Preservice Coach Education Students’ Rankings of Coach Characteristics: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Preservice coach education students (PCES) can provide valid insight into the most important coaching characteristics of the successful coach. Over the course of 21 academic semesters from 2002 to 2020, 1,464 PCES responded to a coaching characteristics survey while enrolled in a coach education course (CEC) at a university in the northern Rocky Mountain region of the United States. The PCES completed a survey that required the forced ranking of 10 coaching characteristics. The students’ responses were compiled and analyzed for the categorization of the most important coaching characteristics. This study was to provide the opportunity for PCES to rank preferred coach characteristics, to determine whether significant differences existed between the coach characteristic rankings, and to establish if gender differences were present in the ranking of coach characteristics. Conclusions and recommendations are offered to contribute to the advancement of coach education and insight into the most valued coaching characteristics as determined by the PCES.