An Analysis of Cohesion in Sport: University of Wisconsin Football
By: Jessica Maes
The University of Wisconsin Football program was turned upside down last year when longtime coach Paul Chryst was fired five games into the season and Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard was not hired as the replacement as many had hoped. New head coach Luke Fickell came to the Wisconsin program with a winning resume and attitude and had big plans for the team. However, once this season began, the Badgers got off to a lack luster start. After a 24-10 loss to underdog Northwestern University, it was evident that efforts needed to be deployed to strengthen team cohesion if the team stood a chance at having a winning record and becoming bowl eligible for the 22nd consecutive season. An analysis of cohesion may begin to suggest why the team has struggled this season.
Cohesion in Sport
Team cohesion has been defined as “a dynamic process which is reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of goals and objectives” (Carron, 1982, p. 124 via Cox, 2012). After the loss to Northwestern, it was confirmed that team cohesion was non-existent when team member Hunter Wohler stated after the game: “Guys got to look inside themselves and find out who they really are and if they really want to play this game and if they really want to be a part of this team…” (Chakravarthi, 2023).
While it’s easy to point to the importance of personal responsibility for team cohesion to emerge, a coaching staff also plays a crucial role in putting a team in a position to be successful in this area. Task cohesion is the level that a team is performing as a single unit. In football this may be putting the best quarterback and the best wide receivers (when paired with that quarterback) on the field to give the team the greatest chance at successfully executing pass plays. While there is no doubt Fickell and staff strive to do this, even Fickell acknowledged this can be easier said than done because you ultimately have to work with what you have in terms of skill level of the available personnel, saying: “…We’re gonna have to look at tomorrow and we’re going to have to be one day at a time and one practice at a time, one moment at a time. And find a way with the guys we’ve got and the guys that want to be here and the guys that want to do it to push forward to do the things we can do and do them better. (Harvey, 2023).
Social cohesion is the level that a team likes each other and likes being on a team together. This is another area where coaches play an important role in putting a team in a position to be successful. Fickell took the team out of town for a week this past summer to remove distractions and help the team bond. While this seemingly would be an excellent way to build social cohesion, it may have either somehow missed the mark or the team didn’t have enough time for this initiative to be as effective as intended.
A Study of Cohesion
In a 2022 study of eighteen college aged, male and female athletes who participate in various collegiate team sports, results of a survey indicated: When roster changes do occur, it appears critical that coaches facilitate role clarity (see Eys et al., 2019), and allow time for teammates to become comfortable, familiar, and confident with one another (McEwan, D., & Crawford, K. L., 2022, p. 273). With all the change that has been thrust upon the Badger football program in the last year, it makes sense that cohesion has been an issue based on this study. Further, this study supports the notion that cohesion is dynamic, change within a team needs to be closely monitored and tended to, and coaches play a large role in cultivating task cohesion, social cohesion, and ultimately team cohesion.
Conclusion
Since the game vs. Northwestern and the powerful public statements made by Coach Fickell and leaders of the team, Wisconsin football won the remaining games of the season against formidable division opponents and became bowl eligible. The team seemingly has improved its team cohesion and hopefully Fickell and staff can continue to shape and grow the program in a way that players, coaches, and fans alike can take pride in.
References
Chakravarthi, R. (2023, November 11). Badgers safety Hunter Wohler blasts players for effort in recent losses. SB Nation Bucky’s 5th Quarter. Retrieved December 1, 2023, from https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-football/2023/11/11/23957322/wisconsin-badgers-safety-hunter-wohler-blasts-players-effort-accountability-recent-loss-luke-fickell
Cox, R. H. (2012). Sport Psychology Concepts and Applications (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Harvey, P. (2023, November 11). Luke Fickell shoulders blame for loss to Northwestern: ‘That’s embarrassing’. Saturday Tradition. Retrieved December 1, 2023, from https://saturdaytradition.com/wisconsin-football/luke-fickell-shoulders-blame-for-loss-to-northwestern-thats-embarrassing/
McEwan, D., & Crawford, K. L. (2022). Why does teamwork execution breakdown? Experiences of university team sport athletes. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 11(4), 459–476. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/spy0000290
Jessica is a first-year master’s student in the Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology program at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin – Parkside and is currently a Writing Tutor at The Learning Center at UWGB. She is also certified as a grant writer from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and from Learn Grant Writing. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn.
