Organized Youth Research Articles

Remembering Lost Lives and Collective Healing from Trauma: Homicides, Incarceration, and Pain-Driven Advocacy in the Jane and Finch Community

This article serves as a vessel for knowledge mobilization and activism as research, intertwining remembrance of lost lives and communal healing by sharing collective pain amongst the authors and bolstering mutual support. Guided by personal encounters with violence including death, homicides, and incarceration, four authors comprising a teacher, social worker, and two community activists, unveil their 20-year+ advocacy journey in the Jane and Finch community in Toronto, Canada including their involvement with programs and services through the non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE). The pain and suffering are shared as symptoms of systemic trauma inflicted on the community and how the trauma is perpetuated through institutional neglect for racialized under-resourced communities. The conversations are examined through an intersectional and Critical Race Theory lens, centering life experiences associated with trauma and systemic violence. Lived experiences and emotions are shared as valuable data through duoethnography as a methodology, emphasizing how inspiration is harnessed from the pain and trauma to guide community advocacy. Effective coping and healing strategies are outlined from various vantage points. Overall, the article contributes to filling in the research gap by centering racialized personal narratives in the Canadian context, offering nuanced lessons for integrating research and activism, and showcasing tangible ways to support the needs of youth and families through community-oriented, trauma-informed approaches.

Why sports? Sketching a typology of young people’s reasons for taking part in sports

We sketch a typology of sport participation reasons grounded in data from 2581 short-answers from youths in organized sports. We develop the typology abductively against theories from philosophy, sociology, and psychology to better capture the full scale of possible participation reasons in organized youth sport. Key empirical findings are, first, that in addition to having fun and being with friends, youths participate to expand their social networks and develop weak social ties into stronger ones. Second, competition and mastery are intertwined. Competitions can function as a measure stick for individual and team skill development. Third, physical and mental health reasons are common participation reasons. Youths appreciate how sport impact their everyday health. Fourth, youths combine reasons for sport participation in diverse ways that have theoretical and practical implications. We end by suggesting two ideal types of how organized sport participation reasons combine—a heavy and light sport appreciation.

Why We Must Stop Saying “Climate Apocalypse”: Symbols, Religious Social Memory, and Effective Climate Action

The apocalyptic framework has become a handy metaphor for climate change because this story, better than most others, is able to express the scope and severity of the transformation most scientists believe is coming to humanity’s planetary and social systems. Since the first Earth Day in 1970 (Bailey 2000) and increasingly in journalistic media, nongovernmental organization circles, scientific literature, academia, eco-activism, and youth culture, climate change is referred to in world-ending terms that are explicitly apocalyptic. Those who use the phrase “climate apocalypse” mean to spur serious confrontation with the facts of climate change, resulting in climate activism, whether in the form of climate change mitigation or shoring up societal resiliency. However, stories not only describe reality, they help shape reality, and “climate apocalypse” has the unintended effect of creating passivity, fear, paralysis, and naïve hope in its audience.

«Спілка Ук раїнської Молоді»: міфи та реальність (На основі матеріалів ГДА СБУ).

The purpose of the article is to analyze archival materials, memoirs of participants, and researchers’ works to highlight the preconditions for the formation, reality of existence, and scope of activities of an organized youth group called the Union of Ukrainian Youth (Spilka Ukrainskoi Molodi - SUM), which at the beginning of its activity was called the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine and gave its name to the famous 1930 trial in Kharkiv. The end of the national liberation struggle of 1917-1921 raised difficult questions for researchers: did the struggle end or did it move on to other forms? Analyzing the memoirs of the participants of that time, archival materials of the GDA SBU and available research by Ukrainian scholars, we can conclude that the struggle existed, but in a different form - in an evolutionary, preparatory one, during which separate groups of supporters of the idea of Ukraine’s independence were formed, independent of each other. The methodological basis of the study is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematicity, and comprehensiveness, which allow for a thorough analysis of archival materials and scientific articles related to the topic. The scientific novelty of the publication lies in the fact that, on the basis of published and unpublished archival materials, the preconditions, formation of the program and the formation of the SUM are studied. Conclusions. The organization was one of the numerous resistance groups to the Bolshevik regime in Ukraine. Mykola Pavlushkov, a nephew of the well-known Ukrainian socio-political figure Serhiy Yefremov, became the leader of the SUM. M. Pavlushkov’s socio-political views were formed under the influence of the patriotic environment of the school and communication with representatives of the older generation, such as S. Yefremov, V. Durdukivskyi, O. Hermaize, V. Chekhivskyi, and others. The formation of the SUM took place on the basis of separate groups of young people who were active in the Kyiv region and adjacent regions, distributing anti-Bolshevik leaflets and calling for the restoration of Ukraine’s independence.

