High School Soccer Coaches' Perspectives on Referees' Use of Bases of Social Power

摘要

This thesis analyzes coaches' opinions on power use by high school soccer officials, using French and Raven's (1959) "Bases of Social Power". The thesis determines whether career length affects a coach's granting of power to officials and which power types are most common and effective. This study was based on a previous study by Warneke and Ogden (2012). Coaches believe that officials possess higher levels of coercive, legitimate, and reward power. Coaches indicated that officials most often use coercive power, but that reward or expert power are most effective. The most successful officials are those that can find balance between use of personality and power. Many coaches felt that officials are ineffective in carrying out their duties. As the stakes increase, so does the need for high quality coaches and referees. Failure to solve these conflicts will result in a decreased quality of officiating and the sport will suffer.