Modern Styles in Sports Administration and Direction
One of the major factors militating against the creation of sports in Nigeria today is lack of efficient direction. A lot of remedies are being proffered by concerned and patriotic Nigerians daily to bail us out the quagmire. Certainly one of such options is this text entitled "Modern Trends in Sports Administration and Direction". It's written by Dr. Joseph Awoyinfa, a lecturer in the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Nigeria; a research worker and educational consultant. I was the man tempted by the writer and the university to critique the novel when it had been presented to the general public on December 4, 2008 in Nigeria.
According to Awoyinfa, it's a truism all around the globe that sport is now a reference problem which can no longer be discounted at spheres of life and various sectors of the economy.
The text includes 16 chapters. Chapter one is christened "the idea of sports direction". Here, Awoyinfa says management is a notion that entails different things to various people at different times, hence leading to its multiplicity of definitions. He explains that direction has been variously referred to as an a process, a science, a person or people, a discipline and an art.
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This writer expatiates that as an art, sports direction is about carrying out sports tasks and organisational functions through people all; sports management is about establishing sports philosophy, laws, theories, principles, processes and practices, while as a science. As an organisation, according to him, sports direction means a way of producing formal structures and an establishment centered on a mission, aims, goals, functions and tasks.
Awoyinfa says as a person or group of people, sports direction may refer to the head alone or to all the senior staff, committee, etc.; while as a discipline, direction is a field of study with various areas and topics. The writer illuminates that sports management as a process is all about a systematic way of doing things. Direction functions are highlighted by Awoyinfa in sports administration as preparation, organising, staffing, directing/ controlling, leading, coordination, budgeting and evaluation. On whom a sports manager is, this writer trains that a sports manager is anyone at any given level of sport organisation who directs
the attempts of others towards the achievement of organisational goals sport-wise.
Chapter two is founded on trends of sports management thought and the subject matter of development. Here, Awoyinfa divulges the development of ideas on sports management dates back to the days when individuals first attempted to achieve goals by working together in a group. In his words, "There was serious thinking and theorising about managing many years before the beginning of the twentieth (20th) century, which marked the start of modern sports management thought. The industrial revolution of the nineteenth (19th) century likely supplied the climate with this very serious theorising."
Awoyinfa adds that because the turn of the 20th century, writers on company theory and sports management have been propounding distinct theories about how to handle staff and work more efficiently and effectively. This writer educates that the three primary schools of management thought are: the ancient; the human -behavioural; and the integrative.
Chapter three is thematically labelled "principles of sports direction". In this chapter, the educational advisor explains that sports principles will be the basic laws on which the practice of sports management is established. He adds that direction principles must consequently be predicated on general terms for them to be related within sport organisations of varying sizes and character. "Modern sports managers and administrators are expected to be able to spot and use appropriate principles that are important to special situations. It is because no single principle can satisfy all administrative situations," submits Awoyinfa.
He says the fundamental principles of sports are those appropriate to all or any sports organisations and as an effect of the general acceptability, they are from time to time referred to as "universal principles of sports direction". This writer expatiates that many of these principles are: duty; delegation of power and communication.
In chapter four according to the notion of behavioural and motivational theories in sports organisation, the writer says as they act differently under different conditions, human beings are creatures that are unique and are largely difficult to predict. Awoyinfa stresses that since human beings make up the most important component in sports organisation, sports managers need some understanding of why people act in one way or the other, in order that they (sports managers) can affect people to do just the manner sports organisations find desirable.
One powerful instrument this writer indicates that can be utilized to generate performance in athletes is motivation.
Nevertheless, it has been an important and a puzzling issue for sports managers." Awoyinfa farther discusses development of inspirational concepts in sports organisation; application of motivational theories to sports direction; approaches of behaviour modification, etc., in this chapter.
In chapters five to ten, the writer airs his analytical searchlight on subject matters such as management techniques in sports organisation; the idea of sports organisation; setting design in sports organisation; the notion of preparation in sports administration; making sports organisations more effective in Nigeria and staffing in sports organisations.
According to Awoyinfa here, communicating is a crucial factor in just about any organisational effectiveness when communicating skills are lacking among members because organisations cannot function effectively. "Since communication is the moving spirit in an organisation, its lack may make organisations standstill," declares this writer.
In chapters 12 to 16, Awoyinfa X-beams theories such as organisational changes and development in sports administration; direction in sports administration and direction; administration and direction of soccer as a coach; teaching human kinetics and health education in schools and colleges; and organisation and administration of schools at various rates of schooling.
As regards manner of presentation, a pass mark is scored by this text. For example, the language is comprehensible and the notions are brilliantly stated. The simplicity of the language is anticipated, given the writer's double professional qualifications as a lecturer and pastor. To ensure easy study of the text on readers' part, Awoyinfa emphasizes the aims of each chapter at the start and ends with review/revision questions.
What is more, he creatively embroiders the text with graphics (pages 50, 97, 317, 330, 338, 395, etc.) to enrich readers' understanding through visual communication. Awoyinfa contains references at the end of each chapter to fulfil academic obligation of source disclosure and provide readers chances to read more. Inclusion of many references additionally affirms the depth of his research. His use of visual distinction for the phrase "Modern Trends" in the title is decidedly creative.
Whether there are chapters that really make this text qualified as a compendium of advanced answers to the management and administrative issues plaguing our sports development in Nigeria, they have been chapters four, eight, 11 and 13. This is only because they discuss preparation, motivation, communicating and direction respectively.
The thematically best chapter of all is chapter four. These are pictures used for example in inspirational discussion.
However, some errors are noticed in this text. These errors have to be corrected in the following variation.
On a note of analytical finality, this text is a compendium of irresistible sports management tricks. It's a must-read for all stakeholders in the sports sector, particularly managers and administrators. It's purely fascinating.