Edge Hill University
Organised sport plays a vital role in positive youth development, influencing the social, emotional and educational development of young people (Côté and Hancock, 2016). Youth development contexts (e.g., school, sport, family) in interaction with various active agents (teachers, coaches, parents) can be viewed as one whole interactive system (Holt et al., 2017). To be optimal, it is necessary to strive towards coherence of the system. Coherence enables ‘transfer’, the conversion of sport-based outcomes to adjacent contexts (Pierce et al., 2017). It is therefore valuable to explore the culture and developmental impact of system components.
A 10-week ethnography was conducted in one, free of charge, city-based, professional cricket academy, focused on male players aged 14-18. Data included observations of the sporting environment, interviews and focus groups with the players (n = 17), parents (n = 9) and coaches (n = 6).
Template thematic analysis was conducted. The environment was characterised as having a clear collective identity and defined purpose, fostering belonging, positive peer relations and support, trusting relationships, a mastery approach, appropriate role models and non-sport opportunities (e.g., travel). Players discussed developing a range of outcomes that they drew upon to aid them in other parts of their lives (e.g., home and school) including confidence, communication, ownership, and cooperation. The explicit support of developmental transfer by coaches to other contexts was minimal.
Awareness of this component of youth development by key agents in other contexts may bolster transfer, with implications for the prosocial character, resilience and educational attainment of young people.
Côté, J. and Hancock, D.J., 2016. Evidence-based policies for youth sport programmes. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 8(1), pp. 51-65.
Holt, N.L., Neely, K.C., Slater, L.G., Camiré, M., Côté, J., Fraser-Thomas, J., MacDonald, D., Strachan, L. and Tamminen, K.A., 2017. A grounded theory of positive youth development through sport based on results from a qualitative meta-study. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10(1), pp. 1-49.
Pierce, S., Gould, D. and Camiré, M., 2017. Definition and model of life skills transfer, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10(1), pp. 186–211.