Who takes the lead?
Identifying roles and characteristics of
athlete leaders within sport teams.
Katrien Fransen
KU Leuven
Prof. N. Vanbeselaere, Prof. B. De Cuyper, Prof. G. Vande Broek, Prof. F. Boen
Overview – Athlete leadership
1. Why focus on athlete leadership?
2. Different leadership roles
3. Specific role characteristics
4. Function of the team captain
Why focus on athlete leadership?
Volleyball
2365 participants
40 sources
Soccer
902 participants
72 sources
Top 3 – Most important sources of collective efficacy
1. My team comes together enthusiastically
after making a point.
1. Athlete leaders within the team believe
our team will win the game and express
this on the field.
2. Athlete leaders within the team believe
our team will win the game and express
this on the field.
2. The coach believes our team will win the
game and expresses this on the field.
3. Enthusiastic cheering of both field players
and bench players between the rallies.
3. The players play as one team, rather than
for individual succes.
Athlete leadership in press
Exploring athlete leadership
On-line Survey
Target population:
Coaches and players within all team sports in Flanders:
 Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Korfball,
Hockey, Ice hockey, Rugby, Water polo
Cooperation:
 Vlaamse Trainersschool
 Several sport federations
Response
Players
(# = 3193)
Coaches
(# = 1258)
Total response = 4451 participants
Overview – Athlete leadership
1. Why focus on athlete leadership?
2. Different leadership roles
3. Specific role characteristics
4. Function of the team captain
Athlete leader types
Task leader
Social leader outside the field
Motivational leader on the field
External leader
The most important leader
42%
32%
18%
8%
Overview – Athlete leadership
1. Why focus on athlete leadership?
2. Different leadership roles
3. Specific role characteristics
4. Function of the team captain
Characteristics athlete leaders
- Starter in game
- Most playing time
- Best player
- Most years of experience
- Played on the highest level
-Radiates the most self-confidence on the field
- Communicates the most when the team is
performing badly
- Most capable of inducing a turning over when
the team is behind
Characteristics athlete leaders
- Facial expressions or body language most clearly
express positive emotions during the game
- Most expression of collective efficacy when the
team is behind
- Most enthusiastic when the team makes a point
- Most enthusiastic, even when the team is performing
badly
-Most optimistic
- Cheers the most
- Most influence on the collective efficacy
of his teammates
- Exerts most effort on the field
- Exerts most effort during training
Characteristics athlete leaders
- Exerts most effort outside
the field
- Socially best accepted by his teammates
- Exerts most effort outside the field
- The oldest player
- For the longest time player in the team
Quality athlete leaders
 Most influence on the  Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his collective efficacy of his
teammates
teammates
 Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his
teammates
 Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his
teammates
 Most enthusiastic
when the team is
performing badly
 Socially best accepted  Socially best accepted
by his teammates
by his teammates
 Encourages his
teammates strongly
during the game
 Socially best accepted
by his teammates
 Encourages his
teammates strongly
during the game
 Exerts most effort
outside the field
Quality athlete leaders
 Most influence on the  Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his collective efficacy of his
teammates
teammates
 Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his
teammates
 Most influence on the
collective efficacy of his
teammates
 Most enthusiastic
when the team is
performing badly
 Socially best accepted  Socially best accepted
by his teammates
by his teammates
 Encourages his
teammates strongly
during the game
 Socially best accepted
by his teammates
 Encourages his
teammates strongly
during the game
 Exerts most effort
outside the field
Overview – Athlete leadership
1. Why focus on athlete leadership?
2. Different leadership roles
3. Specific role characteristics
4. Function of the team captain
Team captain
# leadership roles of the team captain:
Team captain
Task leader
Motivational leader on the field
32%
25%
CAPTAIN
16%
Social leader outside the field
10%
External leader
Conclusions
In 44% of the teams
In only 5% of the teams
the captain occupies
the captain occupies
NO leadership role!
3 or 4 leadership roles!
 Team captain
 Only a formal function?
 Selection criteria - team captains
 What about coaching the captain?
Coaches should pay more attention to identify and improve the leadership
qualities of their captain and other leaders in the team!
More information needed?
http://faber.kuleuven.be/enquete/sportleiderschap/
Thank you for your attention!
“Having great leadership is a big key to success. Our team
will go as far as our leaders are willing to take us.”
Mike Candrea
Contact: [email protected]