Faith Informing Competitive Youth Athletes in Christian Schooling

ABSTRACT

How do students use religious faith to inform their actions in competitive sport? This qualitative study critically reflects on this question based upon the thinking processes and experiences of 15-year-old participants in sports and, in turn, produces a basic conceptual framework toward the question at hand. Overall, students reported a complex, competitive environment where they integrate, overlook, and avoid their faith as a means to inform their competitive drive in sport. Despite these mixed results and the dangers of aggressive sport, this paper concludes that Christian schools would be unwise to restrict support to only angelic sporting events and instead should, among several suggestions, incorporate insight from health standards, reconsider the use of prayer, and think about improved educational prescriptions.

Notes

Four students did not identify as Christian; therefore, the inclusive term of “faith” is used throughout this paper (Fowler, 1995).

Luke 9:46–48 is a teaching about the meaning of greatness: “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest’” (The Holy Bible—New International Version [NIV]).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matt Hoven

Matt Hoven is an assistant professor of religion and education at St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta (Canada). His main research examines questions of religion and spirituality in educational settings, including the area of sport. He also enjoys playing and watching sport. This research project was supported in part by a contract-grant with Edmonton Catholic School District, Alberta, Canada.