Strategic Program Development Practices to Enhance Grassroots 55-65+ Small-sided Football in Diverse International Contexts: The Art, Science and Politics of Implementation

Abstract

A significant growth in grassroots 55-65+ seniors’ small-sided football (e.g., 3v3, 4v4, 5v5, 6v6/futsal and walking football) programs has emerged in diverse settings on a global scale. Given the ad hoc nature of many program offerings to meet the unique needs and circumstances of older players, very little research has examined strategic program development practices to enhance and sustain participation in seniors’ small-sided football. Strategic program development is a complex and multifaceted process that provides a critical foundation for both quality assurance and quality enhancement. Case study research using multiple-case design suggests that no one size fits all, and that strategic program development draws upon a wide range of iterative and responsive program context, program planning, program leadership/coaching, and program impact assessment strategies to enhance and sustain player participation. This paper provides a conceptual framework and practical examples for strategic program development practices in diverse grassroots 55-65+ small-sided football contexts.

International Perspectives of Strategic Team and Player Development in Diverse Amateur/Grassroots 60+ Small-Sided Football Contexts

“…As the population has aged, growth of seniors' participation in a wide range of age-specific (e.g., 55+, 60+, 70+ years of age) amateur/grassroots football programs, leagues, and tournaments for different levels of ability in various formats has occurred on a global scale. Seniors' (predominantly men's) participation in traditional community-based 11-a-side (11v11) football competition tends to fall off dramatically from the age of early to mid-50s; thus, this growth is predominantly in seniors' (including men's, women's, and mixed/co-ed) participation in customised amateur/grassroots 60+ small-sided football programs and related competition in local, regional, and international settings (Corepal, Zhang, Grover, Hubball, & Ashe, 2020;Hubball & Dí az-Cidoncha Garcí a, 2020b). 60+ participants are a unique target group for participation in amateur/grassroots small-sided football for reasons including:…”