Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports
In youth sports, young people are often subjected to approaches and coach behaviors misaligned with their physical and psychological development, including early specialization and the use of physical activity as punishment. Little research investigates these practices from the perspective of youth....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Youth |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/5/1/12 |
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| _version_ | 1849339644051718144 |
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| author | Julie McCleery Chloe Stanton Beatrice Wurfel Sarah Smith Irina Tereschenko |
| author_facet | Julie McCleery Chloe Stanton Beatrice Wurfel Sarah Smith Irina Tereschenko |
| author_sort | Julie McCleery |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In youth sports, young people are often subjected to approaches and coach behaviors misaligned with their physical and psychological development, including early specialization and the use of physical activity as punishment. Little research investigates these practices from the perspective of youth. This study used novel qualitative approaches to explore student reactions to these practices. Over four years, students who took an Introduction to Psychology class at one private high school in a West Coast city received a presentation about topics at the intersection of sports and psychology and submitted their reflections. A student-led research team analyzed the 332 reflections. The findings show that the information in the Long-Term Athlete Development framework was dissonant with student experiences in the U.S. youth sports system. Many had negative experiences with physical activity as punishment. Providing youth with information about developmentally appropriate practices in sports can help them advocate for change that will protect them and others from harm. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c153631feb174d79ae6db22db0875f49 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-995X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Youth |
| spelling | doaj-art-c153631feb174d79ae6db22db0875f492025-08-20T03:44:05ZengMDPI AGYouth2673-995X2025-01-01511210.3390/youth5010012Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth SportsJulie McCleery0Chloe Stanton1Beatrice Wurfel2Sarah Smith3Irina Tereschenko4Center for Leadership in Athletics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USAScripps College, Claremont, CA 91711, USANortheastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USASeattle Academy, Seattle, WA 98122, USACenter for Leadership in Athletics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USAIn youth sports, young people are often subjected to approaches and coach behaviors misaligned with their physical and psychological development, including early specialization and the use of physical activity as punishment. Little research investigates these practices from the perspective of youth. This study used novel qualitative approaches to explore student reactions to these practices. Over four years, students who took an Introduction to Psychology class at one private high school in a West Coast city received a presentation about topics at the intersection of sports and psychology and submitted their reflections. A student-led research team analyzed the 332 reflections. The findings show that the information in the Long-Term Athlete Development framework was dissonant with student experiences in the U.S. youth sports system. Many had negative experiences with physical activity as punishment. Providing youth with information about developmentally appropriate practices in sports can help them advocate for change that will protect them and others from harm.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/5/1/12athlete developmentcoach behaviorspositive and negative sport experienceearly specializationpunishmentparticipatory research |
| spellingShingle | Julie McCleery Chloe Stanton Beatrice Wurfel Sarah Smith Irina Tereschenko Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports Youth athlete development coach behaviors positive and negative sport experience early specialization punishment participatory research |
| title | Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports |
| title_full | Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports |
| title_fullStr | Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports |
| title_short | Learning from Youth Voice: Student Reflections on Common Approaches in Youth Sports |
| title_sort | learning from youth voice student reflections on common approaches in youth sports |
| topic | athlete development coach behaviors positive and negative sport experience early specialization punishment participatory research |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/5/1/12 |
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