Leadership Principles in Coaching Basketball

This study examined the use of leadership principles in coaching basketball. Specifically, this study examined the use of seven principles used to “lead down” proposed by John C. Maxwell in The 360 Degree Leader. Literature surrounding various aspects of coaching basketball such as Albert Bandura’s theories on self-efficacy, motivation, and leadership are discussed and reviewed. In the study, a seven-question survey was distributed among basketball coaches in order to determine which of the seven principles are used. Results show all seven principles are used at rates above 80% as reported by basketball coaches. Although each principle received high agreement ratings in the study, four of the seven principles were reported as being used above the 90.33% group average.