Profiling sports managers in Sporting academies

Abstract

The impact that Sports has on today's society stems from its relevance as a catalyst for human development in areas such as education, health, economy, among others of great potential. Nevertheless, its importance is proportional to the increasing complexity of the processes that regulate Sports, embodied in the decision-making and assessment of the contributions strategically outlined for the success of this sector. Indeed, it is urgent to continue studying the sports phenomenon to understand the role of leaders and their behaviors, as well as their importance in people's development within organizations. In this context, professions in Sports gain importance, among which the sports manager role stands out. Managers are pivotal to organizational success, performing a range of functions, orchestrating resources, and setting objectives. In the sports domain, this study aims to outline the skill sets of sports managers affiliated with various Sporting Academies nationwide. The study group comprised sports managers from Sporting Academies in Portugal. Data collection utilized an adapted version of the questionnaire developed by Marques (2015). Results indicate that experienced managers tend to place significant value on dimensions related to planning, recruitment, budgeting of resources, and monitoring of materials and equipment. They also emphasize the importance of defining goals, preparing specifications and financial plans, creating budgets, paying salaries, and controlling and monitoring activities. These managers prioritize a holistic vision of development, fostering changes in the organization's structure and functioning. There is no single profile for managers, rather, flexibility and suitability are essential, adapting to the specific needs of their intervention. The vision and adaptability of sports managers are considered crucial in the current paradigm.