Browsing by Subject "Youth sports"
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Item Examining parents' and children's preferences for coaching methods, hedonic social activities, and extrinsic rewards in a youth swim team program(2011-12) Walsh, Ginny Lyn; Green, B C.; Chalip, Laurence Hilmond, 1951-Youth sports today often mimic professional versions of the sport. Combined with the competitive nature of society, youth sports have become a place where there are few winners and numerous losers. Additionally, many youth sport programs lack the fun, playful elements that used to be prevalent in informal sports. This study uses conjoint analysis to examine parents’ and children’s preferences for coaching methods (intervals, stroke drills, relays, and challenges), hedonic social activities (fun games, parties, and social events), and extrinsic rewards (best time ribbons, place ribbons, and participation ribbons) in a youth swim team program. The conjoint analysis offers insight about which coaching methods, hedonic social activities, and extrinsic rewards are preferred and acceptable to parents and children. Parents and children had similar preferences with their main desire being for the child to learn how to swim. Results indicate that parents and children are socialized into a belief of what sports programs should encompass and that current youth swim team programs are not serving all children.Item The role of parents in early sport specialization : a grounded theory of soccer parents(2011-05) Ozyurtcu, Tolga; Green, B. Christine; Todd, Janice S.Sport specialization is defined as a year-round, highly structured commitment to training for and competing in a single sport. Children who begin the process of specialization at an early age are potentially susceptible to several undesirable outcomes, including an increased risk of orthopedic injury, psychological burnout, and limited social development. Despite these inherent risks, the practice of early sport specialization has become prevalent in the United States. This study uses a grounded theory methodology to examine the role of parents in early sport specialization practices. Drawing on in-depth interviews with twelve parents of adolescent soccer players, the study finds that parents are drawn to early sport specialization because of multiple perceived benefits for their children. The two most prominent of these benefits are positive socialization and the use of the sport as a lever for higher education. Parents act on limited information when making decisions regarding early sport specialization, relying on advice and information from coaches, soccer clubs, and other parents to make their decisions. In this manner, the parents themselves are socialized into the culture of early specialized sport, adopting the established values and beliefs of the practice, and furthering the advancement of the practice of early specialization in youth sport.