Experience of Involvement: a Retrospective Case Study of Supporting the Continuation of Sports Club Participation in Adolescence

Purpose and problem statement: Sports clubs have a positive impact on many children and adolescents, yet
teenagers are increasingly quitting their sports club participation when they reach adolescence. The drop-out
phenomenon has been widely studied. Conversely, the factors supporting the continuation of the sports club
participation have been examined less. Our research question was: How is the experience of involvement related
to continuing to participate in sports club activities? In this study, the concept of sports club participation means
training in a football team. Involvement, for its part, consists of belongingness, inclusion, and togetherness.
Approach: Eight female footballers were interviewed in this retrospective case study. Guided by the theoretical
background, the classification body of the four components of involvement; communality, creating space for
youth voice, participating in a sport that suits oneself, and environmental factors, was formed. The interview
material was transcribed and placed in the categories of involvement components according to the content
analysis. Consequently, the resulting subcategories were formed and discussed. Results: The main results of the
research suggest that according to the interviewees, communality was built at both the club and the team level
and within each adolescent’s positive social relationships. Creating space for youth voice included the dialogue
between the club and the player, the coach and the player and the player's role in the team. The factors that made
a sport suit oneself were the holistic consideration of the adolescent’s life, the experiences of finding one’s own
place in the sport and the meaningfulness of the sport. The environmental factors were linked to the club’s
structures, and both the location and the costs of the sport. Due to the limited nature of the research data, the
results of the study cannot be generalised but can be considered to be indicative. Conclusions: Based on the
study, involvement could provide a diverse approach to the development of sports clubs. By identifying the
factors leading to meaningful sport, and by adapting participation according to the components of involvement, it
is possible to motivate adolescents to continue their sports club participation longer, develop the sense of
belonging and hence their well-being. Further studies should examine the component of creating space for youth
voice in sports clubs, as it has been less studied