Correlation between Leadership Style and Athlete Motivation among Males and Females Adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between the leadership style and athlete motivation among males and females adolescent athletes at SMK Dato 'Lela Pahlawan, Padang Serai Kedah. There were a total of 64 respondents comprising 32 male athletes and 32 female athletes who participated in various sports and were experienced with coach leadership styles. The data collection instruments used in this study were Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS), which measured five leadership behaviours perceived by athletes and Sports Motivation Scales (SMS), which determined the three basic factors of motivation including the intrinsic, extrinsic and amotivation of the athletes. The findings from Pearson product moment correlation analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between leadership behaviours and intrinsic motivation for male athletes in the training and instruction dimension (r = 0.64, p = 0.000, p < 0.05), and democracy dimension (r = 0.38, p = 0.032, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, for female athletes, analysis also shows that there was a low and significant positive relationship between the leadership behaviours and the intrinsic motivation on training and instruction (r = 0.62, p = 0.000, p < 0.05), democratic (r = 0.59, p = 0.000, p < 0.05), positive feedback (r = 0.50, p = 0.004, p < 0.05), and social support (r = 0.49, p = 0.005, p < 0.05). Pearson product moment correlation analysis found a low and significant positive relationship between leadership behaviours and extrinsic motivation for male athletes for the training and instruction dimension (r = 0.52, p = 0.002, p < 0.05), and democracy dimension (r = 0.51, p = 0.003, p <0.05). Meanwhile, for female athletes, analysis also shown that there was a low and significant positive relationship between the behavioural leadership behaviours and the extrinsic motivation on autocratic (r = 0.60, p = 0.000, p < 0.05), democratic (r = 0.51, p = 0.003, p < 0.05), social support (r = 0.50, p = 0.003, p < 0.05), and training and instruction (r = 0.41, p = 0.020, p < 0.05). Therefore, there were significant relationship differences between leadership behaviour of coaches and athletes' motivation among males and females and either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation towards the athlete. In conclusion, relevant parties, especially coaches who play an important role as leaders in the developing of athletes' psychological aspects, especially motivation, can increase the satisfaction and performance among adolescent athletes.