Doctoral Thesis 

 1 - The study sought to answer the following question: What are the determinants of two different ecologies of practice in the construction of sports training of young people 14 to 16 years old soccer players? The study explores different sporting context determinants, social club and professional one with different dispositions and behaviors associated with youth sport development. The novelty of the study resides on the lack of systematic research on sport participation in organized sport with different social relevance and oriented towards sport and social policies.

2 - The study was shaped by Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory (BET). His theory is based on four main concepts and the dynamic relationships between concepts: individual characteristics, proximal processes, contextual variables and time nature of relations between the developing person and different orders of their environment. The research proposes the analysis of the development of sport participation as a phenomenon of proximal processes and their interactions with personal attributes, ecological context and time dimensions. In order to implement the bioecological model in sport science, the conducted research was more generative more than confirmatory. Researchers attempted to identify the properties of the environmental context and the person who intentionally interacts within sport context.

3 - Methodologically, the study comprised a qualitative ethnographic analysis. It is also of descriptive and exploratory nature of the sporting context, i.e. experiences and the club’s day-to-day routines were recorded, as well as informal conversations and successful events. Besides the recollection of semi-structured interviews, researchers proceeded with a collection of historical documentation about the clubs organization and communities where they live. Participant observation was conducted throughout the study and field diary was elaborated with the use of observation grids. Content analysis was used to elaborate upon collected information under two ways: conceptual and relational.

4 - The quantitative component of the study allowed the researchers to evaluate young people behaviors engaged in sport and the possible influence of the proximal context. For this purpose two questionnaires were used, one measures attitudes towards sport (SAQ - Sports Attitudes Questionnaire) and the other to measure the perception of motivational climate in sport (PMCSQ-2).

5 - In both clubs three important social actors were identified with different weighting loads: parents, coaches and peers. The study concluded that the emphasis of sport participation should be placed on the quality of interpersonal relationships (climate) and in the context of general practice (conditions). Appropriate sport experiences depend largely on the interaction and involvement of parents, coaches and peers.The coaches’ sporting context (clubs’ structure and organization, social relations) strongly influence their behaviors and attitudes in youth development. Coaching in youth sport has a highly influential role, and can have a profound effect on the individual and social benefits of sport.

6 - The most significant results and with important implications on generalizability are as follows. Results demonstrate that talent development in professional club guidance is predominantly dependent on environmental features, i.e. organizational influences at a micro level of immediate settings (practice settings, success factors in sport, parents and coach’s influence, perception of roles). Results also show the importance of reciprocal interactions between the talented athletes and significant others involved in this specific environment. POC incorporates a “professional ethos” with the emergence specific behaviors. Regarding this, aspiration to professionalism and recognition promote more competitive and differentiated behaviors, more work capacity in a pronounced perceived task oriented climate.

7 - Further studies should focus on proximal relationships, athlete-coach and father-athlete relationship as the key in specialization in talented performance context. Does sporting environment conveyed by the club itself provide the athletes adoption of new social behaviors, skills and values?

8 - In the SOC, this study opens avenues in the understanding of proximal relationships and social function of a predominantly formative club. Social values ​​can emerge even in disadvantaged ecological sport contexts considering the fact that young people will experience sporting activities in places where training and play can catalyze their individual skills and interests. Significant others not only see sport and specifically football as a social mechanism of change, contributing to avoid anti-social and delinquent behaviors but also highlight the importance of closeness relationships between the clubs several actors with particular emphasis on coach and parents’ role.

9 - The ecological framework used provides an opportunity to develop consistent applied research in sensible social areas as well as to discriminate and foster positive relations that can be consistent through sport developmental programs. Futures studies should address the need to understand the structures and processes on the social function equation in clubs situated in a social melting pot.

Márcio Domingues