Development and validation of the evaluation and selection criteria scale for coaches: Factor structure, validity and reliability

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and provide initial validation of a scale designed to identify the evaluation and selection criteria of 585 coaches selected to work in 237 amateur sports clubs in Attica, Greece. The development of the scale was based on the job analysis of coaching and the review of the evaluation of coaching performance. The criterion of KMO (.934) and Bartlett’s test of Sphericity test (13338.366, df 406, p < .00001) confirmed that the requirements for factor analysis were met. EFA revealed a scale of 29 items and identified six (6) factors interpreting the 73.396% of the overall variance: (1) results of coaching on athletes, (2) personal achievements of the coach, (3) design and implementation of coaching (4) competition management (5) psychological support of the athletes and (6) commitment to the club. CFA was used to test the accuracy of the construct revealed by EFA. The findings of this study support the factorial structure of the scale and its psychometric qualities in a Greek sample suggesting that the scale is valid for identifying the evaluation and selection criteria employed from amateur sports clubs to select their coaches.