Exploring parents’, coaches’, and children’s experiences and perceived outcomes in preschooler sport

ABSTRACT

There is limited and conflicting evidence of the benefits of early years (<6) sport participation, yet sport programmes directly targeting this demographic are commonplace. Given known positive and negative outcomes associated with sport participation among older children and youth, there is a need to explore unique benefits, risks, and associated experiences of younger children’s sport involvement; this research may inform parenting decisions around early sport enrolment, and implications for children’s development over the life course. In this exploratory study, experiences and perceived outcomes of preschooler sport participation were examined from the perspective of parents (n = 10), coaches (n = 7), and children aged 3–5 years (n = 10). Results emerging from individual semi-structured interviews revealed themes related to (a) physical activity and energy management, (b) physical literacy and sport skill acquisition, (c) understanding success and failure, (d) socialisation and social skills, and (e) life skills and school readiness. Findings indicate substantive diversity in experiences and perceived outcomes across participants, tied in part to children’s age, length of time in programs, programme/sport type, and concurrent attendance of other programs (e.g. music, daycare, kindergarten). Preschooler sport experiences were not universal, and despite parents’ sometimes inflated expectations, positive developmental outcomes did not emerge through children’s mere attendance alone, but rather were the result of unique interacting contextual factors. Continued research is warranted, as positive outcomes among older children and youth in sport should not automatically be imprinted upon the preschooler demographic.

KEYWORDS:

• Early years
• preschooler
• sport participation
• case study
• experiences
• developmental outcomes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [grant no. 435-2016-1630].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [435-2016-1630].

Notes on contributors

Meghan Victoria Harlow

Meghan Harlow is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada). Her research interests include organized physical activity and sport participation among children during early childhood, as well as the supporting roles of parents and coaches towards the optimal delivery of preschooler sport programs.

Rebecca Bassett-Gunter

Rebecca Bassett-Gunter is an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and member of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research. Her research is focused on understanding psychosocial factors related to physical activity participation, particularly among children and youth.

Jessica Fraser-Thomas

Jessica Fraser-Thomasis an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and member of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research. Her research focuses on children and youths’ development through sport, with a particular interest in positive youth development, psychosocial influences, and sport trajectories.