The journey through youth sport is often associated with changing motivations and increasing emphasis on competition. Using rapid, semi-structured interviews with 140 participants (players, parents and coaches from under-13, under-15 and under-18), we sought to better understand the youth sport experience in Gaelic games following the journey from modified games to competitive programmes, through the intended-enacted-experienced, and hidden curriculum framework. Two themes were developed following a reflexive thematic analysis, ‘it's the perceived seriousness’ and ‘it means a lot to us’. Findings suggest that the administration of games, the intended curriculum, was a source of frustration. We suggest that games programmes require attention and articulation by governing bodies to provide meaningful games for players. However, the greatest impact on experienced curriculum seemed to be interactions between players and coaches, the enacted curriculum, highlighting the need to support coaches in meeting participant needs. Furthermore, community was at the heart of the experience, perhaps explained by the cultural importance of Gaelic games. This led to acceptance of certain coaching practices, detrimental to the individual, as being necessary for the betterment of the team, an indication of the hidden curriculum.
McKayCDCummingSPBlakeT. Youth sport: friend or foe?Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol2019; 33: 141–157.
2.
Fraser-ThomasJCôtéJ. Understanding adolescents’ positive and negative developmental experiences in sport. Sport Psychol2009; 23: 3–23.
3.
GavinKTaylorJBehanS, et al.Participant experience of a modified sports program—a curriculum investigation in Gaelic games. Youth2023; 4: 15–30.
4.
VellaSOadesLCroweT. The role of the coach in facilitating positive youth development: moving from theory to practice. J Appl Sport Psychol2011; 23: 33–48.
5.
VlachopoulosSPKarageorghisCITerryPC. Motivation profiles in sport: a self-determination theory perspective. Res Q Exerc Sport2000; 71: 387–397.
6.
JackmanPCBirdMDCooneyJ, et al.Principles and practical strategies for psychologically-informed coaching of young players in Gaelic games: introducing Síceolaíochas in an Oiliúint Lúthchleasaíocht na nÓige sna Cluíchí na nGael 1 (SÍOL na nÓige). J Sport Psychol Action2024; 16: 1–18.
7.
CollinsDBaileyRFordPA, et al.Three Worlds: new directions in participant development in sport and physical activity. Sport Educ Soc2012; 17: 225–243.
8.
LawlerMHearyCNixonE. Irish Adolescents’ perspectives on the factors influencing motivation in team sport. Qual Res Sport Exerc Health2021; 13: 920–935.
9.
JørgensenTMGjesdalSAbrahamsenFE. Understanding enjoyment within the context of the children-to-youth sport transition in Norwegian soccer: a mixed methods study. Psychol Sport Exerc2024; 75: 102723.
10.
BackJJohnsonUSvedbergP, et al.Drop-out from team sport among adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Psychol Sport Exerc2022; 61: 102205.
11.
PerssonMEspedalenLEStefansenK, et al.Opting out of youth sports: how can we understand the social processes involved?Sport Educ Soc2020; 25: 842–854.
12.
CôtéJHortonSMacDonaldD, et al.The benefits of sampling sports during childhood. Phys Health Educ J2009; 74: 6–11.
13.
BattagliaAKerrGTamminenK. The dropout from youth sport crisis: not as simple as it appears. Kinesiol Rev2024; 13: 345–356.
14.
LoganKCuffS, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, et al.Organized sports for children, preadolescents, and adolescents. Pediatrics2019; 143: e20190997.
15.
SwannCTelentaJDraperG, et al.Youth sport as a context for supporting mental health: adolescent male perspectives. Psychol Sport Exerc2018; 35: 55–64.
16.
VellaSAGardnerLASwannC, et al.Trajectories and predictors of risk for mental health problems throughout childhood. Child Adolesc Ment Health2019; 24: 142–148.
17.
MerkelDL. Youth sport: positive and negative impact on young athletes. Open Access J Sports Med2013; 4: 151–160.
18.
RosenbaumDACallenderSS. The early specialization of youth in sports. Athlet Training Sports Health Care2010; 2: 255–257.
19.
BakerJCobleySFraser-ThomasJ. What do we know about early sport specialization? Not much!. High Abil Stud2009; 20: 77–89.
20.
BreunerCC. Avoidance of burnout in the young athlete. Pediatr Ann2012; 41: 335–339.
21.
KeathleyKHimeleinMJSrigleyG. Youth Soccer participation and withdrawal: gender similarities and differences. J Sport Behav2013; 36: 171–188.
22.
CopeEBaileyRParnellD, et al.Football, sport and the development of young people’s life skills. Sport Soc2017; 20: 789–801. DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2016.1207771.
23.
CoakleyJJ. Sport in society: issues and controversies. New York: McGraw Hill, 1986, p.420
24.
BauersfeldHS. Research related to the mathematical learning process. New Trends Math Teach1979; 4: 199–213.
25.
McCarthyPJJonesMVClark-CarterD. Understanding enjoyment in youth sport: a developmental perspective. Psychol Sport Exerc2008; 9: 142–156.
26.
AshfordMCopeEAbrahamA, et al.Coaching player decision making in rugby union: exploring coaches espoused theories and theories in use as an indicator of effective coaching practice. Phys Educ Sport Pedagog2022; 30: 1–22.
