Leadership and innovation in sports clubs

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between leadership and innovation in sports clubs. Material and Method: He study employed a descriptive relational survey model, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The population of the study consists of athletes from sports clubs under the Turkish Wushu Kung Fu Federation. The sample group was selected using a random sampling method and included a total of 385 licensed athletes, 196 women and 189 men, aged 18 and over. The Critical Leadership Style Scale and the Sports Innovation Scale were used as data collection tools. Statistical analyses in the study included the Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey multiple comparison test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The study found significant differences in critical leadership scores among participants based on gender, age, education level, income level, sports age, and branch. Significant differences in sports innovation scores were found based on gender, age, mother's education level, and income level. It has been found that there is a significant and organized positive relationship between critical leadership style and sport innovation levels in. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that the critical leadership and sports innovation scores of male and female participants are close to each other. Participants aged 30 and over had higher critical leadership and sports innovation scores compared to other age groups. Participants whose income was higher than their expenses had significantly higher critical leadership and sports innovation scores than other categories. No significant differences were found in critical leadership and sports innovation scores based on the branch, with scores being generally close to each other. A positive and moderate relationship was found between the Critical Leadership Style Scale and the Sports Innovation Scale. According to these results, it is expected that as the level of critical leadership increases among participants, the level of innovation in sports also increases. In today's digital age, organizations are making many innovations and updates to adapt to the times. These updates require new managers and leaders. Leaders who have the ability to assess situations and provide critique are thought to be more effective in this field. Therefore, it is important for leaders who will take on duties and responsibilities in organizations to develop critical thinking skills and gain competence in this area. It is recommended that institutions and organizations prefer individuals with goal-oriented leadership skills. Keywords: Athlete, Sports Club, Leadership, Innovation