Running head: ATHLETE LEADERSHIP AND COHESION

25 Two studies investigated the structure of different athlete leadership networks and its 26 relationship to cohesion using Social Network Analysis. In Study 1, we examined the 27 relationship between a general leadership quality network and task and social cohesion as 28 measured by the Group Environment Questionnaire. In Study 2, we investigated the 29 leadership networks for four different athlete leadership roles (task, motivational, social, and 30 external) and their association with task and social cohesion networks. In Study 1, the results 31 demonstrated that the general leadership quality network was positively related to task and 32 social cohesion. The results from Study 2 indicated positive correlations between the four 33 leadership networks and task and social cohesion networks. Further, the motivational 34 leadership network emerged as the strongest predictor of the task cohesion network; while the 35 social leadership network was the strongest predictor of the social cohesion network. The 36 results complement a growing body of research indicating that athlete leadership has a 37 positive association with cohesion. 38