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The aim of the present article is to outline a heuristic model that facilitates movement toward an integrated understanding of the youth sport system. We define the youth sport system as the set of interdependent persons and contexts that influence and are influenced by an athlete in youth sport. Our model builds directly from a systems perspective, and its tenets of holism, feedback loops, and roles. Specifically, we argue that the persons and contexts that surround an athlete in youth sport should be examined collectively, self-correct over time, and take on certain functions that are negotiated over time. The model extends past contributions toward integration by outlining how proximal and distal processes within youth sport can be studied in a more unified way. Looking forward, research designed to capture the nuanced ways persons and contexts influence and are influenced by one another in youth sport will be best positioned to impact theory and practice in meaningful ways.

The youth sport system in the United States is not achieving its full potential. There is a need to reimagine this system in ways that are evidence-based, innovative, and coordinated to best safeguard and promote the well-being of young people. The purpose of this expert commentary, composed by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board, is to propose a set of changes across multiple levels of influence (e.g., individual, family, school, organization) that could cultivate a more developmentally sound youth sport system. By advancing the vision of the National Youth Sports Strategy to provide quality youth sport to all young people in the country, these changes have substantial potential to benefit young people. [The commentary with the 2020-2021 President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board.]

Although contemporary researchers suggest that abuse is especially prevalent in sport, athletes' experiences of coaches' emotional abuse are not well understood. To address this gap, the present study was designed to examine how former intercollegiate student-athletes described experiences of emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship. Twenty former student-athletes were interviewed, and an inductive comparative analysis was utilized to interpret and situate the data. Results were framed in terms of power and were organized into four distinctive categories. Results highlight a critical need for institutions to reflect on current policies and practices regarding the prevention and investigation of athlete abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American children participate relatively ubiquitously in youth sport and parents are intimately engaged in their participation. However, the onset of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically changed how families consume youth sport. Given this, it is important to explore the new and still-changing landscape of youth sport in the United States. The purpose of the present study was to better understand parent perceptions of the current state of youth sport in the United States amidst the backdrop of the COVID19 pandemic. To address this purpose, a large and statistically representative subset of youth sport parents in the United States (N = 2603; Mage = 38.72) was recruited via Qualtrics panel to complete a study-designed instrument assessing their perceptions prior to, and during, COVID-19-related restrictions. Results highlight youth sport parents' COVID-19-related perspectives, as well as their perceptions of return-to-play protocols in various organizational, community, and sociodemographic contexts. The present work has the potential to shape the ways families engage with youth sport if and when COVID19-related restrictions are ultimately lifted. Keywords: Youth sport; COVID-19; Parenting; Health and safety, Introduction Organized youth sport participation has become a staple of family life for most American children. Estimates suggest that as many as 90% of youth participate in organized sport at [...]

Despite widespread anecdotal accounts of coaches' emotional abuse in intercollegiate sports, empirical literature is lacking. To address this gap, the present exploratory study was designed to explore how former intercollegiate student-athletes interpreted experiences of emotionally abusive coaching. Former female NCAA and NJCAA student-athletes (N = 14; Mage = 25.3 years) took part in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were interpreted using a constructivist grounded theory approach. The final product of the research was a three-stage grounded theory explaining how former student-athletes interpret their experiences of emotional abuse over time organized into sections on antecedents to abuse, experiences and actions within the abusive program, and after the abuse. Implications for this work include the idea that individual student-athletes may have different experiences and recollections of coaches' emotionally abusive behavior and that intercollegiate student-athletes are able to discern between "hard, but fair" coaching practices and emotionally abusive coaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organized youth sport is a relatively common family context in which sibling dynamics are not well understood. The present study was designed to address two contrasting mechanisms of socialization-modeling and differentiation-in examining older siblings' influence on younger siblings' sport participation. American youth (N = 221) age 10-15 years (M = 12.38, SD = 1.01) who were active sport participants completed an online survey measuring individual and family demographics, sibling relationship qualities, and parent-child relationship dimensions. The participants reported on their most proximal older siblings, all of whom were within 4 years of age. The analyses suggest that sibling differentiation dynamics decreased the likelihood of playing the same primary sport as an older sibling for (a) the same biological sex, close