1.13: Sports and Sports Management

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss how coaching and PE pedagogy are different.
2. Define sport.
3. Discuss the different roles a coach has.

Coaching and Sport Management

Most people that start a sports management career start as an athlete themselves and then move on to coaching the next generation of upcoming athletes. After coaching some individual teams, they will continue into sport management as athletic directors or facilities directors overseeing many teams, and coaches, and possibly managing the facilities used by those teams.

Education and a career as a coach closely aligns with the content from chapter 7 covering physical education and pedagogy. Teaching a PE class and coaching an athletic team will be similar, but with a major difference in that the athletes want to be there and are willing to put in the effort to become better.

Education and a career in sports management are the furthest from “kinesiology” that we will cover in this textbook, as it is closer to business management, but that business happens to be sport/athletics.

It is important to discuss the differences (if there are any) between hobbies, games, and sports.

Sports are usually considered physical activities in which two sides (individuals or teams) compete against each other with well-defined rules that both sides understand. The rules of sports are usually well established and standardized across regions, meaning that if you played basketball in California or in France you would expect the basketball to be the same size, shape, and weight as well as the court to be the same size with the same rules for moving, scoring, and what constitutes a foul. Sports are often very competitive, and rules are enforced by a referee or judge. With sports, the motivation to compete and excel can be external, meaning their external rewards like a paying job or scholarship that motivate individuals to continue playing and practicing beyond the joy of the activity.

Games can also be physically active in which two sides compete against each other, but with usually less defined rules, or using unique made-up rules. Think of a childhood game you played like tag; it is likely that the area you grew up in had different regional rules compared to another state or country of a similar game. Most likely the rules of your local schoolyard were passed down from older kids to younger kids year after year, slowly changing as the space or equipment in your schoolyard changed. Games usually do not have a referee or judge to observe and enforce rules but rely on participants being honest about catching a ball or being tagged out. The participants of games usually continue to play for internal motivation, meaning they derive joy from playing and want to continue getting better because it makes them happy to improve.

The term hobbies act as a catch-all for activities that do not neatly fall into “sports” or “games”. Hobbies do not necessarily have to be physically active or competitive, like painting. Hobbies are also likely done because of internal motivation and bring happiness to the person performing them, but many people make their living painting art so the lines are blurred.

Critical Thinking

How would you define the following activities between sport, game, or hobby, and why?

1. NBA Basketball
2. Pickup basketball at a park
3. Cheerleading
4. NASCAR
5. Chess
6. eSports

As discussed earlier in this textbook, the development of games and sports came from a societal need to train their boys to be warriors. As the study of the human movement grew and developed, more schools and universities started to incorporate athletics and intercollegiate competition. This growth has continued in current times with the NCAA reporting 560,000 student-athletes in the 2013-2014 academic year, which is more than double from 1990.

During the early 1900s opportunities for women to participate in sports were limited by social constraints. At first female participation was only allowed for activities that could be completed without sweating, like archery. Archery was one of the first women’s Olympic events in 1904. Women’s sport participation continued to be limited for the next century. As recently as the 1960s women were prohibited from running a marathon because it was incorrectly believed that much running would cause fertility issues for women.

Racial segregation in America also impacted a wide range of divisions in sport participation as well for people of color. A notable victory in showing racial equality was in the 1936 Olympics when Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and on the 4x100-meter relay. This was all done in front of Adolf Hitler who had thought to promote his idea of Aryan racial superiority.

Inclusion and equality are critical topics to be continually discussed in sports and sport management.

Critical Thinking

Have you experienced or seen inequality in sports? How could this injustice be eliminated in sports?

A coach has many “jobs” of leading a team to success, from recruiting athletes (when allowed), to planning and coaching the sport, to handling internal conflict among the athletes.

College coaches recruit athletes through a variety of methods, including.

1. Evaluating performance at high school games and tournaments: College coaches often attend high school games and tournaments to evaluate potential recruits. They look for athletes who demonstrate skill, athleticism, and a strong work ethic.
2. Attending showcase events and camps: Many college coaches also attend showcase events and camps where they can watch multiple athletes compete in a single location. These events often draw large numbers of athletes and can be a great way for coaches to evaluate a large pool of potential recruits.
3. Online scouting: With the rise of online video and social media, many college coaches also use the internet to scout potential recruits. Athletes can create online profiles and upload videos of their performances, making it easier for coaches to evaluate their skills and athleticism.
4. Contacting high school coaches: College coaches often reach out to high school coaches to inquire about potential recruits. High school coaches can provide valuable insights into an athlete's character, work ethic, and performance.
5. Hosting campus visits: Once coaches have identified potential recruits, they often invite them to visit their campus. During these visits, coaches can showcase their facilities, introduce athletes to current team members, and provide information about the school's academic programs.
6. Building relationships with athletes and their families: Finally, college coaches often build relationships with athletes and their families to help them make an informed decision about where to attend school. Coaches may offer guidance on the college application process, provide information about financial aid and scholarships, and answer any questions the athlete or their family may have.

Professional and college coaches use a variety of methods to recruit athletes, including evaluating performance at high school games and tournaments, attending showcase events and camps, online scouting, contacting high school coaches, hosting campus visits, and building relationships with athletes and their families. By using these methods, coaches can identify and recruit top talent to their teams. Money can also make a huge impact.

