4 roles (1%) 3 roles (4%)
1 role (37%)
2 roles (15%)
0 roles (44%)
Towards a new athlete leadership classification: Using Social Network Analysis to investigate the leadership role of the team captain
Fransen, K.1, Van Puyenbroeck, S.1, Loughead, T. M.2, Vanbeselaere, N.1, De Cuyper, B.1, Vande Broek, G.1, & Boen, F.1 1 Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Belgium; 2 Department of Kinesiology, University of Windsor, Canada
STUDY 1 4451 participants
Methods: Social Network Analysis
Conclusions
# leadership roles provided by the team captain:
In many teams, the team
captain is not perceived as
the best leader. Other players
within the team take the lead,
both on and off the field.
Teams are characterized by
shared leadership!
The coach, the captain, and
the informal leaders take the
lead together.
These findings question
the selection criteria
used to assign the
function of team captain.
Coaches should pay more
attention to identify and
improve the leadership
qualities of their captain and
other leaders in the team!
This research was supported by a
PhD Fellowship (Aspirant) of the
Research Foundation Flanders (FWO).
Acknowledgements
Players
(# = 3193)
Soccer (589)
Basketball (1959)
Volleyball (1287)
Handball (116)
Netball (118)Hockey
(127)
Ice hockey
(72)Rugby (84)
Water polo (99)
Very similar results
regardless of…
Sport
Male/Female teams
Level
Player/Coach
Task leader
Social leader External leader
Motivational leader
Very weak
leader
Weak
leader
Moderate
leader
Strong
leader
Very strong
leader
1. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
2. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
3. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
4. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
5. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
6. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
7. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
8. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
9. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
10. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
11. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
12. Name player 0 1 2 3 4
13. My coach 0 1 2 3 4
Please indicate for each of your teammates how well
you perceive their general leadership qualities?
STUDY 2: General leadership quality
0
1
2
3
4
General leadership
Task leadership
Motivational leadership
Social leadership
External leadership
All-round leadership
Ind
eg
ree
ce
ntr
alit
y
Team captain
Athlete leader
Coach
25 teams (N = 308)
Soccer
Basketball
High level Handball
Female team
Male team
High level
Low level
Volleyball
Low level
Coaches (# = 1258)
STUDY 2
21 teams (N = 267)
STUDY 3
Player 5
Team Captain
Player 1
Player 4
Player 2 Player 3
Player 10
Player 8
Player 7
Task leader
Coach Player 6
Player 9
Player 11
Player 8 Player 6
Player 10
Player 5
Team Captain
Coach Player 7
Player 1 Player 9
Player 4
Social leader
Player 11
Social leader
Player 2
STUDY 3: Role-specific leadership quality
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Task leadership
Motivational leadership
Social leadership
External leadership
All-round leadership
Nu
mb
er
of te
am
s (
N =
21
)
Best leader
Second best leader
Third best leader
Other
Indegree centrality =
Average received leadership
rating of all other players
Team gender Level of competition Sport
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