Leadership Styles of Rugby Coaches in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbeag.71(2).17Keywords:
coaching leadership styles, rugby, democratic leadership, authoritarian leadership, laissez-faire leadershipAbstract
Introduction: Leadership style is a central component of coaching practice and may shape the interpersonal climate within team sports. This study investigates leadership styles among rugby coaches across developmental categories in Romanian clubs. Objectives: The primary objective was to identify the prevalence of democratic, authoritarian (autocratic), and laissez-faire (neglectful/ passive) leadership styles among rugby coaches across age categories (Mini Rugby, U14, U16, U18, U20, Seniors). Materials and Methods: The study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design using a researcher-developed Leadership Style Scale, conceptually informed by the Coaches’ Interpersonal Style Questionnaire. The questionnaire included 10 items measuring three leadership styles and was administered online via Google Forms to a sample of 40 male rugby coaches aged 24–50 years. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = frequently/always). Data were collected anonymously over a one-month period (May–June 2025) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, with results visualized through comparative graphs by age category. Results: Democratic leadership recorded the highest mean scores across all age categories, while laissez-faire leadership showed consistently low values. Authoritarian leadership displayed greater variability between categories, with higher mean scores at the senior level. Conclusions: The findings indicate a predominant use of democratic leadership practices across developmental levels in Romanian rugby coaching, accompanied by situational use of directive behaviors and limited reliance on passive leadership. These descriptive results provide a basis for further research examining how coaching leadership styles relate to athlete experiences and team processes.
Article history: Received 2026 February 27; Revised 2026 April 16; Accepted 2026 April 20; Available online 2026 June 30; Available print 2026 July 30
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