Understanding and promoting fun in youth sport: coaches' perspectives

Abstract

Despite the importance of fun in initiating and sustaining sport involvement, and despite the critical role that coaches play in the success of youth sport programs, few attempts have been made at exploring coaches' perceptions of fun in youth sport. Eighteen youth sport coaches participated in semi‐structured interviews. The purposes of this study were to gain a better understanding of coaches' perceptions of fun in youth sport and of how they attempt to bring fun into the youth sport experience. Qualitative analyses revealed the salience of three themes: (a) the apparent conflict between skill development and fun; (b) the different meanings of fun; and (c) promoting fun as a matter of being and of doing. Results are discussed in light of available literature on fun/enjoyment in sport. Possibilities for intervention with youth sport coaches are offered.