Date of Award

9-2-2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Sherryl A. Houdek

Abstract

The relationship between the leadership services of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the leadership needs of the MSHSL members provides an opportunity for the MSHSL to create systemic change which, when implemented, should prove to be effective for the members' future management of their interscholastic programs. The purpose of the study was twofold: 1. to identify the importance MSHSL members place on existing leadership programs, resources, and services available for use by each MSHSL member school; and 2. to identify the leadership styles currently being used by interscholastic athletic directors.Data were gathered from two separate surveys. The Minnesota State High School League Evaluation of Leadership Resources, Services, and Programs (MSHSL ELRSP) was administered in March 2008. The MSHSL survey was electronically submitted to the athletic director at each of the 492 member schools. The MSHSL received 371 completed surveys out of 492 within the eight-week response window.The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Leadership Training Program Leadership Survey: Perceptions of Leadership Traits (NIAAA LTPLS) was administered from December 2004 through December 2007. Survey responses were received from 370 of the 445 athletic directors who were surveyed. High school athletic directors attending professional development classes at state and national athletic directors' conferences across the nation were surveyed. Understanding the relationship existing between the leadership programming needs of member schools and the leadership programming offered by the MSHSL provided the insight needed to address the leadership direction for the long-term future of the MSHSL. The importance MSHSL member schools place on currently available leadership programming and the identified programming needs for the future provided the MSHSL staff and Board of Directors with the vision necessary to grow the MSHSL. Furthermore, identifying and understanding the leadership styles currently being used by athletic administrators across the nation may allow the MSHSL staff and MSHSL Board of Directors to develop strategies and programming to assist member schools to effectively implement change in their school communities. Implementing change may positively impact the school communities, and most importantly, the students who participate in MSHSL sponsored activities, athletics, and fine arts programs.

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