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Kieran File, "How Language Shapes Relationships in Professional Sports Teams: Power and Solidarity Dynamics in a New Zealand Rugby Team" (Bloomsbury, 2022)

New Books in Sociology

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Exploring Communication Dynamics in Professional Sports Teams

The chapter investigates how coaches establish control within sports teams through communication, focusing on the dynamics of talk, authority, and influence. It discusses the use of questions by coaches to shape identities, educate, and motivate players, as well as the structured coach-captain hierarchy and distributed leadership roles within teams. The chapter also explores instances of flatter hierarchies emerging in the absence of the coach, indicating strong team coordination and shared responsibilities among players.

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