AUTHOR=Boisvert Matthieu M. , Loughead Todd M. , Munroe-Chandler Krista J. 

TITLE=The implementation and evaluation of an athlete leadership development program with male youth ice hockey players

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.648039

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.648039

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>The purpose of the current study was to implement and evaluate an athlete leadership development program in youth boys ice hockey. The sample consisted of 14 male U17 hockey players (<italic>M</italic> = 16.46, <italic>SD</italic> = 0.78) from one team playing in a competitive hockey league. The players participated in six leadership intervention workshops over the course of the season, and completed inventories measuring athlete leadership behaviours, cohesion, and collective efficacy pre-and post-intervention. In addition, a focus group was conducted to assess the impact of the athlete leadership development program at the end of the season. Bayesian <italic>t</italic> tests showed that the leadership program generally helped to maintain levels of athlete leadership behaviours, cohesion, and collective efficacy pre-and post-intervention. The results of the focus group following the intervention revealed the players believed the leadership development program helped buffer against the negative effects of their on-ice performances.</p>