Observing Task and Ego Involvement in a Club Volleyball Setting

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2013-04-30

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This study examined how task and ego involvement affected 12-and-under girls? motivations to play competitive club volleyball. Participants included 25 girls under the age of 12, as well as 31 parents including those of the 25 girls. Parents and players completed the Achievement Goal Scale for Youth Survey (AGSYS), and open ended questions regarding their intention to continue playing and their motivations for trying out for club volleyball. After conducting a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, findings suggested that the parents and the players both identified as task involved individuals, implying that their motivations lie in improving skills relative to the sport instead of becoming the best athlete relative to others on the court. The study results indicated that parents and daughters ego involvement was positively correlated demonstrating that parental motivations were reflected in player motivations confirming the impact of parental involvement in their daughter?s sport decisions.

A second segment included a discussion on the girls? parents and their reasons for allowing their daughter to play in club volleyball as reflected in a task and ego involvement framework. Previously conducted studies have been completed in an attempt to discover parental motivations for allowing their child to try out for a competitive team. Research has examined specific youth motivations. Most prominent results from youth focused research include the opportunity to build social relations and boost self-efficacy regarding playing competitive sports (Allen, 2003). Minimal research has focused on understanding the relationship between parent and child motivations for youth participation in competitive sports. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between parent and youth motivation for trying out for club volleyball using a task and ego involvement framework. The information collected will be on display for youth development practitioners who assist in programs involving youth, parents and competitive sports. The findings assist in establishing research that provides information to competitive youth club managers so they can establish their club based on research based findings from both the parents and players perspectives.

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