Educating Future Leaders of the Sport-Based Youth Development Field

In recent years, a substantial surge has occurred in the number of initiatives, events and organizations focused on using sport as a tool for development, peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts. This has created a growing need for educated leaders in the sport-based youth development field as the job market in this field continues to expand. The purpose of this article is to describe three academic programs currently preparing undergraduate and graduate students to succeed in leadership positions within sport-based youth development organizations. It explores how these academic programs are responding to the emerging job market and describes the courses and field-based experiences that provide students with the knowledge, skills and experiences to lead this growing field. The conclusion explores the strengths of these academic programs and the challenges they have faced, with a particular focus on information that may be beneficial to administrators, educators and practitioners.