Date of Award
2009
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Kinesiology
Supervisor
Dr. Jim Weese
Second Advisor
Dr. Alison Doherty
Third Advisor
Dr. Julie McMullin
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the effect of participation in intercollegiate sport on the leadership success of former student-athletes who played intercollegiate basketball for The University of Western Ontario between 1965 and 1970. Thirty participants from these teams, twenty men and ten women, completed semi- structured interviews as part of a qualitative retrospective study on their intercollegiate experiences and their work and life since then. Participants believed that on reflection, playing intercollegiate sport prepared them for leadership success in work and life. The intercollegiate atmosphere, their teammates, and the coaching staff exposed the participants to teachable leadership behaviours which were further fostered through the opportunity to utilize these behaviours and reflect upon the lessons learned from their experiences. Results suggest that intercollegiate sport is a fertile ground for leadership development for student-athletes - both formal leaders and informal leaders alike - that endures beyond the sport environment.
Recommended Citation
Beard, Shawn M.N., "PERCEPTIONS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SPORT: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMS (1965-1970)" (2009). Digitized Theses. 3887.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/3887