Table 1 Description of how the PlayFit Youth Sport Program addresses intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural barriers to experiences of fun during sport and reflective evaluations of sport enjoyment
How the PlayFit program addresses the constraint | Tenets of theoretical models incorporated | |
|---|---|---|
Intrapersonal constraints | ||
Perceptions of physical incompetence/Emphasis on high performance | • No ‘normative’ skill and experience level expectations to participate • Players are encouraged to positively reframe their own mistakes and tolerate those of others • Few skill and fitness barriers to entry (e.g., easier to use equipment, basic, easy to understand rules that allow for autonomy/creativity) | • Trying hard, positive team dynamics (fun-integration theory; FIT) • Task-orientation (achievement-goal theory; AGT) • Competence, autonomy, relatedness (self-determination theory; SDT) |
Negative perceptions of coach/leader | • As actively participating teammates, leaders model the program ethos by positively reframing and tolerating mistakes • Leaders monitor the team dynamics to discourage antisocial behaviors (e.g., bragging, bullying, teasing, formation of cliques) • Leaders prevent participants from being excluded (e.g., by passing to players not receiving attention or ‘touches’) • Leaders value and praise prosocial behaviors (e.g., players who encourage one another, pass to teammates who do not frequently receive one, allowing another player to have a 're-do') and trying hard • Leaders develop supportive connections/relationships with participants (e.g., get to know on first name basis, interests beyond the program) | • Trying hard, positive coaching, positive team dynamics (FIT) • Task-orientation (AGT) • Competence, relatedness (SDT) |
Negative perceptions toward teammates | • Participants agree to abide by program rules prior to participation, whereby failure to do so may result in dismissal • Players are encouraged to perform altruistic behaviors (e.g., providing praise and positive feedback, involving less skilled peers) • Players are encouraged to tolerate the mistakes of others • Players are discouraged from bragging, bullying, teasing, and the formation of cliques | • Trying hard, positive team dynamics (FIT) • Task-orientation (AGT) • Relatedness (SDT) |
Interpersonal constraints | ||
Pressures from family, coaches, peers Other social priorities | • Parents/guardians are not encouraged to attend—if they must do so, they agree to observe sessions from afar • Program is coed and loosely age-restricted (e.g., 'all middle school children') so participants may socialize with similar peers • No obligation to adhere to program (i.e., will not ‘let team down’ if individuals decide to not attend) • Participants provided with more ownership of their experience and can 'come and go' as they please during sessions | • Autonomy, relatedness (SDT) |
Structural constraints | ||
Overemphasis on competitive success | • No scorekeeping, standings, or statistics | • Trying hard, positive team dynamics, mental bonusesa (FIT) • Task-orientation (AGT) • Competence, relatedness (SDT) |
Time commitments | • No mandatory practices/games, attend and play as much or as little as desired • No obligation to adhere to the program (i.e., will not 'let team down' if they decide not to attend) | • Autonomy (SDT) |
Not being given adequate playing time | • No ‘try-outs’ or ‘cutting’ from program – all who attend up may participate as much or as little as desired • Teams are randomly chosen daily | • Positive team dynamics, positive coaching (FIT) • Autonomy, relatedness (SDT) |
Injuries, psychological, and physiological burnout | • Activities are non-contact • Participants encouraged to self-regulate effort to reduce chances of overuse injuries and feelings of displeasure from overexertion (i.e., slow down/take breaks/switch-out whenever desired) • Multisport and games change weekly • Non-competitive, low stress ethos to reduce likelihood of psychological burnout | • Positive team dynamics (FIT) • Supporting the often-intermittent patterning of youth physical activity • Allows for self-regulation of physical effort |