Abstract

This investigation examined the sports participation motives of young athletes who differed in their perceived physical abilities. One hundred and twenty-three male and female high school students involved in organized team sports were administered the Perceived Physical Ability subscale of the Phyisical Self-Efficacy scale (Ryckman, Robbins, Thornton, Cantrell, 1982) and the Participation Motivation Inventory (gill, Gross, Huddleston, 1983). Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that athletes higher in perceived physical ability considered skill development, team affiliation, and having fun as more important reasons for their participation in sports than athletes lower in perceived physical ability. No differences between athletes high and low in perceived physical ability were found in their importance ratings for motives associated with achievement/status, friendship, fitness, and energy release. Athletes higher in perceived physical ability generally rated intrinsic factors (wanting to learn new skills, having fun, liking the excitement and action of the activity) as more important than extrinsic factors (wanting to win, wanting to gain status, pleasing parents or friends, liking the coaches), in comparison to athletes lower in perceived physical ability. These results are interpreted in terms of their implications for coaches and other youth sports leaders interested in the personal development of young athletes. Verf.-Referat