Promoting positive youth development through sports: Pilot test of relational and character-based team culture resources among middle- and high-school student-athletes

Background: Most youth sports coaches receive little training, especially in how to promote positive youth development (PYD) through sport. There is a continuing need to identify brief, easily applied interventions with a strong theoretical base and practical, effective activities for promoting PYD through youth sport. Purpose: The current study surveyed a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 262 6th-12th grade students from private independent schools and sports clubs across the U.S. to examine how a brief video series showcasing highly-accomplished athletes discussing character-building, mastery-oriented, and team climate messages, and accompanying activity guides, were linked to positive youth development outcomes Methods: Coaches were sent links to the videos and to accompanying activity guides. Coaches were asked to watch the videos with their teams and engage in a discussion/reflection or extended activity as recommended in the videos and user guides, at their pace but within 3-4 weeks. Four weeks after sending the video links, each school/club was sent a unique survey link. Following the consent procedures of the participating schools, coaches and student-athletes completed anonymous online surveys. Findings: Use of the resources was linked to greater odds of a team climate being high in competitive character building principles (called Compete-Learn-Honor), and in perceived developmental relationships. In turn, a competitive character-building team climate was linked to greater confidence in the coach, deriving a sense of purpose from their sport, and intention to continue in the sport. A team climate high in developmental relationships predicted greater confidence in coach and deriving purpose from their sport Conclusion: These brief and easy to implement resources are linked with a positive, mastery-oriented team climate and other aspects of student-athletes’ positive youth development.