Investigating the drivers of pro-social connection infrastructure in community sport
Date
2025
Authors
O’Boyle, I.
Heckel, L.
Eime, R.
Farmer, J.
Karg, A.
Faulkner, E.
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Journal article
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Sport Management Review, online, 2025; online(2):1-23
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Abstract
This paper explores the drivers and antecedents to pro-social connection infrastructure within the community sport context. We define social connection infrastructure as the people, places, programs, and policies that combine to foster a sense of social connectedness in community sport clubs. From existing research, we know various elements of infrastructure that are proposed to exist within these contexts, but what is less understood is how this infrastructure can be maximised to facilitate optimum levels of social connection. The research employs an in-depth qualitative exploratory design through soliciting the views of 24 professional sport administrators involved in national and state level sport governing bodies within Australia. Findings show how community sport organisations can foster greater social connection through adapting current strategies, processes, and initiatives currently delivered within local sports clubs. Many of these adaptations can take place within existing time, cost, and resource constraints which is imperative for voluntary-led nonprofit organisations such as community sport clubs. These findings are also important for governing bodies of sport who influence and set direction for policy and procedure across a sporting network. Finally, the novel contributions of this work exploring the drivers to social connection and how sport connects and builds communities to the existing literature are a critical step forward in increasing knowledge for how social connection can be intentionally developed, sustained, and institutionalised within the community sport environment.
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Copyright 2025 Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand
Access Condition Notes: Accepted manuscript available after 1 July 2027