Political socialization and the coach-created educational environment of competitive games: the case of grassroots youth soccer in Sweden

Abstract

Grassroots youth soccer is a major education environment in which coaching not only influences the quality of young athletes' performances, but also their political socialization. I.e. their formation of political identities, values, attitudes and norms, their adaption to, learning about and sometimes changes in the political culture of a community. Based on an empirical study exploring competitive games of grassroots youth soccer in Sweden, the article contributes knowledge about political socialization in coaching and the coach-created educational environment of competitive games. In particular, it offers a typology that can be used in research, coach education programmes and for practitioners to analyse and understand the socio-political dimension of coaching practice. Two main coaching approaches are identified, Growth (include all and focuses on the process) and Selective (optimizing the team and focusing on the results), constituted by different social and learning norms having specific political socialization and education consequences for the players.

Improving the learning environment for future mathematics teachers with the use application of the dynamic mathematics system GeoGebra AR

“…In modern education, the essence of the concept of "educational environment" and its various aspects were studied by Aars and Christensen [9], Abed et al [10], Alahmadi [11], Al-Maroof et al [12], Andersson [13], Berrani et al [14], Bondarenko et al [15], Camacho et al [16], Chrysafiadi et al [17], Dotsenko [18], Fuentes-Moreno et al [19], Horbatiuk et al [20], Huh [21], Kerimbayev et al [22], Kyslova et al [23], Lechthaler et al [24], Lawless and Riel [25], Lee et al [26], Morze and Kucherovska [27], Mousavi et al [28], Orlando et al [29], Sahu et al [30], Shapovalov et al [31], Smogorzewska et al [32], Stratulat et al [33], Tleubay et al [34], Uchitel et al [35], Yang et al [36] and others. The educational environment is considered as a factor of education from the standpoint of understanding education as a special sphere of social life.…”

Public pedagogy and leadership in sports organisations: Futebol dá força for sustainability?

“…Soccer has been used to initiate change and strengthen communities all over the world. Worldwide soccer is shaped and reflected in politics, economics and culture and is often used as a political tool for improving health and communities, fostering social cohesion and social inclusion, building community networks, improving relationships in community and as an instrument for socialisation and integration (Al Ganideh, 2018;Andersson 2020aAndersson , 2020bDuffey et al, 2019;Parnell et al, 2015). FDF is one of many sports organisations in this context and one that describes itself as a social movement that 'will change the world'.…”

“…We now know that sport functions as a central political and educational arena for dealing with societal concerns and conflicts, building stronger and safer communities, enhancing public health, equality and environmental sustainability, supporting positive identity, strengthening communication and leadership skills, social responsibility, gender equity, enjoyment and engaging at-risk and disadvantaged children and young people (Andersson, 2020a, 2020b; Duffey et al, 2019; Ekholm, 2018; Hancock et al, 2013; Jones et al, 2018; Parnell et al, 2015; Spaaij, 2009; Svensson et al, 2019; Whitleya et al, 2019). Participation in sport not only influences the quality of athletes’ performances and health, but also their citizenship status, political identities, attitudes, norms and behaviour, as well as their ability to learn about and even change their community’s political culture by conveying core democratic principles such as tolerance, justice, equality, solidarity, respect, participation and cooperation (Andersson, 2020a, 2020b; Beutler, 2008; Hancock et al, 2013; Parker et al, 2019). Parker and colleagues (2019: 307) suggest that ‘sport has much to offer as a mechanism via which young people might gain not only a sense of personal and behavioural development, but also a sense of social engagement and community cohesion’.…”