BIOS researcher Landry Levinson’s dissertation examines how Division I women’s ice hockey coaches facilitate social capital and how the bonding and bridging relationships they foster can support student-athletes on and off the ice. Using an in-depth qualitative case study, he conducted 38 interviews with coaches, current and former athletes, team and athletic department staff, and community partners. He also spent more than 200 hours embedded with the team, observing practices, games, travel, meetings, and daily team activities, and collected team documents to support thematic analysis. The study highlights coaching practices that strengthen connections among coaches, athletes, and staff within the team, as well as how they connect their athletes to people, resources, and opportunities in the athletic department and community beyond the program. This study provides practical implications for sports leaders on fostering and maintaining connections that facilitate their athlete development, well-being, and post-graduation pathways.
