Many young people in the Netherlands participate in voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) but stop once they become adults. VSCs lack the ability to transition their youth members to adult members, which threatens the size of the clubs in terms of membership, the income, and the availability of volunteers. This research aims to identify experiences of young adult members that contribute to membership involvement (MI) and intentions to support the club and continue membership (membership commitment). A mixed-method approach consisting of a qualitative and a quantitative study was used. The results showed that young adult members elaborate on a wide range of experiences that predicts MI at four stages of membership. These experiences can be classified into the pleasure when participating in sports (enjoyment), the service and support within the club (care), and the social connectedness among the members (closeness). Moreover, the results revealed that MI performs as a mediator for membership commitment. The conclusion indicates that experiences of young adult members are integrated system, one cannot do without the other. This integrative system of experiences determines membership involvement in all stages of membership, from less than one year to long-term memberships. For clubs it is important to address these experiences because MI is important for the development of membership commitment - loyal and supportive young adult members.
| Published in | Social Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11 |
| Page(s) | 160-171 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Organized Sports, Involvement Theory, Young Adults Membership
| [1] | AbouAssi, K., & An, S.-H. (2017). Gender representation and organizational size: examining opportunities for members’ involvement in membership organizations. Public Management Review 19 (10), 1437-1454. |
| [2] | Alexandris, K., Douka, S., & Balaska, P. (2012). Involvement with active leisure participation: does service quality have a role? Managing Leisure, 17 (1), 54-66. |
| [3] | Baron, R., & Kenny, D. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of personality and social psychology, 51 (6), 1173-1182. |
| [4] | Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: a meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92 (3), 707. |
| [5] | Beaton, A., Funk, D., Ridinger, L., & Jordan, J. (2011). Sport involvement: A conceptual and empirical analysis. Sport Management Review, 14 (2), 126-140. |
| [6] | Berridge, K. C., Robinson, T. E., & Aldridge, J. W. (2009). Dissecting components of reward: ‘liking’, ‘wanting’, and learning. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 9 (1), 65-73. |
| [7] | Blumer, H. (1954). What is wrong with social theory? American sociological review, 19 (1), 3-10. |
| [8] | Bowen, G. A. (2006). Grounded theory and sensitizing concepts. International journal of qualitative methods, 5 (3), 12-23. |
| [9] | Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3 (2), 77-101. |
| [10] | Breuer, C., Hoekman, R., Nagel, S., & van der Werff, H. (2016). Sport clubs in Europe: A cross-national comparative perspective (Vol. 12). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer. |
| [11] | Burgham, M., & Downward, P. (2005). Why volunteer, time to volunteer? A case study from swimming. Managing Leisure, 10 (2), 79-93. |
| [12] | Crane, J., & Temple, V. (2015). A systematic review of dropout from organized sport among children and youth. European physical education review, 21 (1), 114-131. |
| [13] | Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage publications. |
| [14] | Cuskelly, G., McIntyre, N., & Boag, A. (1998). A Longitudinal Study of the Development of Organizational Commitment Amongst Volunteer Sport Administrators. Journal of Sport Management, 12 (3), 181-202. |
| [15] | DeVellis, R. F. (2003). Scale development: theory and applications. 2nd Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA. |
| [16] | Doherty, A., Misener, K., & Cuskelly, G. (2014). Toward a multidimensional framework of capacity in community sport clubs. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 43 (2_suppl), 124S-142S. |
| [17] | Eime, R., Harvey, J., Brown, W., & Payne, W. (2010). Does Sports Club Participation Contribute to Health-Related Quality of Life? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 42 (5), 1022-1028. |
| [18] | Engelberg, T., Zakus, D. H., Skinner, J. L., & Campbell, A. (2012). Defining and measuring dimensionality and targets of the commitment of sport volunteers. Journal of Sport Management, 26 (2), 192-205. |
