An Application of Socialization Resources Theory

Abstract

Student-athletes’ adjustment to their collegiate teams is noted as especially difficult but is also underdeveloped as a topic of research. This article uses Socialization Resources theory to argue that student-athletes’ leader-member exchanges with coaches and team-member exchanges with teammates provide them with important resources that assist in their socialization. Data collected from 160 Division-I student-athletes from five universities demonstrated that portions of their understandings of team history, politics, and values and goals are accounted for by their exchange relationships. In particular, exchanges with assistant coaches and teammates appear to be most salient within student-athletes’ socialization process. As such, this article provides insight regarding the social dynamics that shape collegiate athletes’ understandings of their environments.

High School Athletes’ Reports of Confirmation as a Function of Starting Status and Leader–Member Exchange

“…Out-group relationships, however, are characterized by the absence of these features, more distrust, conflict, and direct use of superiors' authority (Fairhurst, 1993;Fairhurst & Chandler, 1989). In-group relationships with coaches are beneficial for athletes, as they provide increased opportunities to express their concerns or perspectives, foster greater affect for sporting experiences, facilitate more cohesive relationships with teammates, and provide knowledge about a team's goals and values (Cranmer, 2018;Cranmer & Buckner, 2017;Cranmer & Myers, 2015). Given the benefits of in-group relationships, coaching scholars and practitioners are called upon to understand how the quality of LMX relationships may shape athletes' subsequent sporting experiences and interactions (Case, 1998;Cranmer, 2016).…”

“…It is also justified based upon previous assertions regarding the importance of LMX with head coaches (Cranmer & Myers, 2015). Given recent evidence that assistant coaches and teammates are important sources of organizational understanding and athletes' voice (Cranmer, 2018;Cranmer & Buckner, 2017), it might be beneficial to consider other relational exchanges within future research.…”

A Study about the Impacts of Coach Behavior on Athletes’ Motivation: A Case Study of University’s Student-athletes

“…A previous study by Cranmer (2018) found that Coaches' interactions with their athletes have an impact on both skill development and psychosocial consequences. In light of the previous research work, the results of the present study found that coach behavior has created an important role in increasing motivation levels and abilities like social ability, confidence, discipline, decision-making ability and emotional control among athletes.…”

“…Coaches have critical responsibilities in sports, as they are accountable for a variety of outcomes related to player development and performance (Yurko, Ventura, & Horowitz, 2019). Coaches' interactions with their athletes have an impact on both skill development and psychosocial consequences (Cranmer, 2018). A coach is one who assists athletes in improving their performance to the maximum level possible (Morin, Samozino, & Cross, 2017).…”