An Examination of the Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Concussions in Texas High School and Junior High Coaches

Every state in the United States mandates concussion education annually or biennially for those involved in organized youth sports to improve awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward concussions. The purpose of this study was to examine Texas high school and junior high school coaches’ knowledge of and attitudes toward concussions using the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey—Coaches Version. Among all analyzed participants, the mean overall concussion knowledge index (Concussion Knowledge Index = 0–25) was 21 (SD = 1.79), while the overall concussion attitude index (Concussion Attitude Index = 15–75) was 63 (SD = 5.69). No significant differences for knowledge or attitude were found between gender, coaching level, sport type, geographical location, or school size (all p > .10). Mandatory concussion education has resulted in high levels of knowledge about and favorable attitudes toward concussions in Texas junior high school and high school coaches, with similar findings to other research in this area.

Validation of the Sport Motivation Scale-II: Implications for the Portuguese Youth Sport System

Based on the tenets of self-determination theory, the Sport Motivation Scale-II is an 18-item instrument that consists of six subscales. Despite the numerous studies that have been conducted using self-determination theory in organized youth sport contexts, measures available to assess self-determined forms of motivation across socio-cultural contexts are scarce. This is particularly important because there are socio-cultural contexts that have diverse reward systems, competitive structures, and convey different social norms, values, and cultural nuances. The existence of measures available to assess self-determined forms of motivation across socio-cultural contexts may enable the development of a robust knowledge base that informs research-to-practice partnerships and potential changes across a complex youth sport landscape. The present study aimed to validate the factor structure of the Sport Motivation Scale-II with a sample of 239 Portuguese adolescent athletes. The participants’ ages ranged between 12 and 17 years old ( M = 14.39; SD = 1.35). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to achieve the aim of this study. Findings showed that the six-factor model used by the authors presents a good adjustment concerning sports participants’ level of motivation toward sports practice. Moving forward, the Sport Motivation Scale-II may be used in future studies to help provide an understanding about athletes’ self-determination. Several practical and theoretical implications are provided.

Better to Have Played Than Not Played? Childhood Sport Participation, Dropout Frequencies and Reasons, and Mental Health in Adulthood

This study considers the long-term mental health implications of organized youth sport participation, informed by an accumulation model of health, the Sport Commitment Model, and a life course perspective. Using data from the National Sports and Society Survey (N = 3,931) and multiple regression analyses, results indicate that adults who continually played organized youth sport had fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with those who played and dropped out and those who never played. Dropouts had worse mental health than those who never played. Furthermore, among dropouts, reported interpersonal reasons for dropping out of organized sport were consistently associated with subsequent mental health but some structural factors also mattered. These findings point to a need to improve the interpersonal and structural environments of organized youth sport.

Participatory video as a tool for co-management in coastal communities: a case study from Madagascar

Here we examine participatory video (supporting a group to make a film around a specific issue) as a tool to facilitate input of local knowledge and empower communities in stewardship over their local marine resources. We draw from the “Voices of the Vezo” project, where researchers collaborated with a co-management partner organization and local youth to create participatory videos in traditional Vezo fishing communities in southwest Madagascar. The project focused on documenting and sharing local knowledge on shifting social-ecological conditions. Four communities participated in the project with 90 people interviewed and seven short films (7–15 min) created. The films were shared in the communities at public cinema nights and made widely available online. This paper describes the Voices of the Vezo project's process and outputs, examines participatory video's potential as a tool for community co-management, and outlines practical challenges and recommendations for implementing a participatory video project. We found videography to be a powerful tool for synthesizing local knowledge of shifting social and ecological conditions, especially where written records are scarce. We also identified specific examples where gathering and sharing community perceptions of marine ecosystem decline could foster discussion and action toward locally driven management interventions. Youth participants in the Voices of the Vezo project reported gaining knowledge and motivation to address marine management issues, indicating the potential for participatory video processes to cultivate local leadership. Finally, for participatory video practitioners, we found important practical considerations to help minimize biases when supporting communities with a participatory video process.