| [19] | Enjolras, B. (2002). The Commercialization of Voluntary Sport Organizations in Norway. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 31 (3), 352-376. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38 (5), 761-783. |
| [20] | Etzioni, A. (1980). Compliance structures. In Etzioni & Lehman (Eds.), A sociological reader on complex organizations (3rd ed. ed., pp. 87-130). New York [etc.]: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. |
| [21] | Fetters, M. D., Curry, L. A., & Creswell, J. W. (2013). Achieving integration in mixed methods designs—principles and practices. Health services research, 48 (6pt2), 2134-2156. |
| [22] | Flosdorf, M. L., Carr, B. H., Carr, J. W., & Pate, J. R. (2016). An Exploration of the Sport Club President's Experience. Recreational Sports Journal, 40 (2), 106-119. |
| [23] | Funk, D. (2017). Introducing a Sport Experience Design (SX) framework for sport consumer behaviour research. Sport Management Review, 20 (2), 145–158. |
| [24] | Funk, D., & James, J. (2001). Psychological Continuum Model: a Conceptual Framework for Understanding an Individual's Psychological Connection to Sport. Sport Management Review, 4 (2), 119-150. |
| [25] | Funk, D. C., Haugtvedt, C. P., & Howard, D. R. (2000). Contemporary Attitude Theory in Sport: Theoretical Considerations and Implications. Sport Management Review, 3 (2), 125-144. |
| [26] | Gentile, C., Spiller, N., & Noci, G. (2007). How to sustain the customer experience: An overview of experience components that co-create value with the customer. European management journal, 25 (5), 395-410. |
| [27] | Gould, S. (1979). An Equity - Exchange Model of Organizational Involvement. The Academy of Management Review, 4 (1), 53-62. |
| [28] | Hallberg, U. E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2006). “Same Same” But Different? European Psychologist, 11 (2), 119-127. |
| [29] | Hardesty, D. M., & Bearden, W. O. (2004). The use of expert judges in scale development: Implications for improving face validity of measures of unobservable constructs. Journal of Business Research, 57 (2), 98-107 |
| [30] | Harris, S., Nichols, G., & Taylor, M. (2017). Bowling even more alone: trends towards individual participation in sport. European Sport Management Quarterly, 17 (3), 290-311. |
| [31] | Hoye, R. (2007). Commitment, involvement, and performance of voluntary sport organization board members. European Sport Management Quarterly, 7 (1), 109-121. |
| [32] | Hyde, M., Dunn, J., Wust, N., Bax, C., & Chambers, S. (2016). Satisfaction, organizational commitment, and future action in charity sport event volunteers. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 21 (3), 148-167. |
| [33] | Hwang, J., & Han, H. (2018). A study on the application of the experience economy to luxury cruise passengers. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 18 (4), 478-491. |
| [34] | Jakobsson, B. T., Lundvall, S., Redelius, K., & Engstrom, L. (2012). Almost all start but who continue? A longitudinal study of youth participation in Swedish club sports. European Physical Education Review, 18 (1), 3-18. |
| [35] | Kellett, P., & Warner, S. (2011). Creating Communities that Lead to Retention: The Social Worlds and Communities of Umpires. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11 (5), 471-494. |
| [36] | Klaus, P., & Maklan, S. (2011). Bridging the gap for destination extreme sports: A model of sports tourism customer experience. Journal of Marketing Management, 27 (13-14), 1341-1365. |
| [37] | Kohls, G., Chevallier, C., Troiani, V., & Schultz, R. T. (2012). Social ‘wanting’ dysfunction in autism: neurobiological underpinnings and treatment implications. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 4 (1), 10. |
| [38] | Kuijsters-Timmers, N., Goedee, J., & Leenders, R. (2019). Passionate about the sport, dedicated to the club? A systematic review study to the predictors, dimensions, and outcomes of membership involvement in recreational sports and leisure. International journal of human movement and sport sciences, 7 (4), 59-73. |
| [39] | Kyle, G., & Chick, G. (2004). Enduring leisure involvement: The importance of personal relationships. Leisure Studies, 23 (3), 243-266. |
| [40] | Lindgren, E.-C., Annerstedt, C., & Dohsten, J. (2017). “The individual at the centre” – a grounded theory explaining how sport clubs retain young adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 12 (sup2), 1361782. |
