching behaviors, most notably, individual instruction, support, tapering, management and organization, and recruiting and retention. Responses of open-ended questions as perceived by the student-athletes also indicated that difference in the dynamic changes throughout the course of the season occur between high school and collegiate wrestling coaches, most notably the amount of support provided to studentathletes and the usage of sport psychology strategies used.