O.4.5-2 Participation in organized and unorganized sports in adolescence: associations with physical activity levels in adulthood

Abstract Purpose Participation in organized youth sports (OYS) has been linked to higher levels of physical activity (PA) in adulthood. However, the longitudinal associations of OYS and PA compared to unorganized sports and non-participation have not been extensively studied. This study aims to explore the associations of both organized and unorganized sports in adolescence with PA levels in midlife. Methods Participants in this study were drawn from the on-going, population-based prospective Young Finns Study. Data from follow-ups conducted in the years 1980, 1983, 1986, and 1989 were utilized to divide the participants into groups of active OYS, active unorganized sports, and non-participants, separately at the ages of 9 (n = 548), 12 (n = 727), 15 (n = 752), and 18 (n = 767). The groups were formed according to self-reported frequency and intensity of leisure time PA and participation in sports club activities in adolescence. Accelerometer-derived PA (mean daily minutes of sedentary time [ST], light-intensity PA [LPA], and moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]) in midlife was assessed in 2018-2020. Differences in adult PA between the youth PA groups were analyzed using analysis of covariance, separately in males and females. Results Compared to non-participants, boys who actively participated in OYS at age 9 had lower ST (mean difference [SE]: -38 [15], p = 0.045) and higher LPA (29 [12], p = 0.050) in midlife. No significant group differences were observed for girls at age 9 or for either sex at age 12 or 15, or for boys at age 18. In girls at age 18, significant group differences were found in MVPA in midlife in favor of both organized and unorganized sports compared to non-participants (15 [3], p < 0.001; 8 [3], p = 0.014, respectively). Conclusions Active participation in organized sports in boys at age 9 and active participation in both organized and unorganized sports in girls at age 18 associated with higher levels of physical activity in midlife. These findings suggest that promoting both types of sports participation in adolescence may contribute to the development of a physically active lifestyle across the life course. Support/Funding Source The work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Youth Athlete Mental Health: A Narrative Review.

We discuss current research on the mental health effects of COVID-19 sports restrictions on youth athletes, highlighting the largest problems, as well as how organizations can help youth athletes by preparing for and responding to these problems. Millions of children and adolescents worldwide participate in organized sports, which has significant physical and mental health benefits. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered large-scale, public restrictions that forced the closure and cancelation of organized youth sports across the world. Sports cancelations not only removed these protective benefits, but also worsened the mental health of youth athletes who were no longer able to participate in their sports. Youth athletes are even more vulnerable than adults to the negative mental health effects of sports restrictions. The unexpected loss of sports from COVID-19 restrictions disrupted these youths' athletic identities and worsened youth athlete depression, anxiety, anger, sleep, and quality of life. Restrictions particularly affected certain high-risk subpopulations of youth athletes including females, high school upperclassmen, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and those from team sports. Sports organizations could limit the negative mental health impacts of future sports cancelations by implementing at-home training opportunities, remote check-ins with teammates, discussions about athletic identity with coaches and sports psychology professionals, and mindfulness skill-building.

Youth Sport Participation Trends Across Europe: Implications for Policy and Practice

ABSTRACT Purpose: Despite the known health and wellbeing benefits of taking part in sport for children and adolescents, it is reported that sports participation declines during adolescence. The purpose of this study was to explore current organized youth sport participation rates across Europe for both males and females and update current understanding. Method: Sport participation registration data was collected for 18 sports from 27 countries. In total, participation data was collected from over 5 million young people from Under 8s (U8s) to Under 18s (U18s). Differences in the participation rates between age categories were investigated using a generalized linear mixed effects model. Results: Overall, males were four times more likely to participate in organised youth sport than females’ participants, with this trend apparent across all age categories and across most sports. There was a significant decrease across sports in participation rates for males during adolescence from U14-U16 and U16-U18. There was a significant decrease in participation rates for females from U14-U16 for most sports except but an increase in participation rates from U16-U18 for 12 out of 18 sports. Soccer (1262%), wrestling (391%) and boxing (209%) were the sports that had greater male sport participation rates. In contrast, dance sports (86%) and volleyball (63%) had more female participants than males. This research shows male sports participation is significantly greater than female in youth sport across Europe. Conclusion: Furthermore, findings showed that for both male and female participants, participation rates increased from U8-U14 for the majority of sports followed by reduced participation rates during adolescence. Findings of this research can be used by national governing bodies and sporting organizations to inform youth sport participation initiatives.

