Parents and Baseball Coaches Physical Literacy Perceptions for Young Athletes Development : Implication for Training Contextstract
Gano Sumarno (a*), Wildan Alfia Nugroho(a), Mesa Rahmi Stephani(a), Ricky Wibowo(a)

Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229 Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

Even though there is little and conflicting research on the advantages of young children and youth participating in sports, these programs are frequently targeted at this group. Given the known benefits and drawbacks of Baseball participation among older children and youth, it is necessary to investigate the particular advantages, risks, and experiences of children and youth participating in sports. This research may help parents and coaches make decisions about their children^s sport participation and have implications for their development throughout their lives. In this exploratory study, the opinions of parents (n = 15), coaches (n = 8), and kids (n = 15) between the ages of 7-17 were studied concerning the experiences and results of young athlete participation. Individual semi-structured interviews with participants yielded themes linked to (a) physical activity and energy management, (b) learning physical literacy and sports skills, (c) comprehending success and failure, (d) developing social skills, (e) acquiring life skills, and (f) preparing for school. Findings reveal a significant variance in participants^ experiences and perceived results, partly related to children^s age, program duration, sport type, and concurrent participation in other programs (e.g., music, academic, and non-academic). It was not common for children to participate in sports. Despite parents^ occasionally exaggerated expectations, favourable developmental outcomes were more often the result of specific, interrelated contextual circumstances than just children^s attendance. Further study is necessary since the good effects of athletics on older children and teens should only sometimes be extrapolated to the population of young athletes.

Keywords: Athletic program, baseball, physical literacy, young athletes

Topic: Youth Development through Sport