Are Life Skills Learned Through Team Sport Participation?
Are Life Skills Learned Through Team Sport Participation?
No Thumbnail Available
Issue Date
2014-06
Authors
Zuidhof, Jesse
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived impact of team sport participation on the development of future life skills. Thirty-two participants ranging in age from 18-25 consented to participate in the quantitative study. Each of the participants completed an online survey through Fluid Surveys, a secure online software program approved for use in Canadian universities. The data was entered into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for analysis. The data revealed that positive correlations were seen in all of the four categories tests (effective communication, ability to deal with pressure, ability to work collaboratively, and development of a strong work ethic). The research showed that females rated higher than males in their perception of team sports had aiding in their ability to work through stress situations and work collaboratively as a team. Alternatively, male participants rater high than females on teams sports effect on work ethic, ability to deal with pressure, and effect on social skills. The relationships of the number of teams played on and the participant's ability to deal with pressure and handle anxiety was the more significant trend found. As the number of teams played on increased, the perceived ability to deal with anxious situations also increased. Trends towards significance were depicted in the responses for ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively as a team as the number of teams participated on increased. The results highlight the importance of athletic programs to ensure that core values and mission statements are formed in line with the reliable data and research.