Social cognitive career theory-based investigation of female footballers' interest in coaching careers

The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting the coaching intentions of female football players by using Machine Learning Algorithms based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SBKT). In this context, the universe of the research consists of 162 female football players in 9 teams in Turkcell Women's Football Super League group B, and the sample consists of 125 female football players playing in these teams. The data of the study were collected with Personal Information Form, Self-Efficacy Scale, Professional Value Scale, Perceived Disability Scale, Role Model Effect Scale, and Coaching Desire Scale data collection tools. SPSS 21 program and MATLAB software were used in the analysis of the research data. The estimation study was made with Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbor, Support Vector Machines, Naive Bayes and Artificial Neural Networks algorithms from machine learning classification algorithms. In addition, T-test and ANOVA analysis were performed to determine the differences according to the demographic characteristics of female football players. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithm had the highest clustering success (96%). The results of the ANN analysis determined the three most important variables in predicting the coaching desires of female football players; It was concluded that (a) Perceived Disability scale (15 statements), (b) Coaching Value scale (10 statements) and (c) Role Modeling scale (5 statements) were the parameters. As a result of the research, according to the results of t-test and ANOVA analysis; The perceived disability perceptions of the athletes who stated that coaching is recognized as a profession were found to be high, and the averages of coaching value, perceived discrimination and role modeling of female athletes were found to be high, depending on whether their trainers were male or female. It has been observed that there is a difference in perceived disability and discrimination perceptions according to the education level and age variable. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the coaching value, discrimination and role model averages of female athletes differ according to the team variable they are in.