| [41] | Lucassen, J. M. H., Roest, J. van der, Brandsema, A., Davids, A., Elling, A., Haar, M. T.,... Waardenburg, M. (2018). Sportverenigingen in Nederland. In J. M. H. Lucassen & J. van der Roest (Eds.). Utrecht / Nieuwegein: Mulier Instituut / Arko Sports Media. |
| [42] | NOC*NSF. (2019). Zo sport Nederland. Trends en ontwikkelingen in sportdeelname (2013-2018), NOC*NSF. www.nocnsf.nl/zosportNederland |
| [43] | Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2007). Validity and qualitative research: An oxymoron? Quality & Quantity, 41 (2), 233-249. |
| [44] | Penley, L. E., & Gould, S. (1988). Etzioni's model of organizational involvement: A perspective for understanding commitment to organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 9 (1), 43-59. |
| [45] | Pijls, R., Groen, B. H., Galetzka, M., & Pruyn, A. T. (2017). Measuring the experience of hospitality: Scale development and validation. International journal of hospitality management, 67, 125-133. |
| [46] | Preacher, K. J., & Kelley, K. (2011). Effect size measures for mediation models: quantitative strategies for communicating indirect effects. Psychological methods, 16 (2), 93. |
| [47] | Pullman, M. E., & Gross, M. A. (2004). Ability of experience design elements to elicit emotions and loyalty behaviors. Decision sciences, 35 (3), 551-578. |
| [48] | Ringuet-Riot, C., Cuskelly, G., Auld, C., & Zakus, D. H. (2013). Volunteer roles, involvement, and commitment in voluntary sport organizations: evidence of core and peripheral volunteers. Sport in Society, 17 (1), 116-133. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2013.828902 |
| [49] | Sato, M., Funk, D., & Jordan, J. (2018). Behavioral Correlates of Psychological Involvement: A 2-Year Study. Journal of Sport Management, 1-13. Sport in Society, 17 (1), 116-133. |
| [50] | Schijns, J., Caniëls, M., & Le Conté, J. (2016). The impact of perceived service quality on customer loyalty in sports clubs. International Journal of Sport Management, Recreation & Tourism, 24, 42-75. |
| [51] | Schlesinger, T., & Nagel, S. (2015). Does context matter? Analysing structural and individual factors of member commitment in sport clubs. European Journal for Sport and Society, 12 (1), 53-78. |
| [52] | Schlesinger, T., Egli, B., & Nagel, S. (2013). ‘Continue or terminate?’ Determinants of long-term volunteering in sports clubs. European sport management quarterly, 13 (1), 32-53. |
| [53] | Schulenkorf, N., Giannoulakis, C., & Blom, L. (2018). Sustaining commercial viability and community benefits: management and leverage of a sport-for-development event. European Sport Management Quarterly, 1-18. |
| [54] | Sotiriadou, P., Wicker, P., & Quick, S. (2014). Attracting and retaining club members in times of changing societies: The case of cycling in Australia. Managing Leisure, 19 (5), 345-358. |
| [55] | Thiel, A., & Mayer, J. (2008). Characteristics of Voluntary Sports Clubs Management: a Sociological Perspective. European Sport Management Quarterly, 9 (1), 81-98. |
| [56] | Van Bottenburg, M. (2005). There’s no business like sportbusiness. Oratie. Tilburg: Fontys Economische Hogeschool Tilburg. |
| [57] | Van der Roest, J.-W. (2016). Consumerism in sport organizations: conceptualizing and constructing a research scale. European Journal for Sport and Society, 13 (4), 362-384. |
| [58] | Van der Roest, J.-W., Van Kalmthout, J., & Meijs, L. (2016). A consumerist turn in Dutch voluntary sport associations? European Journal for Sport and Society, 13 (1), 1-18. |
| [59] | Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. Journal of marketing, 68 (1), 1-17. |
| [60] | Warner, S., Kerwin, S., & Walker, M. (2013). Examining sense of community in sport: Developing the multidimensional ‘SCS’ Scale. Journal of Sport Management, 27 (5), 349-362. |
| [61] | Wegner, C. E., Jones, G. J., & Jordan, J. S. (2019). Voluntary sensemaking: the identity formation process of volunteers in sport organizations. European Sport Management Quarterly, 19 (5), 625-644. |
| [62] | Weick, K. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations (Vol. 3): Sage. |
| [63] | Weick, K. (2002). Puzzles in organizational learning: an exercise in disciplined imagination. British journal of management, 13 (S2), S7-S15. |
| [64] | Welty Peachey, J., Lyras, A., Cohen, A., Bruening, J., & Cunningham, G. (2014). Exploring the motives and retention factors of sport-for-development volunteers. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 43 (6), 1052-1051-1069. |
APA Style
Nanny Kuijsters-Timmers, John Goedee, Roger Th. Leenders. (2021). Experiences That Matter: Membership Involvement of Young Adult Members in Voluntary Sports Clubs in the Netherlands. Social Sciences, 10(4), 160-171. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11
