Gender Preference? National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Student-Athletes and Strength and Conditioning Coaches

Abstract

Shuman, KM and Appleby, KM. Gender Preference? National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Student-Athletes and Strength and Conditioning Coaches. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2924-2933, 2016-The purpose of this study was to examine the preferences and attitudes of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) junior and senior class student-athletes toward the gender of their strength and conditioning coach (SCC). This study contributes to the empirical body of literature regarding student-athlete and strength and conditioning coach interaction specific to gender-related information and extends the efforts to increase student-athlete success. A qualitative framework was used for this study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 NCAA DI junior or senior class student-athletes who had been exposed to and coached by both a male and a female SCC. The results of this study concluded that, in general, participants did not have a specific gender preference for their SCC. However, participants indicated a preference for a coaching leadership style, which conveyed (a) leadership ability, (b) professionalism,