Browsing by Author "Rateau, Richard"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    The Effect of a New Coaching Staff on Team Culture
    Smith, Kaitlin; Rateau, Richard; Drape, Tiffany A.; Williams, Heidi (Virginia Tech, 2022-08-10)
    This study shows the importance of culture within college athletic teams and how a coaching staff has an effect on the culture of a program. Study participants included twelve individuals who are currently or had once been affiliated with the Virginia Tech Volleyball Program. Each individual answered a series of interview questions to the best of their ability. Each question followed Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change. Using semi-structured interviews, the information was gathered and sorted into codes and eventually turned into categories, revealing themes. Five themes emerged, which are explained in the findings section. The themes are: building relationships, establishing communication, displaying recognition and reward, dependability and changing culture. This study may be able to give coaching staff a better understanding of what different athletes are saying about the culture of their program and how it can be changed. It is aimed at coaches who believe their culture is hindered. New coaching staffs can understand how important team culture is within college athletics and instill it within their programs. If they do not follow Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change, their program may not be as successful. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to coaching staff. This can also be used for coaches who are concerned as to why their program is not excelling.
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    The Effects of New Players on Team Cohesion
    Trull, Darby; Rateau, Richard; Drape, Tiffany A.; Leech, Irene (Virginia Tech, 2023-06-22)
    This study will explore how Virginia Tech softball players learn to work cohesively each year. This study aims to enable the athletes to reflect on their team’s and personal ability to work cohesively each year. As well as gaining an understanding of how they can improve their learning processes to work together as new members join, some remain, and others leave annually. Using Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development, this study’s framework aims to help understand the evolution of a team and the stages of team development. The stages of the Tuckman model are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Participants for this study contained 10 Virginia Tech softball student-athletes who participated in the program between 2018-2023. Each participant contributing to the semi-structured interviews was asked pre-selected questions and was reviewed as one team. After each interview, transcripts were reviewed and analyzed for themes. After the analysis of all interviews was examined, three themes emerged. These themes were: Meeting high standards with an evolving culture and leadership, developing relationships effects on and off the field performance, and facing challenges with roles and adversity. The Tuckman model and the research question served as a guide to understanding better how the team learns to work cohesively each year and what they can learn from that knowledge. This study can be used for other sports teams and other researchers interested in the effects of new teammates and a changing dynamic each year on a team’s ability to work cohesively. Therefore, further research can be done to understand how facing individual and team shortcomings affect team cohesion.
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    An Evaluation of the Career Game Plan Program at Virginia Tech
    Tyson, Paige (Virginia Tech, 2024-08-16)
    The purpose of this project was to gain a better understanding of the perspectives and experiences that student-athletes have with the Career Game Plan program at Virginia Tech. In addition, the project sought to identify areas of improvement so that the program can further benefit the future student-athletes who participate. This qualitative study consisted of semi-structured interviews to identify the development of the student-athletes’ career skills. Data was collected by interviewing ten student-athletes who had most recently completed all four events of the Career Game Plan program. After research and analysis of the data, common themes emerged for the aspects of the program that are most valued by student-athletes, highlighting meaningful connections, quality communication, opportunities, and preparation for post-graduate life. The student-athletes also noted inconsistencies with their experience throughout the program and provided some suggestions that they felt would further enhance the student-athlete experience through this program. Interviews revealed that student-athletes truly value this opportunity that Virginia Tech provides for them, and they believe that all student-athletes should take advantage of it.
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    Transition Aid: A Must for NCAA Athletes
    Spotswood, Jacob A. (Virginia Tech, 2022-08-11)
    This study explored the potential modifications that should be made to Virginia Tech track and field’s process of receiving transfer student athletes through the NCAA Transfer Portal. The literature review investigates the current knowledge held on the profile of NCAA student athletes, the NCAA Transfer Portal, as well as transition periods for individuals. The Path Goal Theory was used as a reference to understand how the systems can be improved to best serve the transfer student athletes and the athletic department that is recruiting them. The interview participants included three Virginia Tech track and field student athletes, two Virginia Tech track and field coaches, and two Virginia Tech athletic academic administrators. Each group was interviewed using pre-selected, semi-structured interview questions unique to each group. After individuals were interviewed, the data was analyzed which produced codes that were grouped into broader categories then themes. After analyzing the results from the interviews, a few important difficulties and shortcomings were revealed by the various groups regarding the transfer process at Virginia Tech. These were followed by suggestions and recommendations for the prevalent issues to help Virginia Tech better understand where they may make improvements to their system. The Path-Goal Theory and guiding research question served as a framework to better understand the various themes and components in improving the system. This study may also be used by other universities to acquire new ideas of how to best serve their transfer student athletes so they may better focus on training and competition. Future considerations are included so that others interested in the topic may further explore the shortcomings of the transfer process.
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    Virginia Tech Student-Athletes’ Involvement with Student-Athlete Development and Their Future Success after College
    Smith, Tyrell; Rateau, Richard; Potter, Kenneth R.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Tech, 2021-12-08)
    This project determines the ways in which the office of Student–Athlete Development (SAD) helped Virginia Tech (VT) football players to be successful in life after college athletics and allows for a better understanding of football student-athletes’ involvement within the (SAD) department. SAD is a resource provided to student-athletes that assists athletes in their career choices and develops a plan for life after college. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) was the theoretical framework used during the study. During the research, qualitative interviews were conducted with former VT football players. After the interviews were conducted, they were transcribed and coded which helped to establish common themes. Four themes emerged including: time difficulties/opportunities missed: participation in SAD/lack of attention to SAD: knowing the role of SAD: and participants’ recommendations. The results showed that the SCCT was an effective theoretical framework to support the research purpose provided. Recommendations for SAD involving student-athletes include improving communication, mandating events, and improving partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The limitations include personal bias, only using one university and sport, small response rate, and invalid responses.