in age to siblings; (b) the same biological sex, further in age from siblings; and (c) mixed biological sex, wide in age from siblings. The "Discussion" section highlights the practical value of understanding the impact of sibling influence processes on the individual, sibling dyad, and family system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriately designed sport contexts have the potential to offer participants a range of positive developmental outcomes across domains. However, excessive pressure from parents and an emphasis on achievement outcomes may lead young athletes to develop maladaptive personality characteristics such as perfectionism, which may undermine the positive outcomes from participating in sport. While parenting styles have been broadly explored in relation to the development of perfectionism, individual parenting behaviours have not been examined as unique predictors. The present study was designed to test the potential mediating role of perceived parental warmth on the association of perceived parent pressure and athletes' perfectionism in the context of competitive club soccer. Data were drawn from a sample of 149 adolescents in the United States who were participating in competitive club soccer. Results demonstrated an acceptable model fit with paternal pressure positively predicting both perfectionistic concerns and strivings, and perceived paternal warmth mediating the relationship between paternal pressure and perfectionistic strivings (β = -.18, p <.05) and concerns (β = -.19, p <.05). Perceived maternal pressure had no relationship with athlete perfectionistic strivings (β = -.03, p =.38) or concerns (β = -.02, p =.46). These findings extend knowledge of the pressure-perfectionism association while also accounting for the mediating effect of perceived parental warmth. The present study highlights the relationship between perceived paternal pressure and warmth in relation to perfectionism in competitive club soccer. Findings have the potential to inform future research examining parenting styles in the context of adolescent sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite emerging evidence of a link between parental involvement and student-athletes' (SA) experiences, and the desire for educational programming for parents of these SAs, previous research has been limited to the Division I level. This has prevented the ability to inform, develop, and deliver parent programming across the NCAA's diverse membership. The present study was designed to descriptively assess SA reports of parental involvement (i.e., support, contact, academic engagement, athletic engagement) across NCAA Division I, II, and III member institutions and examine the potential impact of this involvement on SAs' experiences (i.e., academic self-efficacy, athletic satisfaction, well-being, individuation). Participants were 455 SAs (53% female; 81% Caucasian; Mage = 19.81, SD = 1.65) from DI (30%), DII (37%), and DIII (33%) institutions, who completed an online survey with items assessing parental involvement and SA experiences. Regarding academic classification, 32% were freshmen, 24% sophomores, 22% juniors, and 22% seniors. Results provide novel evidence for an absence of division-wide differences in average levels of involvement and no variability in links between involvement and SA experiences across divisions. Results complement and extend previous research by offering a clearer understanding of differential associations between involvement and SAs' experiences regardless of division, notably that involvement bolstered well-being but also strongly detracted from individuation. Findings highlight the importance of developing programs to promote positive and developmentally-appropriate parental involvement across the spectrum of intercollegiate athletics, especially given the absence of evidence-based resources presently offered by the NCAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burnout and engagement are important psychological outcomes in sport with potential to impact athletes as well as sport parents. The present study examined associations among markers of the sport-based parent child-relationship (warmth and conflict) and parent burnout and engagement in organized youth sport. Youth sport parents (N = 214) aged 26-66 years (M= 43.2, SD = 6.2) completed valid and reliable self-report assessments of study variables. Study results showcased warmth, but not conflict, in the parent-child relationship as a significant negative contributor to global burnout and a significant positive contributor to global engagement in sport parents. Results offer preliminary insight into the impact of parent-child warmth in sport on parents' experiences of burnout and engagement. Findings have implications for future research and practice designed to promote positive psychosocial experiences for sport families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on youth sport parents based on competition level to understand how the pandemic affected youth sport and factors associated with youth returning to sport. Survey data were collected from samples of US sport parents in two waves - early in the pandemic (N = 751) and as programs began to resume (N = 707). Data showed elite sport parents were more willing to return. Although most participants returned to play, significant numbers had not resumed participation. Parent comfort was the most important factor associated with resuming. However, parents allowed children to resume play due to perceived external pressure, potentially creating stress among parents regarding sport participation decisions. Attending school in person and household income were associated with the ability to resume sport suggesting the need to provide school sport environments and consider the financial impacts of COVID-19 on sport families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present article is to outline a heuristic model that facilitates movement toward an integrated understanding of the youth sport system. We define the youth sport system