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Social positioning and the construction of a youth sports club

  • David Kirk
    ,
  • Ann MacPhail
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

This article uses the concept of social positioning to explore the construction of a youth sports club by young people, their parents and coaches. The year-long ethnography of Forest Athletics Club (FAC) identified two athlete positions of Samplers and Beginning Specializers. Four parents’ positions were identified, those of Non-Attenders, Spectators, Helpers and Committed Members. One coach position was the Committed Volunteer. Each of these positions was interdependent. Particular expectations, practices and values were attached to these positions. It is argued that the club operates according to multiple agendas and that FAC is a complex and dynamic social phenomenon that is practised differently by the three groups of key players.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 23-44

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

International Review for the Sociology of Sport (Volume 38, Issue 1)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/03/2003

Publication status

Published - 01/03/2003

ISSN

1012-6902

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/233696

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