Undergraduate Physical Education Majors' Perceptions of the Roles of Teacher and Coach

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Abstract
This investigation examined undergraduate physical education majors' perceptions of the roles of teacher and coach. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 80 physical education majors at a large urban university. Subjects were asked to rate the importance of twelve characteristics or abilities for teachers and for coaches. Results indicated that the subjects viewed the abilities needed for each of the roles as similar. Subjects were asked to indicate their job preference, and to estimate their ability to perform each of the roles. Gender was significantly related to role preference, with males indicating a greater preference for the coaching role. Students indicating a preference for teaching only have less experience in athletics than the coaching only and the teaching/coaching groups. A significant relationship was found for selected background variables with estimated role performance. The variables most highly related to confidence in one's ability to teach were positive role models and skill in a wide range of activities, and those most related to estimated ability to coach were positive role models and very high skill in at least one activity.