СУСПІЛЬНО-ПОЛІТИЧНІ ПОГЛЯДИ МИКОЛИ ПАВЛУШКОВА

Background. The end of the national liberation struggle of 1917–1921 raised difficult questions for researchers: did the struggle end or did it transform? Analyzing the memoirs of the participants of that time, archival materials of the SSU State Archive and available scientific works by Ukrainian scholars, we can conclude that the struggle existed, but in a different form – an evolutionary, preparatory one, in which separate groups of supporters of the idea of Ukraine's independence were formed. The purpose of the article is to analyze archival materials, memoirs of participants, and researchers' works in order to consider the issue of the formation of socio-political beliefs of Mykola Pavlushkov, who was the leader of an organized youth group called ‘The Union of Ukrainian Youth’ (UY). The objectives of the article are to reveal M. Pavlushkov's socio-political beliefs, to develop his own political goals regarding the tactics and strategy of the struggle for the restoration of Ukraine's statehood, and to participate in the creation of a group of political like-minded people among school graduates. Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematicity and comprehensiveness. Results. Particular attention is paid to M. Pavlushkov's patriotism and desire to fight for the restoration of Ukraine's independence. His socio-political views were formed through his interaction with the patriotic environment of the school, communication with representatives of the older generation, namely S. Yefremov, V. Durdukivsky, V. Chekhovsky and their friends, as well as through communication with peers who shared his views. Discussion and conclusions. The study has revealed the distinctive periods in the formation of M. Pavlushkov's socio-political views, in which self-education, communication with participants in the revolutionary events of the first quarter of the twentieth century and communication with like-minded people played a major role.

Modern approaches to the organization children's and youth basketball: abroad experience

Purpose: the high level of basketball players’ individual skill at the international arena requires radical changes in the approaches to the preparation of a high-quality reserve and the enlargement of the Ukrainian children's and youth basketball system, taking into account modern world trends in the evolution of the game. The study of practical experience and the generalization of the foreign specialists’ opinions will contribute to the buildout of a high-quality training process of young basketball players. The aim of the study is to summarize the modern features of the organization of children's and youth basketball based on the study of the professional opinions of foreign coaches. Material and methods: 10 foreign basketball coaches who have been engaged in the international youth competitions, who got high results in the championships of their own countries and trained young players in youth national teams, were chosen as qualified experts. They were proposed to answer 10 questions in special questionnaire regarding the modern trends in the youth basketball. Theoretical analysis and generalization of data from scientific and methodological literature, and Internet resources, questionnaires in Google form using the ranking method, and the method of expert evaluations were applied in the research. Results: the opinions of foreign coaches who successfully work with young basketball players were studied and summarized. That made it possible to determine the current trends in the development of children's and youth basketball. Consistency of experts' opinions was confirmed using Kendall's concordance coefficient, all examinations were confirmed, experts' opinions were agreed. Conclusions: the priority objects of the examination were formed according to the distribution of experts' evaluations, namely: preference was given to the experience of the USA as a reference point for the evolution of basketball; the young basketball players’ training system as a combination of education and training with multi-level selection on the basis of a basketball school (academy) is idealized; the overwhelming majority chose the focus on planning the educational and training process taking into account modern approaches to the psychological characteristics of young basketball players as a priority component; a common vision was expressed regarding the selection of players for the teams entered in the national championships, which should take place taking into account the combination of current skill and prospects for realizing individual potential; the existing need for scientific substantiation of a new style of management, taking into account the peculiarities, needs, motives and interests of the individual, is indicated.

