Samenvatting

This study explores the developmental experiences of youth sport participants across various contexts, focusing on the outcomes and the role of facilitative coaching practices. Using qualitative analysis of interviews with 38 participants aged 15 to 18 from various sports and competitive levels, the research offers in-depth insights into how youth perceive development through sports. Findings highlight sports as essential for psychosocial growth, fostering character traits and connection skills, such as resilience and teamwork. Facilitative coaching practices are identified as pivotal to these developmental processes, with effective practices and outcomes shown to vary across contexts and socioeconomic backgrounds. This study provides insights into leveraging sports for positive youth development. It advances our knowledge of how young people perceive and experience developmental processes within various sporting contexts, particularly emphasizing the contextual interplay between facilitative coaching practices and developmental outcomes across differing contexts.