ABSTRACT
This chapter provides information on the factors that coaches could consider when they coach team sports. K. R. Westre and M. R. Weiss explored whether team cohesion was related to coach leadership style and coach behaviour. Higher frequencies of instruction by the coach, social support from the coach, a democratic style of leadership in which athletes had their say over decisions and positive feedback were associated with more task cohesion among athletes. More recent research has also found a relationship between coach behaviour and task and social cohesion. Bloom et al. examined expert coaches’ perceptions of team building and revealed that coaches planned team-building strategies before the season began and knew when different team-building activities would take place during the season, such as different training sessions and social activities. Mental imagery in which athletes focus on the team was linked to cohesion.