Signing day

As a coach, building practice plans is an essential part of preparing your team for competition and helping them improve their skills. Here are some steps you can follow to create effective practice plans:

1. Define your goals: Before you start planning, it's important to have a clear idea of what you want your team to achieve. This might include improving specific skills, working on teamwork, or preparing for an upcoming competition.
2. Break down your goals into smaller objectives: Once you have defined your goals, break them down into smaller, achievable objectives. For example, if your goal is to improve your team's passing skills, you might have objectives such as "improve accuracy," "increase speed," and "work on timing."
3. Choose appropriate drills and exercises: Once you have your objectives, choose drills and exercises that will help your team achieve them. Make sure the drills you choose are appropriate for your team's skill level and address the specific areas you want to improve.
4. Create a schedule: Once you have your drills and exercises, create a schedule that outlines what your team will be doing at each practice. Be sure to include warm-up and cool-down exercises, as well as time for skill-building drills, team-building exercises, and any other activities that will help your team achieve their goals.
5. Make adjustments as necessary: Practice plans are not set in stone, and you may need to make adjustments based on how your team is performing. Pay attention to how your team is responding to the drills and exercises and make adjustments as necessary to ensure they are getting the most out of each practice.
6. Evaluate your progress: After each practice, evaluate your team's progress towards your goals. Make note of areas where your team is excelling and areas where they need more work. Use this information to adjust your practice plans for the next session.

By following these steps, you can create effective practice plans that help your team improve their skills, build teamwork, and prepare for competition. Remember to be flexible and adjust as necessary to ensure your team is getting the most out of each practice session.

Dealing with internal conflict within a sports team can be challenging for any coach or athletic director. These kinds of riffs can destroy otherwise successful teams. There are many examples of how teams fall apart when their internal cohesion is off.

1. Acknowledge and address the conflict: It's important to acknowledge that there is a conflict within the team and address it head-on. Ignoring it or hoping it will go away on its own is unlikely to be effective.
2. Facilitate communication: Encourage open communication among team members to help them express their concerns, needs, and opinions. It's important to listen to all sides of the conflict and work to find common ground. Promote teamwork: Remind team members that they are a team and that their success depends on everyone working together. Encourage them to focus on the team's goals rather than their individual agendas.
3. Set ground rules: Establish clear ground rules for team behavior, communication, and conflict resolution. Make sure that all team members understand and agree to these rules.
4. Provide support: Provide support and guidance to team members who may be struggling with conflict. This could include one-on-one meetings, counseling, or other resources that may be available.
5. Consider external mediation: If the conflict is particularly difficult to resolve, consider bringing in an external mediator to help facilitate communication and find a resolution.

The coach should strive to create a positive team culture where conflicts are addressed constructively and openly, and team members are empowered to work together to overcome challenges.

The average career path for a coach is very similar to that of an athlete, starting with youth sports and slowly advancing to older and more competitive leagues as the coach learns and develops their own skills. Considered one of the best coaches of all time Coach Mike Krzyzewski started as an assistant coach and eventually coached the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball team to three gold medals.

Gender pay inequality in professional sports is a hot topic in the athletic world right now.

Professional basketball in America (NBA and WNBA) shows stark contrasts between what the average player is paid. The average NBA player makes just over 9.6 million dollars a year, while the average WNBA player makes just under 130 thousand dollars a year. These figures do not include any other income from endorsements or product lines. The total revenue of each league is vastly different as well making some argue that the different pay scales are justified. The NBA profits about 10 billion dollars a year while the WNBA reportedly runs about a 10-million-dollar deficit each year.

Professional tennis players face a significant pay gap between genders as well.

American soccer (football for the rest of the world) is another great comparison for gender pay gaps. Recently US Soccer has agreed on equal pay for men's and women's national players. Internationally there is still a major gap in pay.

CrossFit started with and maintains equal reward money for male and female competitors.

The largest argument for unequal pay is that the men’s leagues/games earn more money through TV viewership (ad money), ticket sale numbers and prices, and sports merchandise sold.

Critical Thinking

What is your opinion on the athletic gender wage gap? What would be a better solution?

Title IX is a 1972 law to remove many of the obstacles for girls and women from getting into sports.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation, in be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

While Title IX impacts many aspects of public education in the United States, from the scope of coaching and sport management it means that a public school is required to have equal quality sporting equipment, equal facility time, and roughly equal offerings on male and female sports programs. Schools with football programs will sometimes have to offer more female sports to offset the massive cost of football. While Title IX was not specifically designed for athletics it has greatly improved the opportunity for girls to enter athletics.

Classically an athletic director is someone managing the sports teams at a school, usually a high school or college. They will have similar responsibilities as a sports manager or facilities manager for a nonacademic sports team or complex.

Sports management is a field that focuses on the business aspects of sports, including the planning, organizing, and directing of athletic events and programs. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws on kinesiology, business management, and marketing.

One key aspect of sport management is the organization and administration of sporting events, including the responsibilities of building and coordinating schedules, securing facilities, managing budgets, and promoting events to the public. That also includes working with sponsors or vendors, negotiating contracts, and ensuring that all necessary permits and licenses are obtained.

Individuals in sport management as athletic trainers or sports facilities managers will need to develop and implement rules and regulations for their athletes and staff. These rules will cover all aspects of the day-to-day routines but also include drug testing, injury prevention, and facility maintenance.

Sports managers may also play a role in the financial management of the sports organization including setting ticket prices, negotiating contracts with sponsors and broadcasters, or developing a marketing strategy to increase revenue.

All of these external interactions require social skills and finesse in fundraising and making hard financial decisions.

If this chapter was of interest to you and you think combining business with sport is your path forward, consider looking for a Sports Management or Sports Business degree and start to build your experience with youth coaching.