as the set of interdependent persons and contexts that influence and are influenced by an athlete in youth sport. Our model builds directly from a systems perspective, and its tenets of holism, feedback loops, and roles. Specifically, we argue that the persons and contexts that surround an athlete in youth sport should be examined collectively, self-correct over time, and take on certain functions that are negotiated over time. The model extends past contributions toward integration by outlining how proximal and distal processes within youth sport can be studied in a more unified way. Looking forward, research designed to capture the nuanced ways persons and contexts influence and are influenced by one another in youth sport will be best positioned to impact theory and practice in meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student-athletes have to balance their sport, academic, and social lives during the transition to college and parent involvement is an integral, but potentially problematic, aspect of this transition. The present study investigated how key parent involvement factors may be associated with positive developmental outcomes in NCAA Division I student-athletes. Student-athlete participants (N = 514) were 46% male, ranged in age from 18 to 25 years (M = 19.76, SD = 1.43), and were recruited from athletic departments at two NCAA Division I member-institutions. Participants completed online surveys with items assessing their perceptions of parent involvement (support from parents, contact with parents, academic engagement, athletic engagement) and student-athlete development (academic self-efficacy, athletic satisfaction, well-being, individuation). After controlling for individual and family demographic factors, parent academic and athletic engagement positively predicted student-athlete academic self-efficacy and athletic satisfaction; parent athletic engagement negatively predicted student-athlete depressive symptoms; all aspects of parent involvement were strong negative predictors of emotional independence; support from parents and parent academic engagement were strong negative predictors of functional independence; and support from parents was a negative predictor and athletic engagement a strong positive predictor of student-athletes' attainment of adult criteria. The present research enhances understanding of the role parent involvement may play in student-athlete development and thus may inform the creation of evidence-based policy and programming at NCAA Division I member-institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The youth sport system in the United States is not achieving its full potential. There is a need to reimagine this system in ways that are evidence-based, innovative, and coordinated to best safeguard and promote the well-being of young people. The purpose of this expert commentary, composed by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board, is to propose a set of changes across multiple levels of influence (e.g., individual, family, school, organization) that could cultivate a more developmentally sound youth sport system. By advancing the vision of the National Youth Sports Strategy to provide quality youth sport to all young people in the country, these changes have substantial potential to benefit young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American children participate relatively ubiquitously in youth sport and parents are intimately engaged in their participation. However, the onset of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically changed how families consume youth sport. Given this, it is important to explore the new and still-changing landscape of youth sport in the United States. The purpose of the present study was to better understand parent perceptions of the current state of youth sport in the United States amidst the backdrop of the COVID- 19 pandemic. To address this purpose, a large and statistically representative subset of youth sport parents in the United States (N = 2603; Mage = 38.72) was recruited via Qualtrics panel to complete a study-designed instrument assessing their perceptions prior to, and during, COVID-19-related restrictions. Results highlight youth sport parents' COVID-19-related perspectives, as well as their perceptions of return-to-play protocols in various organizational, community, and sociodemographic contexts. The present work has the potential to shape the ways families engage with youth sport if and when COVID- 19-related restrictions are ultimately lifted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that more than 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur annually in the United States, with potentially up to 43% of these unreported and untreated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any particular sub-group of NCAA athletes is more at-risk to underreport symptoms, events deemed less-severe than concussions, or suspected concussions. We further aimed to assess reasons for not reporting suspected concussive events following a head impact. Student-athletes from 127 NCAA institutions completed an online survey to assess the influence of race, gender, socioeconomic factors, NCAA division, and sport category on the reporting of "sub-concussive" and concussive events, as well as the concussion symptoms they had experienced in sport. The survey also included questions designed to gauge student-athletes' general knowledge of and attitudes about concussions, and to determine any discrepancies between ideal and actual behavior when faced with hypothetical situations involving concussionlike symptoms. Results indicated that collision sport athletes and those competing at the Division II level were particularly at-risk for not reporting symptoms and potential concussive events. Furthermore, student-athletes who listed higher symptom severity to indicate concussion also reported fewer self-defined "sub-concussive events", highlighting a missing link in understanding reporting behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]