RETENTION FACTORS IN COACHING AND ATHLETIC MANAGEMENT: DIFFERENCES BY GENDER, POSITION, AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

This study was undertaken to identify the reasons coaches and athletic administrators stay in their positions. A total of 359 intercollegiate university and college coaches and athletic administrators responded to a questionnaire consisting of 33 items that elicited (a) the extent of how important each item was for staying in one's present position and (b) the fulfillment attached to each item. Previous empirical analyses of the retention items yielded three factors: Work Balance and Conditions, Recognition and Collegial Support, and Inclusivity. Two separate multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were used to analyze the two sets of dependent variables (importance and fulfillment of retention items) with the independent variables (gender, position, and country). The identification of retention factors provides preliminary knowledge that may be useful for creating a work environment that encourages coaches and athletic managers to remain in their positions.