Leadership in Sport

This report will analyse and compare the leadership styles of two MMA coaches. Each coach will be observed in similar settings, but while one will be coaching an elite athlete at the top level of the sport, the other will be coaching a novice performer in an unpaid amateur contest. Despite both contests being fought under basically the same rules and in the same sporting environment the level of the performer they are coaching will play a significant factor in the way in which they will approach the coaching process. Also significant factors to consider in the leadership styles of the coaches are relationship with the performer, confidence in own coaching ability and ability of the performer and motivation for wanting the performer to succeed.

Mario Neto is the head BJJ coach at the Wolfslair MMA academy. As well as travelling the world teaching BJJ at which he is a 3rd Dan black belt. He has coached top performers such as The Ultimate Fighter winner Michael Bisping and former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson. As a coach of MMA for over ten years his experience is extensive. Having coached performers in the world’s biggest organisations and on the biggest shows there is nothing Mario hasn’t seen in the sport. This includes coaching Micheal Bisping at UFC 100, the most watched MMA show of all time and the coaching of dozens of current and former champions on shows in England, Australia, USA, Brazil, Canada, Japan and Europe.

Gavin Boardman is a coach for Manchester Predators MMA and has coached a growing number of successful British MMA fighters. Gavin comes from a martial arts background cross training in Boxing, Thai-boxing, Greco Roman wrestling, Judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and others. He has coached MMA for three years throughout the United Kingdom on small shows. Several of his trainees however have moved to America to fight for larger promotions and train with much respected training camps. Never the less each one would say Gavin was... [continues]

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