9 Youth and Community Sport C H A P T E R Marlene A. Dixon, University of Texas at Austin Jennifer E. Bruening, University of Connecticut Chapter 9

Origins and History of Community Sport in North America General trends in community sport history Native communities in North America European North Americans Sporting fraternity in urban centers Arrival of voluntary sport clubs Growth and governance of sport and physical activity

Youth Sport History Examples YMCA, YWCA, PAL, Pop Warner Football, CYO Little League Baseball/Softball, Canadian Royal Legion Definitions and variations of organized youth sport Recent developments and influences

Youth Sport Questions Should the focus be educational or elite sport development? Who should govern youth sport? Who has access to the different kinds of sport opportunities?

Youth Sport Sidebars Job Opportunities in Youth Sport Up2Us: www.up2us.org Playworks: www.playworksusa.org Service Learning Through UConn’s Husky Sport UCONN’s Husky Sport: www.huskysport.uconn.edu

Definition of Community Sport Organized physical activity based in . . . Community School Local sport organizations Encompasses both . . . Recreational sport Competitive sport

Sampling of Community Sport Organizations in North America YMCA: www.ymca.net Police Athletic League: www.palnyc.org Amateur Athletic Union: www.aausports.org United States Swimming: www.usaswimming.org National Alliance for Youth Sports: www.nays.org

Emphasis on the Participant Differences between sport for the spectator or consumer and sport for participants Management concerns involving community sport (continued)

Emphasis on the Participant (continued) Benefits of sport participation Numerous physical benefits as well as benefits to individuals, families, and communities Quality of life Family life Sense of community and social capital

Size and Scope of Community Sport Difficult to estimate number of participants Millions in the U.S. and Canada participate at recreational and competitive levels Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Participation numbers Trends in increasing and decreasing demand

Table 9.2

Types of Community Sport Organizations Similarities, differences in sport systems Canadian sport organizations Community sport almost exclusively offered through sport clubs U.S. sport organizations Community sport offered through various organizations: public, private, for-profit, not-for-profit

International Sidebar Youth Olympic Sport Development in China Goals Systematic feeder system Schools with traditions in designated sports Sports schools International learning activities

Management Challenges Structure and delivery systems are varied Governance of community and youth sport Professional human resource management model Begins with planning Recruiting, selecting volunteers and paid personnel Training and development

Adult Community Sport Offerings Classes: instructional sessions to enhance skill and fitness level Leagues: organized forms of ongoing sport competition Tournaments: organized forms of sport over days and weeks

Youth Sport Offerings Organized activities are typically structured as classes, instructional leagues, competitive leagues, and after-school programs Other private and nonprofit organizations Offer programming Subscribe to sport-based youth development model

Practical Application Critical thinking in community sport Ethics in community sport

Three Review Questions What are the goals and outcomes associated with each youth and community sport sector? How is access to youth and community sport a complex issue in different communities? What challenges exist in managing youth and community sport? How would you meet those challenges?