The Power of Groups in Youth Sport

Mark Bruner - Canada Research Chair in Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity; Professor in the School of Physical and Health Education at Nipissing University. Dr. Bruner’s research program investigates group dynamics and psychosocial development in youth sport and physical activity settings. He has published research in leading journals in group dynamics (e.g.Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice) sport and exercise psychology (e.g. Psychology of Sport and Exercise) and adolescence (e.g. Journal of Youth and Adolescence). Dr. Bruner has served as a sport psychology consultant with elite youth and university sport teams and is a learning facilitator for the Coaching Association of Canada. Mark Eys - Professor, Department of Kinesiology/Physical Education and Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, a former Canada Research Chair (2009-2019) and currently holds a Laurier Research Chair in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity. His current research interests include role perceptions in interactive groups, the measurement and correlates of cohesion, and the use of social influence to affect exercise behavior. Dr. Eys has published over 100 academic journal articles, 26 chapters, and two books including Group Dynamics in Sport (4th edition; co-authored), and Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology (2nd edition; co-edited). Luc Martin - Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University. Dr. Martin’s research interests lie in the general area of team dynamics, with a specific focus on topics such as cohesion, social identity, team building, and subgroups/cliques. Although much of his research resides in the context of sport, he is also interested in other high performance groups such as military and surgical teams. He serves on the editorial boards for several top sport psychology journals (e.g., Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology) and has consulting experience with athletes and teams ranging from developmental to elite levels of competition.

I Creating and Structuring the Team

1. Group Formation--Team Member Selection and Socialization

Mark W. Bruner, Luc J. Martin, Mark A. Eys, Colin McLaren

2. Group Norms in Youth Sport

Alyson J. Crozier, Alex J. Benson

3. Role Involvement in Youth Sport Teams

Mark Eys, Michael Godfrey, Jeemin Kim

4. Coaching Behaviors and Team Constructs in Youth Sport: A Transformational Leadership Perspective

Sarah Lawrason, Jennifer Turnnidge, Jean Cote

5. Athlete Leadership in Youth Sport

Todd M. Loughead, Katherine E. Hirsch, Matthieu M. Boisvert, Christopher Maechel

6. A Social Identity Approach to Enhancing Youth Development and Sport Participation

Mark W. Bruner, Jordan Sutcliffe, Jordan Herbison, Luc J. Martin

II Group Functioning and Management

7. Come Together: Cohesion in Youth Sport

Kevin S. Spink

8. Subgroups in the Context of Youth Sport

Luc J. Martin, Cailie McGuire, Madison Robertson, Kelsey Saizew

9. Motivational Climate in Youth Sport Groups

Chris G. Harwood, Sam N. Thrower

10. Team Building in Youth Sport

Lea-Cathrin Dohme, Jordan S. Lefebvre, Gordon A. Bloom

11. Teamwork in Youth Sport

Desmond McEwan, Mark R. Beauchamp

12. Organizational Culture and Group Dynamics in Yout Sport

III Developmental Considerations

13. Peer Influence and Youth Development

Karl Erickson, Emily Wright, Jill Kochanek, Matthew Vierimaa

14. Parent Involvement in Youth Sport: Developmental Considerations Regarding Children, Adolescents, and Emerging Adults

Travis E. Dorsch, Sam N. Thrower, Katie Lowe

15. Bullying in Youth Sports Environments

Samuel Kim, Wendy Craig

16. Group Dynamics and Mental Health in Organized Youth Sports

Stewart A. Vella, Sarah K. Liddle, Matthew Vierimaa, M. Blair Evans

17. Peers and Groups in Disability Sport

M. Blair Evans, Scott Graupensperger, Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos

18. Conclusion: Developmental Considerations and Future Directions