National Junior Rugby League Players’ Experiences– 2017 National Junior Rugby League Players’ Experiences 2017 Players’ experiences and the impact on retention rates Dr Wayne Usher Senior Lecturer / Researcher, Griffith University Mr James Hinchey Participation Strategy and Projects Manager Mr Mike Castle Coaching and Education Programs Coordinator (QLD) National Junior Rugby League Players’ Experiences– 2017 Contents Acronyms and abbreviations ........................................................................................ vi 1 Executive summary .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Thematic categories (qualitative data) ............................................................... 5 1.2 Summary of results and approach ...................................................................... 8 1.3 Demographic Breakdown ................................................................................. 11 1.3.1 Demographic profile .................................................................................................... 11 2 Introduction .................................................................................................... 15 2.1 National Rugby League—Vision, Mission and Key Priority ........................... 15 3 Background ..................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Australia’s Sport Development—external influences and RL’s alignment ..... 16 3.1.1 Player Recruitment ...................................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Player Transition ......................................................................................................... 17 3.1.3 Player Retention .......................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Understanding continued participation in Junior sport (RL)............................ 18 3.2.1 Australia’s sporting position in the 21st Century ........................................................ 18 3.2.2 Motivation and Junior sport participation .................................................................... 18 3.2.3 Australia’s Junior Sport Participation .......................................................................... 20 3.2.4 Junior Sports Frameworks ........................................................................................... 22 3.3 Summary .......................................................................................................... 23 4 Theory .............................................................................................................. 24 4.1 Theoretical basis of claim and approach .......................................................... 24 4.2 The 3 Ps—performance, participation and personal development .................. 24 4.3 The Social / Symbolic Interactionist Theory .................................................... 25 4.4 The Sport Motivation Scale .............................................................................. 26 4.4.1 Intrinsic Motivation ..................................................................................................... 26 4.4.2 Extrinsic Motivation .................................................................................................... 26 4.4.3 Amotivation ................................................................................................................. 26 5 Methods ........................................................................................................... 27 5.1 Aim of research ................................................................................................ 27 5.2 Primary research questions ............................................................................... 27 5.2.1 Secondary research questions ...................................................................................... 28 5.2.2 Quantitative data collection ......................................................................................... 28 5.2.3 Qualitative data collection ........................................................................................... 29 5.3 Ethical approval ................................................................................................ 29 5.4 Survey design and construction ........................................................................ 29 5.5 Participant sample and recruitment .................................................................. 30 5.6 Data collection process ..................................................................................... 30 5.6.1 Demographics .............................................................................................................. 30 5.6.2 Quantitative questions—closed questions ................................................................... 30 5.6.3 Qualitative questions—open-ended ............................................................................. 31 i National Junior Rugby League Players’ Experiences– 2017 5.7 Data analysis ..................................................................................................... 33 5.7.1 Quantitative analysis ................................................................................................... 33 5.7.2 Qualitative analysis ..................................................................................................... 33 6 Results .............................................................................................................. 35 6.1 Quantitative—outcomes ................................................................................... 35 6.1.1 Rating scale responses ................................................................................................. 35 6.1.2 Aim: ............................................................................................................................. 35 6.1.3 Focus questions ........................................................................................................... 35 6.2 Patterns of associations .................................................................................... 38 6.2.1 Coaching experience ................................................................................................... 38 6.2.2 Player experience ........................................................................................................ 39 6.2.3 Club experience ........................................................................................................... 40 6.2.4 Socialisation experience .............................................................................................. 41 6.3 Patterns of differences ...................................................................................... 42 6.3.1 Coaching experience ................................................................................................... 42 6.3.2 Player experience ........................................................................................................ 45 6.3.3 Club experience ........................................................................................................... 46 6.3.4 Socialisation experience .............................................................................................. 48 6.4 Patterns of associations and differences for leavers vs. stayers ....................... 51 6.4.1 Leavers vs. stayers ....................................................................................................... 52 6.5 Summary of four experiences ........................................................................... 58 6.5.1 Coaching experience ................................................................................................... 58 6.5.2 Player experience ........................................................................................................ 58 6.5.3 Club experience ........................................................................................................... 59 6.5.4 Social experience ......................................................................................................... 59 6.6 Qualitative outcomes ........................................................................................ 60 6.6.1 Synopsis of conceptual framework—themes and domains ......................................... 60 6.6.2 Thematic presentation and discussion ......................................................................... 61 6.6.3 Intrinsic Motivation ..................................................................................................... 66 6.6.4 Extrinsic Motivation .................................................................................................... 66 6.6.5 Amotivation ................................................................................................................. 67 6.7 Summary of data patterns—quantitative and qualitative findings ................... 67 6.7.1 Quantitative findings: highest identified M, r, p < 0.05* and p < 0.00**. ................... 67 6.7.2 Qualitative findings—highest identified reoccurring themes ...................................... 68 6.7.3 Seven key findings ...................................................................................................... 68 7 Discussion .......................................................................................................