Sport Heroes and Leadership

Abstract

Studies have found that when children and young people are asked who their heroes are, they will often respond by citing their parents or a sports person (Stephens et al, 2003). Similarly, adults too will commonly acknowledge sports stars, particularly from their past, as heroes who left an ineradicable impact on their lives growing up. The functions of sport heroes are many and varied and can be explored in both sociological and psychological terms (Kinsella et al, 2015). They can, for example, galvanise national identity, symbolise what can be achieved through hard work and courage – or simply display sublime moments of exceptional quality that offers profound meaning to those that witnessed them. Also, there are many debates on what specifically qualifies a sports person as a hero, and to what extent that such heroism conditions them in becoming effective leaders – both within and outside the field of sport. Therefore, this chapter will critically explore the key characteristics of the sports hero and investigate the degree in which different hero types serve different functions. Particular emphasis will be placed on the leadership function of sports heroes, differentiating between heroes who become leaders and leaders who attain hero status.