27.
CushionCJJonesRL. A Bourdieusian analysis of cultural reproduction: socialisation and the ‘hidden curriculum’ in professional football. Sport Educ Soc2014; 19: 276–298.
RobertsS. Sport, media and regional identity. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, p.166.
32.
CroninM. Global, parochial, still anti-imperialist and Irish. Peace Rev1999; 11: 517–522.
33.
KnoesterCBjorkC. U.S. youth sports participation: analyzing the implications of generation, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and family and community sport cultures. Leisure/Loisir 2025; 49: 1–47.
34.
KellerIWrightA. Amateurism in an age of professionalism: an empirical examination of an Irish sporting culture: the GAA. Dept of Organisation & Professional Development Publications, https://sword.cit.ie/dptopdart/8 (2013).
SchutPOCollinetC. French Sports policies for young people: fragmentation and coordination modes. Int J Sport Policy Polit2016; 8: 117–134.
38.
GiacobbiPRPoczwardowskiAHagerP. A pragmatic research philosophy for sport and exercise psychology. Sport Psychol2005; 19: 18–31.
39.
ChooCW. The inquiring organization: how organizations acquire knowledge and seek information. Oxford University Press, https://academic.oup.com/book/11131 (2016).
40.
KaushikVWalshCA. Pragmatism as a research paradigm and its implications for social work research. Soc Sci2019; 8: 255.
PattonMQ. Two decades of developments in qualitative inquiry: a personal, experiential perspective. Qual Soc Work2002; 1: 261–283.
45.
Vindrola-PadrosCChisnallGCooperS, et al.Carrying out rapid qualitative research during a pandemic: emerging lessons from COVID-19. Qual Health Res2020; 30: 2192–2204.
46.
BjørvikEThoresenLSalamonsenA, et al.Exploring the impact of interview location on knowledge development. Int J Qual Methods2023; 22: 16094069231168483.
47.
BraunVClarkeV. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qual Res Sport Exerc Health2019; 11: 589–597.
48.
BraunVClarkeV. One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis?Qual Res Psychol2021; 18: 328–352.
49.
TuckettAG. Applying thematic analysis theory to practice: a researcher’s experience. Contemp Nurse2005; 19: 75–87.
50.
CushionCNelsonLArmourK, et al.Coach learning and development: a review of the literature. Report, Sport coach UK, 2010.
51.
NashCTaylorJ. ‘Just let them play’: complex dynamics in youth sport, why it isn’t so simple. Front Psychol2021; 12: 700750.
52.
JonesRL. The sports coach as educator. 1st ed.Oxon: Routledge, 2006.
KassingJWSandersonJ. Trash talk and beyond: aggressive communication in the context of sports. In: Arguments, aggression, and conflict. Oxon: Routledge, 2010, pp.253–265.
55.
AgnewDPillS. The role of the coach in player retention and attrition. In: Routledge handbook of coaching children in sport. Oxon: Routledge, 2022, pp.102–110.
56.
JohnstonOWildyH. The effects of streaming in the secondary school on learning outcomes for Australian students – a review of the international literature. Aust J Educ2016; 60: 42–59.
57.
MansorANManiamPPHuntMC, et al.Benefits and disadvantages of streaming practices to accommodate students by ability. Creative Educ2016; 07: 2547–2558.
58.
BrunerMWBalishSMForrestC, et al.Ties that bond: youth sport as a vehicle for social identity and positive youth development. Res Q Exerc Sport2017; 88: 209–214.
59.
WoodsSDunneSGallagherP, et al.Identifying trajectories of change in burnout symptoms of Gaelic games athletes over two consecutive seasons. J Sport Exerc Psychol2024; 46: 317–328.
60.
HumeACollR. Authentic student inquiry: the mismatch between the intended curriculum and the student-experienced curriculum. Res Sci Technol Educ2010; 28: 43–62.
61.
OrejanJ. The history of Gaelic football and the Gaelic athletic association. Sport Manage Relat Top J2006; 2: 45–51.
62.
LavalleeDSheridanDCoffeeP, et al.Social support intervention to reduce intentions to drop-out from youth sport: the GAA super games centre. Psychosoc Interv2019; 28: 11–17.
63.
BaxterHMisenerKE. Retaining volunteer coaches in child and youth sport. In: Routledge handbook of coaching children in sport. Oxon: Routledge, 2022, pp.412–420.
64.
ClemmonsAWDonovanDATheobaldEJ, et al.Using the intended–enacted–experienced curriculum model to map the vision and change core competencies in undergraduate biology programs and courses. LSE2022; 21: ar6.
Rochberg-HaltonE. Qualitative immediacy and the communicative act. Qual Sociol1982; 5: 162–181.
67.
JackmanPCSchweickleMJGoddardSG, et al.The event-focused interview: what is it, why is it useful, and how is it used?Qual Res Sport Exerc Health2022; 14: 167–180.
68.
MackRGiarelliEBernhardtBA. The adolescent research participant: strategies for productive and ethical interviewing. J Pediatr Nurs2009; 24: 448–457.
