Types, Sources, and Debilitating Factors of Sport Confidence in Elite Early Adolescent Academy Soccer Players

Abstract

This study provided a new contribution to the literature by examining elite early adolescent academy soccer players’ sport confidence needs. Preinterview booklets and individual semi structured interviews were used as multiple sources of qualitative data to identify the types, sources, and debilitating factors of sport confidence in a large sample (n = 28) of players within the youth development phase of the Elite Player Performance Plan. An abductive approach to hierarchical content analysis found 3 types of sport confidence: skill execution, physical factors, and psychological factors. These types were generated from five sources of sport confidence: accomplishments, social support, preparation, vicarious experience, and innate factors. Five confidence-debilitating factors—lack of social support, poor performances, poor preparation, pressure and expectations, and injury/illness—were also identified. Practitioners are advised to widen the sport confidence types experienced by elite adolescent performers and broaden the sources of sport confidence that such performers use to gain belief. Lay summary: This study examined elite academy soccer players’ sport confidence. Players were confident about Skill execution, physical factors and psychological factors. Players gained confidence from accomplishments, social support, preparation, vicarious experience, and innate factors. Players’ confidence was reduced by a lack of social support, poor performances, poor preparation, pressure, expectations, and injury/illness.