Leadership Behavior and Challenges of Swimming Coaches in the Province of Albay

Abstract

This study aims to determine the Leadership Behavior and Challenges of Swimming Coaches in the Province of Albay. The participants of the study include 30 swimming coaches in the 1st and 2nd district of Albay during the school year 2017- 2019. Purposive sampling was used in this study. The researcher utilized the mixed method of research, the Quantitative and Qualitative design. Findings showed that majority of respondents are typically married men in their late 30s. Most of the swimming coaches attended the same trainings and seminars in swimming. The most or strongly observed behavior among the coaches are the training and instruction behavior and positive feedback or rewarding behavior. It only shows that they focused more on the training process towards the athlete's improvement. Autocratic behavior ranked last among the leadership behaviors. Coaches who exhibit this type of behavior must concentrate on the training process in order to enhance their athletes' results. They must be able to teach an athlete/swimmer how to learn the requisite skills. The coaching leadership style should be suited to the situation. Excellent coaches can switch between styles automatically, depending on the behavior of the athlete and the task at hand. Among the five leadership behaviors, autocratic is the least effective and the most effective is the positive feedback followed by training and instruction, democratic and social support. The swimming coaches in the Province of Albay are less practicing the democratic nor the autocratic style of coaching. The level of effectiveness of the leadership behavior showed that coaches exhibited a higher leadership style in training and instruction followed by positive feedback, social support, and democratic and low in autocratic behavior. Swimming coaches should keep their swimmers motivated whether they are losing or winning. On the other hand, during the interview, the swimming coaches in the Albay Province enumerated several issues and concerns that need immediate action or attention. The researcher developed an action plan to address the challenges faced by the swimming coaches along with democratic behavior, autocratic behavior, training behavior, social support, and positive feedback.