Page 16 - Spring 2016 Newsletter

Exploring Our Strengths and

Our Future: A Sport-Based Youth
2014-2015

Development Program in Southern
AASP Outreach Grant

Queens, New York
Recipient

Will Massey, PhD, CC-AASP, CSCS, Concordia University - Wisconsin

Meredith Whitley, PhD, Adelphi University

Adams, 2012). Along with this commonly included former high level athletes (NCAA DI,

shared belief that on-ield athletic success NFL, NBA) that were raised in extreme poverty,

provides an avenue to a better life, others experienced physical, sexual, or emotional

have proposed that the transferable skills abuse, lived in violent communities with poor

learned throughout athletic development school systems, and/or had family members

can improve an individual’s quality of with drug, alcohol, or mental health issues

life off-the-ield as well (e.g., Camiré et (n = 10); individuals identiied as inluential

al., 2009; Danish & Nellen, 1997). Despite members to the aforementioned participants’

these shared beliefs, and media hyperbole support team (n = 7); and community leaders

fueling these ideals, there is often a lack (i.e., psychologist, police oficers, community Will Meredith

of scholarly discourse as to how one’s organizers; n = 4).
MASSEY WHITLEY

environment, including sport experiences,
While data collection and analysis is still
may serve to promote or mitigate personal
ongoing, our preliminary results have
development in and through sport.
identiied three different paths that sport can Today’s youth face an ever-growing number

The purpose of our current project is to help to facilitate development. When faced of developmental challenges as they navigate

utilize a constructivist grounded theory with high levels of trauma and developmental a complex and complicated world. For youth

methodology in order to develop a context risk (e.g., physical abuse, sexual abuse, growing up in low-income, under-resourced,

or traumatized communities, greater
speciic theory that deconstructs the role drugs, gang violence, familial mental health

sport plays in the lives of disadvantaged issues), sport can become a domain that environmental and personal barriers exist

youth and examines the relationships and serves as a distraction, escape, or coping for healthy development across the lifespan.

systematic factors that underlie these mechanism. Within this situation, sport can Within this context, sport has continually served

processes. To date, we have conducted, be a protective developmental factor. This as a huge draw for disadvantaged youth, with

the enjoyment of play and competition mixing
transcribed, and analyzed 21 interviews protective factor is enhanced if sport helps

utilizing a constant comparative and youth build positive relationships, provides with the commonly shared belief that athletic

iterative process. Our participants have
structure and accountability, and provides a
success can lead to a better life (Dubrow &

AASP Newsletter // Spring 2016 // Exploring Our Strengths and Our Future: A Sport-Based Youth Development Program in Southern Queens, New York

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