DO COACHES EFFICACY EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR TEAMS PREDICT TEAM PERFORMANCE

This study examined the relationship between coaches' efficacy expecta tions for their teams, ratings of opponents' ability, perceived contro l over outcome, perceived importance of success, and basketball perfor mance. A second pur pose was to identify sources of coaches' team effi cacy. Four collegiate women's basketball coaches completed questionnai res prior to 10 basketball games (N = 40). Results indicated that coac hes' efficacy was significantly correlated with perceived control over the outcome (the higher their efficacy, the higher their perceived co ntrol). Regression analysis found that coaches' efficacy was a signifi cant predictor of making free throws and committing few turnovers and that perceived opponent ability was a significant predictor of coaches ' efficacy. An inductive content analysis of the sources of coaches' e fficacy beliefs identified sources of high and low efficacy for coache s (e.g., previous game performance, practice performance, comparison w ith opponent).