www.ccsenet.org/ass Asian Social Science Vol. 8, No. 7; June 2012 ISSN 1911-2017 E-ISSN 1911-2025 130 Athlete’ Satisfaction with Coach in Iran’s Professional Handball: Based on Power Mohammad Ehsani 1 , Hashem Koozechian 1 & Hadis Moradi 2 1 Department of Physical Education, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran Correspondence: Dr. Mohammad Ehsani, Department of Physical Education, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: ehsani@modares.ac.ir Received: January 28, 2012 Accepted: April 19, 2012 Published: June 1, 2012 doi:10.5539/ass.v8n7p130 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ass.v8n7p130 Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the coaches’ bases of power and athletes' satisfaction with coach, and how coach power use served as predictors of athletes' satisfaction with coach. The instruments were used the Power in Sport Questionnaire-Other (PSQ-O for athletes); Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ) and a questionnaire related to demographic variables. Data were collected from athletes (n=147) in Professional Women's Handball League in Iran. The results indicated that the bases of power’s coaches were positively associated with athlete’s satisfaction. It showed that perceived reward, coercive, referent and expert power of coaches were significant predictors of athlete’s satisfaction. But legitimate power did not significantly predict satisfaction; So that ,54% of the variance athletes' satisfaction with coach was explained by bases of power’s coaches. Keywords: bases of power, coach, perception, athletes' satisfaction 1. Introduction Power is extant in all social relationships and possessed by all individuals and social groups, arising out of their connections to each other (Gruneau, 1993). It reflects the ability to get things done, the capacity to act, or the ability to choose what will happen (Tomlinson& Strachan, 1996). Krausz (1986) argued "Power is the ability to influence the actions of others, individuals or groups. Cangemi (1992) asserted: "Power is the individual’s capacity to move others, to entice others, to persuade and encourage others to attain specific goals or to engage in specific behavior; it is the capacity to influence and motivate others". Also, he believed that successful leaders move and influence people through their power toward greater accomplishments for themselves and their organizations. According to Lyle(2002); coach-athlete relationship is no exception and the exercise of power is an internal social issue. People in general, and coaches and players (and even sport officials and spectators) in particular, possess power to the extent that they have the ability to influence or change the attitudes or behaviors of others in a socio-cultural environment (Wann et al, 2000; Konter, 2010). In sport, where coaches have considerable power, this term is synonymous with action. The challenge for coaches is taking the right actions—actions that contribute to the all-round development of athletes, both while they participate in sport and throughout the rest of their lives (Tomlinson& Strachan, 1996). Although the importance of power in the sphere of sports has been neglected, other social scientists have completed extensive examinations of the phenomenon. Perhaps the most influential work was conducted by French and Raven (1959). These authors identified five sources of interpersonal power: reward, coercive, referent, legitimate, and expert power (Wann et al, 2000). Reward power is stems from the authority to bestow rewards on other persons. It exists when the promise/granting of desirable consequences others. For example, a player will follow the requests of a coach because the coach has the power to reward the player with playing time, verbal praise, extra bonuses and other rewards (Wann et al, 2000; Laios et al, 2003). Coercive power refers to the authority to punish or recommend punishment. It occurs when influence is a result of a threat or actual imposition of some unpleasant consequences. Coaches have coercive power when they have the right to criticize individual and team performance, punish improper behavior, fire assistants or personnel, etc.