The person behind the team: a phenomenological exploration of the role of the sport supervisor in NCAA division I intercollegiate athletics.

As organizational connectors, athletic administrators who serve as sport supervisors, are integral to the success of intercollegiate athletic departments. However, little is known about the role of sport supervisor or the relationship between sport supervisors and head coaches. Thus, this study seeks to define and better understand the role of the sport supervisor in intercollegiate athletics and explore the relationship between the sport supervisor and the head coach. Through a descriptive phenomenological approach, 22 participants (11 sport supervisors and 11 head coaches) from NCAA Division I institutions were interviewed. Role theory guided the defining of the role while leader-member exchange theory directed the exploration of the relationship of the sport supervisor and the head coach. The findings show the role of the sport supervisor is to be a partner with the head coach by providing support, advocacy, and evaluation of the programs they supervise. Furthermore, the study highlighted the importance of trust in developing a high-quality relationship between a sport supervisor and a head coach. Additionally, sport supervisors need to show care and investment in the program as well as be intentionally present to help build trust with their head coaches. While head coaches can help build trust with their sport supervisor by being transparent. The findings from this study illuminate critical findings for individual programs within intercollegiate athletic departments as well as the department as a whole

Is Same-Gender Mentorship Important for Division III Female College Athletes?: An Application of the Mentor Role Theory

In the last twenty years, opportunities for women in intercollegiate athletics have grown exponentially. Unfortunately, women still represent a small number of head coaches in intercollegiate athletics, creating a disparity in numbers between female college athletes and female head coaches. This disparity has led to an imbalance for female college athletes searching for female role models and mentors. This study investigated the mentoring experiences of NCAA Division III female college athletes based on their lived experiences with both male and female head coaches. Using Mentor Role Theory (MRT), a set of qualitative responses were collected and analyzed. The participants highlighted career and psychosocial functions of MRT, with responses emphasizing positive and negative experiences with their past and present head coaches. Overall, female college athletes noted the importance of both career and psychosocial functions in their experiences with both male and female coaches. However, the college athletes’ experiences with their female head coaches were predominately positive, whereas, the participants were found to hold mixed experiences (both positive and negative) with their male coaches. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for Division III athletics, mentor role theory, and the importance of the coach/athlete relationship