By 
One of the main factors militating against the development of sports in Nigeria today is the lack of effective management. Concerned and patriotic Nigerians daily offer many solutions to get us out of the quagmire. One such solution is this text titled “Modern Trends in Sport Administration and Management.” It is written by Dr. Joseph Awoyinfa, Professor, Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, College of Education, University of Lagos, Nigeria; Researcher and educational consultant. I was the person invited by the author and the university to review the book when it was released to the public on December 4, 2008 in Nigeria.
According to Awoyinfa, it is a truism all over the world that sport is now a reference issue that can no longer be ignored in various sectors of the economy and spheres of life. The author adds that this text thus takes a critical look at current issues in sports administration and management, focusing on theories and principles of modern trends in sports administration and management such as leadership, organization, planning, motivation, etc.
The text contains 16 chapters. Chapter one is baptized as “the concept of sports management”. Here, Awoyinfa says that management is a concept that implies different things to different people at different times, leading to its multiplicity of definitions. He explains that management has been variously described as an art, a science, a person or people, a discipline, and a process.
This author explains that, as an art, sports management is about carrying out sports organizational functions and tasks through people; while as a science, sports management is about establishing the philosophy, laws, theories, principles, processes and practices of sports. As an organization, according to him, sports management is defined as a means to create formal structures and an establishment based on a mission, objectives, goals, functions and tasks.
Awoyinfa says that as a person or a group of people, sports management can refer only to the boss or to all senior staff, committee, etc.; while as a discipline, management is a field of study with various subjects and topics. The author clarifies that sports management as a process is about a systematic way of doing things. Awoyinfa highlights the management functions in sports administration such as planning, organization, staffing, direction/leadership, control, coordination, budgeting, and evaluation. About who is a sports manager, this author educates that a sports manager is anyone at any level of sports organization that he directs
the efforts of other people towards the achievement of organizational objectives in the sports field.
Chapter two is based on the theme of evolution and trends in sports management thinking. Here, Awoyinfa reveals that the development of thinking about sports management goes back to the days when people first tried to achieve goals by working together in a group. In his words, “there was serious thinking and theory about management many years before the dawn of the 20th (20th) century, marking the beginning of modern sport management thinking. The main efforts to develop theories and principles of sport management began in the early 20th (20th) century with the work of Frederick Taylor and Henri Fayol. The industrial revolution of the 19th (19th) century probably provided the climate for this very serious theory.”
Awoyinfa adds that since the early 20th century, writers on sports management and business theory have proposed different theories on how to manage work and personnel more efficiently and effectively. This author teaches that the three main schools of managerial thought are: the classical one; the human-behavioral; and the integrator. Awoyinfa also highlights the first sports management theorists; principles and characteristics of scientific management; evaluation of scientific management theory, etc., in this chapter.
Chapter three is called thematically “principles of sports management.” In this chapter, the educational consultant explains that sports principles are the basic laws on which sports management practice is built. He adds that management principles therefore need to be based on broad terms if they are to be applicable within sports organizations of different sizes and character. “Modern sports managers and administrators are expected to be able to identify and use appropriate principles that are relevant to particular situations. This is because no single principle can fit all administrative situations,” says Awoyinfa.
He says that the fundamental principles of sports are those applicable to all sports organizations and, as a result of their general acceptability, are sometimes referred to as the “universal principles of sports management”. This author explains that some of these principles are: responsibility; delegation of authority and communication. Regarding the humanitarian principles of sports management, Awoyinfa identifies them as democracy, justice, human relations, sympathy, empathy, consideration and humility.
In chapter four, based on the concept of behavioral and motivational theories in sports organization, the author says that human beings are unique creatures in that they behave differently under different conditions and are mostly difficult to predict. Awoyinfa emphasizes that since human beings are the most important element in the sport organization, sport managers need to understand why people behave in one way or another, so that they (sport managers) can influence people to perform in exactly the way sport organizations find desirable.
A powerful instrument that this author suggests can be used to obtain performance in athletes is motivation. In his words, “Motivation is necessary in sports organizations for employees to perform.
However, it has been an important and perplexing issue for sport managers.” Awoyinfa further discusses the development of motivational concepts in sport organization; the application of motivational theories to sport management; behavior modification methods, etc., in this chapter.
In chapters five to ten, the author casts his analytical spotlight on topics such as management techniques in sports organization; the concept of sports organization; design of scenarios in the sports organization; the concept of planning in sports administration; make sports organizations more effective in Nigeria and staff sports organizations.
Chapter 11 is based on communication strategies in the sports organization. According to Awoyinfa here, communication is a crucial factor in any organizational effectiveness because organizations cannot function effectively when communication skills among members are lacking. “Since communication is the spirit that moves an organization, its absence can cause organizations to become paralyzed”, affirms this author.
In chapters 12 to 16, Awoyinfa x-rays concepts such as organizational changes and development in sports administration; leadership in sports administration and management; football administration and management as a coach; teach human kinetics and health education in schools and colleges; and the organization and administration of schools at different educational levels.
Regarding the mode of presentation, this text obtains a passing grade. For example, the language is understandable and the ideas are brilliantly articulated. The simplicity of the language is expected, given the double professional experience of the author as a speaker and a pastor. To ensure easy study of the text by readers, Awoyinfa highlights the objectives of each chapter at the beginning and ends with review/review questions.
In addition, he creatively embroiders the text with graphics (pages 50, 97, 317, 330, 338, 395, etc.) to enhance readers’ comprehension through visual communication. Awoyinfa includes references at the end of each chapter to fulfill the academic obligation to disclose the source and offer readers opportunities to read more. The inclusion of many references also confirms the depth of his research. His use of visual distinction for the phrase “Modern Trends” in the title is emphatically creative.
If there are any chapters that really qualify this text as a compendium of modern solutions to the administrative and managerial problems plaguing our sports development in Nigeria, it is chapters four, eight, 11 and 13. This is because they deal with motivation, planning, communication and leadership respectively.
Meanwhile, the thematically biggest chapter of all is chapter four. The fact that it is, consciously or unconsciously, taken as the largest chapter finds practical expression in the deeper communication and cohesion between its subject, on the one hand, and the allegorical or metaphorical images on the outer cover, such as the goal post, running cyclists, a lawn tennis player poised for action with her bat, competing sprinters and soccer players fighting for the ball, on the other. These are images used for illustration in motivational speeches.
However, some errors are noted in this text. Errors are “Acknowledgments” (page iii), instead of “Acknowledgments”; no paragraphs from the first natural paragraphs of the “Preface”; “Lose” (pages 396 and 404), instead of “Lose”, etc. These errors should be corrected in the next edition.
With a note of analytical purpose, this text is a compendium of irresistible sports management advice. It is a must read for all players in the sports sector, especially managers and administrators. It’s just fascinating.
GOKE ILESANMI, Editor-in-Chief/CEO of http://www.gokeilesanmi.com and Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is a certified emcee/public speaker, (business) communication specialist, motivational speaker, career management coach, renowned book reviewer, corporate leadership expert, and editorial consultant.
For business discussions, please contact him at +234(0)8055068773; +234(0)8056030424
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