# Misalignments in athletic ambitions and motives for participation in youth football: a cross-sectional study of players, parents, and coaches

## TL;DR

This study finds that coaches and parents often misjudge the ambitions and motives of youth football players, especially girls, which could lead to unequal support in sports.

## Contribution

The study reveals gender-specific misalignments in perceptions of youth athletes' ambitions and motives among players, coaches, and parents.

## Key findings

- Significant misalignments exist between youth players' ambitions and the perceptions of coaches and parents.
- Females' motives and ambitions are particularly underestimated by their parents and coaches.
- These misalignments may reinforce gendered narratives and unequal resource allocation in sports.

## Abstract

While the gender gap in ambitions and motives in sports has been widely studied, less attention has been paid to the potential discrepancies between the perspectives of youth athletes, their coaches, and their parents. This study examines the extent to which youth football players' ambitions and motives for participation are accurately perceived by two key socializers: coaches and parents. Furthermore, it investigates whether systematic gender differences exist in these perceptions.

Utilizing a cross-sectional survey, we collected data from youth football players, age 13–16 yrs (N = 593, 44.8% female), their coaches (N = 99, 11.1% female), and their parents (N = 528, 59.8% female).

Our findings reveal significant misalignments between the views of players, coaches, and parents regarding the players' level of ambition and main motives to participate in organized football. Females' motives and ambitions are in particular underestimated by their parents and coaches. These misalignments could reinforce gendered narratives in sports, potentially leading to unequal resource allocation.

Our study highlights the need for better alignment between the perceptions of coaches and parents and the actual ambitions and motives among youth players to promote equal support and development opportunities for all.