Coaches’ Leadership Style and Motivational Climate of Players in South East Ethiopian National League Foot Ball Clubs

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between Coaches' Leadership Styles and Motivational Climate of Players in South East Ethiopian National League Football Clubs. The cross sectional study design was used. It was conducted on a single Competition Zone comprising 11 Clubs (N=275). 21 Coaches and 163 Players were selected using Yemane’s (1967) sample size determination formula. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire such as Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) developed by Chelladurai and Saleh (1980) and Perceived Motivational Climate for Sport Questionnaire-2 (PMCSQ-2) developed by Newton, Duda, & Yin (2000). The descriptive results showed, Coaches exhibited higher TI (M=47.0, SD=6.6) than Dem (M=31.5, SD=3.12) than SS (M=27.3, SD=3.0) than PF (M=18.2, SD=2.6) than Au (M=16.43, SD=3.11), where as Players Mastery Climate higher (M=73.7, SD=8.9) than Performance Climate (M=40.6, SD=6.4). Correlation result showed, TI revealed a significant relationship with Dem (r=.49, p=.022), PF (r=.639, p=.002), Dem revealed a significant relationship with SS (r=.46, p=.036) and significant relationship with PF (r= .504, p=.020). Age revealed a significant relationship with TI (r=.78, p=.000) and Dem (r=.64, p=.002), SS (r=.59, p=.004) and PF (r=.56, p=.008). Experience revealed a significant relationship with PF (r=.54, p=.012). Mastery Climate revealed a significant relationship with TI (r=.69, p=.000), Dem (r=.66, p=.001) and SS (r=.65, p=.002). Performance Climate revealed a significant negative relationship with TI (r= -.79, p=.000), Dem (r= -.74, p=.000) and SS (r= -.66, p=.001) and PF (r= -.49, p=.022). The independent t test results revealed Players had higher Mastery Climate (M=3.5, SD=.4) than the Performance Climate (M=3.4, SD=.5). This mean differences was statistically significant, t (324) =2.33, p=.021. The result of one way ANOVA showed, in all pairs (age, experience and educational level of players) there was a significant mean difference, F (2, 160)=192.8, p.=.000. The MLR result showed TI had a statistically significant positive relationship with Mastery Climate, r=.75, F (5, 15) =8.9, p=.010 and about 75% of the variance of the Mastery Climate score of Players was explained for by the variance in the TI of Coaches. TI of the Coaches was found to be a statistically significant predictor of Mastery Climate, B=.203, t=2.924, p=.010 and Au had a statistically significant positive relationship with Performance Climate, r=.91, F (5, 15) =30.6, p=<.05 and about 91% of and the variance of the Performance score of Players was explained for by the variance in the Au of Coaches. Au of the Coaches was found to be a statistically significant predictor of Performance, B=.203, t=2.924, p=.010B=.03, t=2.13, p=.049. Overall, the Leadership Style of the Coach significantly predicts the Motivational Climate. Keywords: Coaches’ Leadership styles, and Motivational Climate,