The Community School Initiative in Toronto: Mitigating Opportunity Gaps in the Jane and Finch Community in the Wake of COVID-19

COVID-19 significantly impacted the delivery of education with widespread disruptions, particularly disadvantaging racialized and low-income families. Our research project explored how community-based programming can be adapted and mobilized to mitigate opportunity and achievement gaps for Black, Indigenous, people of colour (BIPOC), and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The project as a case study examined an afternoon and weekend supplementary academic program called the Community School Initiative (CSI), offered from September 2020 to May 2021 to members of the Jane and Finch community in Toronto, Canada at a subsidized cost. CSI is a partnership between the non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) and the for-profit enterprise Spirit of Math. It delivers a structured math curriculum to students in grades two to eight aged 8 to 14 years, old supported by a team of caring adults including parents, coaches, and Ontario certified teachers. The efficacy and outcomes of the CSI was assessed through surveys with parents (n=33), students (n=33), and teachers (n=4), and a focus group with seven teachers delivering the curriculum in the CSI. We also discuss the significance of how the research was conducted in the wake of COVID-19. Hence, this article is about the findings from the data, but just as much about the community-driven approach to how the research was conducted, by the community and for the community.

Disrupted educational pathways: The effects of conflict on adolescent educational access and learning in war-torn Ethiopia

As the mid-way point for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) timeframe nears, countries affected by conflict and fragility represent one of the key challenges to achieving SDG 4—-ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Drawing on qualitative research undertaken in late 2021 in South Gondar zone, in Ethiopia’s war-torn northern Amhara region, with adolescent girls and boys (n = 80), their caregivers (n = 11) community leaders and local service providers, including teachers (n = 31), this article explores the experiences of young people during and after their communities were occupied by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and the multi-pronged effects the conflict has had on their educational pathways. It finds that for many, schooling has been disrupted by: recruitment into the armed forces or organized youth movements (Fano); destruction of school infrastructure and records by the occupying forces; an inability to concentrate on education on account of trauma and stress; and a loss of educational aspirations given fears of prolonged insecurity. At the school level, it also identifies negative impacts in terms of teacher presence, teaching quality and the provisioning of educational activities; compounded by reduced education budgets as local, regional and federal government resources are diverted to the war effort. The article concludes with some reflections on the implications of our findings for government, development partners, communities, non-governmental organizations, and schools, in their efforts to strengthen education services and build resilience, including through linkages with social protection, justice, and psychosocial support services, in contexts of ongoing fragility.

Organized Youth Sports Trajectories and Adult Health Outcomes: The Young Finns Study

This study identified the trajectories of organized youth sports over 9 years in youths aged 9-18 years and examined whether the trajectories predicted physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity in midlife. Self-reported organized youth sports trajectories were identified for participants between 1980 and 1989 (N=3,474). Accelerometer-derived physical activity was quantified for participants (n=1,349) in 2018-2020. Sociodemographic, physical activity, and TV viewing data were collected through questionnaires either at baselines or follow-up. Adult BMI was calculated to clarify obesity. Associations of organized youth sports trajectories with adult physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity were evaluated using mixture models, which were stratified by sex and conducted in 2022. Three organized youth sports trajectories were identified for boys and girls (sustained high-sports participation, 12.0%/7.5%; sustained moderate-sports participation, 14.0%/13.3%; and low-sports/nonparticipation, 74.0%/79.2%). Boys sustaining both moderate- and high-sports participation had higher levels of adult self-reported physical activity (β=0.59, p=0.007; β=0.69, p<0.001) than low-sports/nonparticipating boys. Girls sustaining both moderate- and high-sports participation accumulated more total physical activity (β=113.4, p=0.009; β=144.3, p=0.002), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β=7.86, p=0.016; β=14.01, p<0.001), step counts (β=1,020, p=0.003; β=1,045, p=0.005), and self-reported physical activity (β=0.79, p<0001; β=0.63, p=0.003) in midlife than their low-sports/nonparticipating counterparts. Girls sustaining moderate-sports participation accumulated more light-intensity physical activity (β=19.79, p=0.012) and less sedentary time (β= -27.65, p=0.002), and those sustaining high-sports participation had lower obesity prevalence (OR=0.41, p=0.009) 40 years later than low-sports/nonparticipating girls. Sustained participation in organized youth sports is independently predictive of physical activity patterns, sedentary time, and obesity in midlife, especially in girls, thus contributing to the development of a healthy and active lifestyle across the life course.

