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Youth
Special Issues
Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity
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Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity

A special issue of Youth (ISSN 2673-995X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 6246

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kalyn McDonough

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Sport Leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Interests: social for change; sport for development; juvenile justice; sport policy; public policy; community-engaged scholarship
Dr. Kelly Clanchy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
Interests: promotion of physical activity among individuals with a disability; mediators of physical activity participation; evaluation of physical activity promotion interventions; the translation of evidence-based interventions into clinical practice
Dr. Michael A. Hemphill

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health and Human Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
Interests: restorative youth sports; teaching personal and social responsibility through sport and physical activity; community-engaged scholarship
Dr. Tarkington J. Newman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sport Social Work Research Lab, College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Interests: critical positive youth development; youth sport; normative and social justice life skills; coach education; sport social work; qualitative research methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ever-present but further exacerbated and exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, political and civil conflict, and the ongoing realities of colonization, racial oppression as well as gender and gender identity inequity and violence have rightfully garnered increased platforms and dialogue on issues of social justice. Social justice is a broad, and at times, contested term. It is frequently used and aspired to, but rarely clearly defined. This broad conceptualization offers both challenges and opportunities for scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of youth development, social justice, sport, and physical activity. This Special Issue aims to highlight cross- and interdisciplinary work under the broad umbrella of social justice youth development through sport and physical activity. We adopt a definition of social justice youth development offered by the Center for Social Justice Youth Development Research, which states that it is: “focused on creating equitable access and opportunities for all youth by actively reducing or eliminating disparities in education, health, employment, justice, and any other system that hinders the development of young people” (Outley, Brown, Gabriel, Sullins, 2018, p. 486, informed by Ginwright and Cammarota, 2002).

We are interested in, but not limited to, pieces that contribute to the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of youth development through sport and physical activity for social justice across a wide array of sport and physical activity-related topics and disciplines including social work, sport and exercise science, sport management, sport for development, sociology, cultural studies, gender studies, education, public policy, and more.

Dr. Kalyn McDonough
Dr. Kelly Clanchy
Dr. Michael A. Hemphill
Dr. Tarkington J. Newman
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Youth is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social justice
  • youth development
  • sport
  • physical activity
  • equity

