Understanding Sense of Community From the Athlete’s Perspective

Abstract

Sport programs are often charged with creating a sense of community (SOC), and it is thought that doing so will benefit participants on and off the field of play. Since SOC is specific to the setting (Hill, 1996) and most research has been conducted outside of sport, the literature has not yet fully demonstrated how and when SOC is created within a sport context. Utilizing a grounded theory and phenomenological approach, this study investigated the mechanisms for creating SOC within a sport setting. Twenty former US college athletes were interviewed regarding their sport experiences. The results revealed that Administrative Consideration, Leadership Opportunities, Equity in Administrative Decisions, Competition, and Social Spaces were the most salient factors that fostered SOC. The results contribute to community building theory, and provide practical solutions for enhancing the participant experience.

Sports and Community on Campus: Constructing a Sports Experience That Matters

“…Specifically, these results supported Pretty and McCarthy's (1991) and Warner and Dixon's (2011) research that suggested that gender differences likely exist in terms of how Competition impacted SOC. The fact that Competition varied by gender is likely a result of the socialization process.…”

“…In doing so, a trust and reciprocal commitment developed and a SOC was cultivated. This factor was not seen in Warner and Dixon's (2011) previous study with varsity athletes, indicating that there may be some critical difference in terms of how SOC develops within a peerdirected versus a more formalized coach-or administrator-directed model.…”

“…Leadership Opportunities and Competition were also revealed as factors in Warner and Dixon's (2011) study on SOC among NCAA varsity athletes. That is, the directing and guiding of activities that resulted in feelings of ownership and responsibility as well as the desire to outperform others were salient in both sports contexts.…”

“…Previous work (Warner & Dixon, 2011) has already explored SOC among NCAA varsity sports participants. That investigation revealed five salient factors that contributed to SOC: (a) Administrative Consideration, (b) Leadership Opportunities, (c) Equity in Administrative Decisions, (d) Competition, and (e) Social Spaces.…”

Officiating Attrition: The Experiences of Former Referees Via a Sport Development Lens

“…In particular, these managerial actions and organizational structures were also perceived by referees to be a barrier to their advancement. Warner and Dixon (2011) also noted in their study involving athletes that the offfield (i.e., off-court) factors such as these were also more salient than one might expect. This is further supported by previous research on coaches (e.g., Chelladurai & Ogasawara, 2003;Dixon & Warner, 2010;Kim & Cunningham, 2005).…”