Purpose:
The purpose of the study was to investigate any similarities or differences between the genders in the scope of preferred coaching behaviours. Moreover, it was an attempt at establishing whether there are discrepancies between the respondents’ expectations and their evaluation of the actual perceived behaviour of the coaches towards them. It was also considered whether the type of the played sport would differentiate the respondents depending on their expectations.

Methods:
The study consisted of two stages. The athletes’ preferences concerning coaching behaviours were studied with the ‘athletes’ preferences’ version of the Leadership Scale for Sports. The perceived coaching behaviour was evaluated by the athletes at the end of the season with the ‘coach’s behaviour as perceived by the athletes’ version of the scale.

Results:
Significant differences between women and men were observed when it comes to their preferences concerning coaching behaviours. Moreover, the analysis for dependent samples demonstrated that the athletes received from the coaches fewer coaching-related instructions, less feedback, and fewer democratic behaviours than they would have expected.

Conclusions:
The results indicate that women and men differ in their preferences concerning coaching behaviours. These differences, however, are not big. The played sport may also have a significant influence on the expectations regarding the coach’s behaviour; this observation is, however, limited to women. Regardless of the athletes’ gender, coaches provided them with less behaviours than the athletes would have expected. This implies that coaches adjust their behaviour to the athletes’ preferences and the situational requirements in an inadequate manner.