The prevalence of burnout in minor hockey coaches

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of burnout among minor hockey league coaches as assessed by the Adapted Maslach Burnout Inventory and Golembiewski's Phase Model of Burnout, and to identify various factors which are related to the stages of burnout in minor hockey league coaches. Thunder Bay Amateur Minor Hockey League Coaches (N = 229) completed the Adapted Maslach Burnout Inventory and a Minor Hockey League Coaches' Package via a mail survey. Both current and former coaches, who have been out of the system for one year, were polled. The results of this study indicate that volunteer minor hockey coaches experienced greater personal accomplishment, less emotional exhaustion, less depersonalization and therefore less burnout than the general (US) public, as shown in previous studies. Variables found to be related to higher burnout scores were intra-role conflict, emphasis placed upon winning, the perception of success, expectations of significant others, and athlete variables. Division and level coached, along with win/loss record, did not contribute significantly to burnout as was first anticipated. Contradictory to other studies, age, years of experience, marital status and education level were not found to be related to higher burnout scores in minor hockey league coaches.