ACS Style
Nanny Kuijsters-Timmers; John Goedee; Roger Th. Leenders. Experiences That Matter: Membership Involvement of Young Adult Members in Voluntary Sports Clubs in the Netherlands. Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(4), 160-171. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11
AMA Style
Nanny Kuijsters-Timmers, John Goedee, Roger Th. Leenders. Experiences That Matter: Membership Involvement of Young Adult Members in Voluntary Sports Clubs in the Netherlands. Soc Sci. 2021;10(4):160-171. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11,
author = {Nanny Kuijsters-Timmers and John Goedee and Roger Th. Leenders},
title = {Experiences That Matter: Membership Involvement of Young Adult Members in Voluntary Sports Clubs in the Netherlands},
journal = {Social Sciences},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {160-171},
doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20211004.11},
abstract = {Many young people in the Netherlands participate in voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) but stop once they become adults. VSCs lack the ability to transition their youth members to adult members, which threatens the size of the clubs in terms of membership, the income, and the availability of volunteers. This research aims to identify experiences of young adult members that contribute to membership involvement (MI) and intentions to support the club and continue membership (membership commitment). A mixed-method approach consisting of a qualitative and a quantitative study was used. The results showed that young adult members elaborate on a wide range of experiences that predicts MI at four stages of membership. These experiences can be classified into the pleasure when participating in sports (enjoyment), the service and support within the club (care), and the social connectedness among the members (closeness). Moreover, the results revealed that MI performs as a mediator for membership commitment. The conclusion indicates that experiences of young adult members are integrated system, one cannot do without the other. This integrative system of experiences determines membership involvement in all stages of membership, from less than one year to long-term memberships. For clubs it is important to address these experiences because MI is important for the development of membership commitment - loyal and supportive young adult members.},
year = {2021}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Experiences That Matter: Membership Involvement of Young Adult Members in Voluntary Sports Clubs in the Netherlands AU - Nanny Kuijsters-Timmers AU - John Goedee AU - Roger Th. Leenders Y1 - 2021/07/06 PY - 2021 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11 T2 - Social Sciences JF - Social Sciences JO - Social Sciences SP - 160 EP - 171 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2326-988X UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20211004.11 AB - Many young people in the Netherlands participate in voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) but stop once they become adults. VSCs lack the ability to transition their youth members to adult members, which threatens the size of the clubs in terms of membership, the income, and the availability of volunteers. This research aims to identify experiences of young adult members that contribute to membership involvement (MI) and intentions to support the club and continue membership (membership commitment). A mixed-method approach consisting of a qualitative and a quantitative study was used. The results showed that young adult members elaborate on a wide range of experiences that predicts MI at four stages of membership. These experiences can be classified into the pleasure when participating in sports (enjoyment), the service and support within the club (care), and the social connectedness among the members (closeness). Moreover, the results revealed that MI performs as a mediator for membership commitment. The conclusion indicates that experiences of young adult members are integrated system, one cannot do without the other. This integrative system of experiences determines membership involvement in all stages of membership, from less than one year to long-term memberships. For clubs it is important to address these experiences because MI is important for the development of membership commitment - loyal and supportive young adult members. VL - 10 IS - 4 ER -
Email: