Background/Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with head varsity high school coaches leaving (or considering leaving) coaching.
Method The study was limited to head varsity high school coaches in Alabama. The list of potential participants was obtained from high school athletic directors listed in the 2008-2009 Alabama High School Athletic Association Directory.
Analysis/Results The sample included 136 head varsity high school coaches (111 males; 25 females). Of those, 107 were current and 29 were former coaches. Seventy-one (52.2%) indicated they left or considered leaving the profession. The amount of time involved in daily coaching duties (35), lack of monetary compensation (12), issues associated with athlete's parents (9), job shift into administration (7), lack of administrative support (5) and a feeling of being burned out (5) were cited as the most common reasons for attrition. The instrument allowed selection for slection of multiple reasons.
Conclusions Results of the study parallel those in Bradford (2009). Previous researchers have also cited similar external factors leading to burnout and or attrition in coaching (Goodger, K., Gorely, K, Lavallee, D., & Harwood, C, 2007; Jevas, 2004; Raedeke, Warren, & Granzyk, 2002). However, the current study and Bradford (2009) are the only to cite leaving the coaching profession to pursue a career in administration. Future research should examine whether coaches leaving to go into administrative positions do so as a result of burnout or a career move and whether former coaches who move to administration provide better administrative support to their athletic staff than non-coaches.
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