Determining Private Youth Sport Coaches’ Wage Expectations for Tournament Attendance: A Market-Based Solution to Incentivize Tournament Attendance in Coaches of Individual Sports

Abstract

Incentive structures within the market-driven private youth tennis and athlete development system often fail to deliver optimal sport at the micro-level. Yet, remedying deficient incentive structures within the private youth sports setting has received little empirical inquiry. In examining an established deficiency in private youth tennis delivery deriving from macro-level incentive structures, the authors investigated the wage expectations, and determinants of wage expectations for private youth tennis coaches’ tournament attendance. Guided by human capital theory, rational choice theory, and the wage expectations literature, 111 private youth tennis coaches completed an online survey. Results found most coaches expect a wage comparable to an hour-long coaching session, with coaches’ expectations affected by years of experience, prior playing accomplishments, form of compensation, role responsibilities, and race. Findings do suggest a micro-level remedy for a deficient incentive structure can enhance tennis delivery and demonstrate the viability of a parent-financed coach tournament attendance service.