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Many higher education institutions incorporate service-learning programs because of the positive outcomes they produce for students. However, limited research has assessed the outcomes of service-learning for students working with older adults in a sport setting. Using a discourse analysis approach, this study examined the outcomes of volunteering with the Greenville-Pitt County Senior Games for 55 students enrolled in a physical activity and aging course. The results revealed that students’ perceptions about older adults’ Physical Abilities and Competitiveness and their view of Sport as a Social Event changed as a result of the service-learning experience. Students also cited Humanizing the Older Adult Experience and Learning by Doing as positive outcomes of the experience. The research findings suggest that service-learning with older adults in a sport setting can help better prepare students to serve the aging population. The implications and opportunities for Sport Management instructors are highlighted.

Motherhood is associated with low rates of physical activity that increase disease risk. Most theory-based approaches to increasing physical activity focus on personal rather than social factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations among perceptions of community collective efficacy and objectively measured physical activity, self-efficacy, social support, and health. Mothers completed questionnaires and wore a pedometer for 7 days. There was a significant, positive association between physical activity and collective efficacy-social cohesion subscale. In the regression analysis, only age and social support were independent predictors of physical activity. Future studies should examine relationships among collective efficacy and social support and physical activity.

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