The relationship between sport climate and life skills in youth

The central research question of this thesis is: What is the relationship between the sport climate and life skills in youth of 12 to 20 years old who are active in a team sport? To answer this question, a total of 173 Dutch youth aged 12 to 20 years old active in a team sport, who were a member of a sport association and had a trainer or coach participated in a cross sectional survey (examining the motivational sport climate, self-regulatory skills and sense of coherence). Additionally, four basketball coaches who focus on the personal development of their players participated in an interview (examining the sport climate and personal development). In conclusion, a positive sport climate might be a promising concept to focus on in order to develop life skills in youth through sport. The influence of coaches on the relationship between the sport climate and life skills is important. The findings indicate that more research is useful and needed to gain more knowledge on the relationship between the sport climate and life skills development in youth.