The (Not So) United Soccer of Atlanta: An Early History of Class Distinction and Racial Separatism in Organized Youth Soccer

During the late 1960s, Phil Woosnam and the Atlanta Chiefs developed and implemented a community programming model to enculturate local residents into the cultural practice of soccer. The model was immersed in the racialized urban politics of Atlanta, demographic changes of suburbanization, and emergence of middle-class lifestyles. This study merges local historical evidence on the advent of organized youth soccer with the theories of Robert Putnam and Pierre Bourdieu to investigate the role of bonding social capital in early youth soccer, and examines how the pedagogies of the Atlanta Chiefs were constituted around a particular class-based lifestyle known as cultures of busyness or hyper-parenting. In this process, the Atlanta Chiefs increasingly focused on affluent white communities and institutions and removed prior engagement with predominately black neighborhoods. The removal of programming reflects the urban politics in Atlanta regarding recreational spaces in black neighborhoods. More precisely, organized youth soccer emerged in Atlanta from the embodied history of racial separatism in park and recreational spaces. This had consequences for the history of youth soccer in the United States. Based on the findings, future research could examine urban and suburban youth sport in Atlanta, and closely interrogate local developments of community programming by the NASL.

Soviet Youth during the Great Patriotic War through the Eyes of State Security Agencies

The article introduces unique documents about the security agencies of the USSR into academic circulation. An analysis of these documents and literature enables the author to make new claims about the traditional dual attitude of the Stalinist state towards young people. On the one hand, young people made a large contribution to victory over the enemy both at the front and in the rear. However, especially as the end of the war approached, youth were increasingly interpreted as a dangerous social environment, giving rise to many anti-Soviet organizations and groups. The war danger spurred Chekists to be extremely suspicious of any form of organized youth amateur activity, be it literary or philosophical groups, let alone quasi-political organizations. As a result, state security authorities with redoubled energy set about identifying and eliminating potential political deviations among the youth. First of all, the target was the children of the outcasts of Soviet society: the “former”, “former kulaks”, and “enemies of the people” from among the Soviet elites. At the same time, the war temporarily weakened ideological pressure, giving rise to hopes among broad strata of society for certain relaxations and even reforms after the war. A new factor at the final stage of the war was the mass of young people who found themselves in captivity or in the occupied territories, both imaginary and real collaborators, as well as participants in the armed nationalist movement in Ukraine and other Soviet Republics. The response of the security agencies to the intensification of deviant youth activity was the traditional measures of the intelligence services: building the large-scale undercover informant net in the student and student environment, as well as falsification of cases of anti-Soviet organizations.

Cultivating Positive Youth Development through Latin American Street Soccer Programming

Youth disconnected from their families and communities lack critical community supports, placing them at higher risk of establishing unhealthy behaviors that can lead to poor outcomes, including involvement in juvenile justice systems. They need assistance to develop essential life skills and family and community connections. Engaging youth and families, otherwise marginalized by society, in innovative, affordable and effective ways is a global challenge. This paper summarizes the history of the Latin American launched global street soccer movement to promote inclusion and positive development of youth living in vulnerable situations. It explores the power and potential of street soccer’s holistic and inclusive programming approach as a vehicle for individual transformation and community engagement. And it examines the evolving integration of the Latin American street soccer methodology in working with youth and families with complex needs, particularly as experienced by the nonprofit service organization Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP).

Social inclusion through sport? Pedagogical perspectives of Dutch youth sport coaches

ABSTRACT The impact of organized youth sport on youth development depends on various conditions in the pedagogical climate, such as how sport is delivered by youth sport coaches. While this is broadly acknowledged and provides a basis to improve youth sport and its developmental outcomes, little is known about the pedagogical perspectives of youth coaches on their practice. This study uses semi-structured interviews with 32 youth sport coaches in diverse youth sport contexts in the Netherlands. Reflexive data analysis is employed to garner insights into coaches’ role perceptions, coaching goals, and underlying values. The findings show that while youth coaches focus on sport-centered activities, many foreground non-sport dimensions such as life mentoring and working towards social inclusion as critical elements of their work, reflected in five pedagogically-oriented goals: discipline, autonomy, resilience, social abilities, and aspirations. Underlying these goals are pedagogical values such as building and maintaining caring relationships with participants. These goals and values echo scientific literature on pedagogical sport climate conditions (e.g. positive youth development), and challenge notions of youth sport as a performance-oriented and uncaring setting. The results contribute to existing knowledge about youth coaches’ pedagogical orientations, and inform the development of strategies to stimulate positive sport practices and developmental outcomes for participants.