Abstract

Coach Leadership can be perceived as a behavioral process that under favorable conditions increases athlete performance and satisfaction According to the multidimensional model of leadership a basic prerequisite for the emergence of this effect is the congruence between preferred and perceived coach leadership behavior from the athletes vantage point This hypothesis was tested on a comprehensive sample of 165 Greek synchronized swimming athletes Athlete satisfaction was measured using the Athletes Satisfaction Scale while preferred and perceived leadership behavior was assessed with the Leadership Scale for Sports The present findings provide support for the hypothesis which states that the congruence between preferred and perceived coach leadership behavior leads to athletes satisfaction with leadership and partly with personal outcome At least three different constructs of leadership behavior training and instruction social support and positive feedback provide supplementary information for the formulation of the concept of satisfaction with leadership