Motivational factors for sport: the case of soccer athletes aged between 12 and 17 years

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to identify the reasons why training athletes practise soccer, as well as verify changes in motivation in under-15 and under-17 athletes. Methods. Overall, 100 male training athletes from a 2 nd division soccer club of the Brazilian Men's soccer Championship in the state of Goiás participated in the research. The subjects were divided into 2 categories: under-14 (aged 12-14 years) and under-17 (aged 15-17 years). The mean age equalled 14.3 ± 1.4 years and the experience time was 10 ± 4 months. The instrument for data collection was the Motives for Physical Activity Measure-revised scale. Results. The results showed that the main reason for practising soccer was fun, followed by competence, fitness, social aspects, and appearance, successively [F(3,195,316,349) = 60.036; p < 0.05]. However, when analysing the category of 12-14 years, no difference was observed between the fun and competence dimensions, between competence and fitness, or between fitness and social aspects. The comparison between the categories proved that there were differences in appearance and social aspects dimensions, and that these aspects motivated more the athletes aged 15-17 years. Conclusions. Consequently, the intrinsic motivation, specifically the reasons related to fun and competence, were the factors considered most important for soccer practice among young training athletes aged 12-17 years.

State of mood, motivation, and impulsivity of young athletes: a cross-sectional study

“…the analysis of reasons leading to engaging in sports activities showed that male athletes 15 years presented higher scores in the health dimension when compared with female groups. our results disagree with previous studies [19,21] that found intrinsic motivation, especially fun and pleasure, to be determining factors for participation in and adherence to sports activities [21]. other studies investigating soccer players revealed that younger athletes were motivated to practise from the social dimension [19], whereas older competitors were motivated to practise within the dimensions of health and competence.…”

“…our results disagree with previous studies [19,21] that found intrinsic motivation, especially fun and pleasure, to be determining factors for participation in and adherence to sports activities [21]. other studies investigating soccer players revealed that younger athletes were motivated to practise from the social dimension [19], whereas older competitors were motivated to practise within the dimensions of health and competence. in addition, previous studies have demonstrated that younger athletes are intrinsically motivated, while older ones are extrinsically motivated [19,27].…”

“…other studies investigating soccer players revealed that younger athletes were motivated to practise from the social dimension [19], whereas older competitors were motivated to practise within the dimensions of health and competence. in addition, previous studies have demonstrated that younger athletes are intrinsically motivated, while older ones are extrinsically motivated [19,27]. Probably, such differences between our findings and those of previous research are due to discrepancies in age, sports modality, practice time, and competition experience, as well as protocols, population, measures, and type of analysis [27].…”

“…Considering the occurrence of young athletes' psychological instabilities, it is relevant to understand the motivational factors associated with sports practice [3]. this is critical because the adherence and performance of young athletes in competitive sports are related to motivational factors [1,19]. According to the self-determination theory [20], the reasons that lead to sports practice may be extrinsic or intrinsic.…”

The Effect of Motivation on Physical Activity among Middle and High School Students

“…These results underscore the importance of providing opportunities and resources for young men to cultivate and refine their technical skills in extracurricular physical activities, thus enhancing their motivation and sustained commitment to participation. Also, "enjoyment" was significantly more valued by boys, as several studies addressing this topic indicate [63][64][65]. Boys' intrinsic motivation to practice PA is the predominant factor, as they pursue pleasure and strive for overall health benefits [37,39,[66][67][68].…”