Decision styles and coaching effectiveness in university soccer.

The Normative Model for Decision Styles in Coaching (Chelladurai and Haggerty, 1978) was empirically tested using Canadian Intercollegiate (CIAU) soccer teams. The subsequent utility of the model's prescriptions for optimizing decision styles of soccer coaches was seriously questioned. Only 33% agreement was found with the model's prescriptions for both CIAU coaches and their athletes. Neither coaches nor athletes were particularly inclined to use delegation in decision making. Athletes, more than their coaches, preferred consultative styles. In support of research findings from business and industrial settings, there was evidence to suggest that high congruence scores between a coach's decision styles and those preferred and perceived by athletes, could predict athlete perceptions of coaching effectiveness.