Volunteer retention: Examining intentions and behaviours in the wrap-Up mode of a professional recurring small-scale sport event

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research question The purpose of this study was to explore volunteers’ intentions and behaviours in the wrap-up mode of a professional recurring small-scale sport event. Research methods Thirteen volunteers completed an online self-administered questionnaire 10 months after the 2019 Osprey Valley Open, a professional small-scale golf tournament held annually in the Greater Toronto Area (Ontario, Canada) since 2015. The questionnaire included closed-ended and open-ended questions about volunteers’ intentions and behaviours. Data were thematically analysed in NVivo12. Results and findings All volunteers reported having positive intentions towards the 2020 Osprey Valley Open. Eleven volunteers continued their involvement with the event as they completed their application to participate again. The positive volunteer intentions among seven participants led to their participation as volunteers in other sport (e.g. organizations and/or events) and non-sport settings (i.e. organizations). The remaining participants indicated no involvement in additional volunteer opportunities after the event. Implications Findings demonstrate positive volunteer intentions can create different types of formal sport participation behaviours among volunteers in the wrap-up mode of the event lifecycle. Notably, legacies in small and recurring sport events occur via volunteers’ ability to repeat their involvement and pursue additional opportunities in and beyond sport.