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 314 KiB  
Article
Sport as a Catalyst for Social Justice and Inclusion: A Case Study of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s Role in Community and Youth Development
by Mark A. Brennan, Pat Dolan, Colin Regan and Theodore Alter
Youth 2025, 5(3), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5030070 - 8 Jul 2025
Viewed by 244
Abstract
Sport can serve as a powerful tool for community building, fostering inclusion, challenging intolerance, and advancing social justice. It also supports positive youth development and active citizenship. When embedded in local life and accessible beyond athletics, sport creates unique conditions for community development [...] Read more.
Sport can serve as a powerful tool for community building, fostering inclusion, challenging intolerance, and advancing social justice. It also supports positive youth development and active citizenship. When embedded in local life and accessible beyond athletics, sport creates unique conditions for community development and inclusive action. Sport and equity-focused community development are about relationships. The perspectives and behaviors stemming from youth participation in sport—what they learn about human relationships, relationship building, and life skills—carry forward through time in all phases and facets of their lives. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ireland’s largest amateur sporting and cultural organization, exemplifies this potential. More than a sports organization, the GAA plays a central role in Irish society, offering opportunities for people of all ages to engage in sport, fitness, and well-being, while actively contributing to community life. GAA clubs often function as local social hubs, creating spaces for connection across generations. This article uses the GAA as a case study to explore how sport can be a unifying and inclusive structure for community building. Specifically, we will (1) examine the link between sport, youth, and active citizenship; (2) explore connections between sport, community, inclusion, and social justice; (3) offer a historical and cultural overview of the GAA; and (4) consider how organizations like the GAA can support efforts around inclusion, tolerance, and sustainability. The discussion will highlight implications for future community programming and policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
18 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Sport, Physical Activity, and Health Inequalities Among Youth Who Are Incarcerated: Perspectives of Youth Custody Workers in Ontario, Canada
by Mark Norman and Rubens Heller Mandel
Youth 2025, 5(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5030064 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 223
Abstract
The current article seeks to understand, and critically analyze the implications of, how youth custody workers understand the relationship between sport, physical activity, and health among youth who are incarcerated. Data was collected through surveys (n = 15) and semi-structured interviews ( [...] Read more.
The current article seeks to understand, and critically analyze the implications of, how youth custody workers understand the relationship between sport, physical activity, and health among youth who are incarcerated. Data was collected through surveys (n = 15) and semi-structured interviews (n = 16) with youth custody workers in Ontario, Canada. We present and analyze three themes emerging from participants’ narratives: the potential for sport and physical activity to contribute, in a holistic way, to the physical, mental, and social health of youth who are incarcerated; the possibility for sport and physical activity to create space for building “therapeutic alliances” between staff and youth, which can improve the mental and social health of youth who are incarcerated; and perceptions of health deficits among youth who are incarcerated and their implications for social inequality. Through an analysis of these themes, we deepen the limited scholarly analysis of sport, physical activity, and health among young persons who are incarcerated and connect these discussions to broader considerations of social determinants of health (that is, structural and social factors that create health inequities) as a matter of social justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
24 pages, 274 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Intersection of Youth Development, Physical Education, Teacher Education, and Social Justice
by Cory Elijah Dixon
Youth 2025, 5(2), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020059 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 302
Abstract
There are few conceptual frameworks or models related to educators’ competencies at the intersection of social justice; youth development; and physical education, activity, or sport content and pedagogy. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine how the racialized and pedagogical [...] Read more.
There are few conceptual frameworks or models related to educators’ competencies at the intersection of social justice; youth development; and physical education, activity, or sport content and pedagogy. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine how the racialized and pedagogical experiences of individuals teaching physical education contribute to understanding the integration of social justice principles in youth development contexts through sport and physical activity. This study involved the within-case and cross-case analyses of two main cases: preservice teachers and graduate teaching assistants teaching physical education in a youth development context. The preservice teacher and the graduate teaching assistant within-case analysis each resulted in two complementary themes (four total). The cross-case analysis resulted in three total themes. Together, these seven themes are conceptualized into three categories: (1) assumptions prior to teaching, (2) emergent just teaching, and (3) considering race. While training all future professionals for equitable and justice-oriented teaching is key, we cannot ignore the glaring reality that many individuals with more culturally diverse backgrounds are predisposed to embodying such orientations. Findings reinforce the importance of preparing (and recruiting) educators who not only have pedagogical skills but who can also teach for justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
21 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Critical Positive Youth Development in Non-Traditional Sport Spaces
by Kalyn McDonough Smith, Kelly M. Clanchy, Tarkington J Newman and Michael A. Hemphill
Youth 2025, 5(2), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020055 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
Youth sport has been recognized as a unique learning context for positive youth development (PYD); yet, as society’s critical consciousness continues to progress, limitations of PYD have been acknowledged. Thus, youth sport scholars have begun to embrace critical perspectives to interrogate the systems [...] Read more.
Youth sport has been recognized as a unique learning context for positive youth development (PYD); yet, as society’s critical consciousness continues to progress, limitations of PYD have been acknowledged. Thus, youth sport scholars have begun to embrace critical perspectives to interrogate the systems and institutions of sport and society that influence the healthy development of all youth. This has included researchers and practitioners alike, adopting critical PYD (CPYD) as a means to empower young people to question and challenge their histo-contemporary experiences and support collective action towards social change. Our article explores the concept of CPYD and social justice life skills within ‘non-traditional’ sport spaces, including practice examples from the fields of youth disability sport and sport in youth justice. The first practice example provides an in-depth discussion of the theoretical principles of CPYD and their applicability within youth disability sport. The second practice example outlines the practical use of social justice life skills in sport programs within the youth justice system. Together, the practice examples from the field highlight both the theoretical and practical applications of CPYD and social justice life skills within real-world settings, and valuable implications are identified for research and practice moving forward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
14 pages, 433 KiB  
Article
Student-Athletes’ Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Coach Trust, Organizational Support, and the Impact on Team Commitment in Collegiate Sports
by Keunsu Han and Jaehyun Ha
Youth 2025, 5(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020048 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 527
Abstract
Collegiate sports serve as a powerful platform for advancing youth development and social engagement, contributing not only to athletic growth but also to personal development, teamwork, and social justice among student-athletes. This study explores the relationships among procedural justice, coach trust, perceived organizational [...] Read more.
Collegiate sports serve as a powerful platform for advancing youth development and social engagement, contributing not only to athletic growth but also to personal development, teamwork, and social justice among student-athletes. This study explores the relationships among procedural justice, coach trust, perceived organizational support (POS), and team commitment in collegiate athletes. A self-reported questionnaire administered to college athletes collected 285 usable responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings reveal that higher perceptions of procedural justice are significantly associated with greater team commitment, increased coach trust, and higher POS. Additionally, coach trust positively influences both team commitment and POS. However, no significant relationship was found between POS and team commitment, indicating that POS alone may not be a direct predictor of athlete commitment without the presence of mediating factors. These findings highlight the pivotal role of procedural justice, coach trust, and POS in shaping team commitment among collegiate athletes, underscoring the importance of fair decision-making and relational trust in fostering youth development and reflecting the broader influence of behavioral and social dynamics in collegiate sport settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
19 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Youth Voices: Experiences of Adolescents in a Sport-Based Prison Program
by Gabrielle Bennett, Jennifer M. Jacobs and Zach Wahl-Alexander
Youth 2025, 5(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5010027 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 717
Abstract
A substantial amount of the literature has examined the impact of participation in sport-based youth development programming and its global contribution to the lives of young people. In a similar vein, the outcomes of sport-based leadership programs are heavily influenced by the relationships [...] Read more.
A substantial amount of the literature has examined the impact of participation in sport-based youth development programming and its global contribution to the lives of young people. In a similar vein, the outcomes of sport-based leadership programs are heavily influenced by the relationships and life skills acquired. One often overlooked demographic in this literature is incarcerated youth, a unique population who’s time spent in juvenile justice is fundamentally designed to prioritize rehabilitation and development. This paper sought to understand youths’ experiences in a sport-based leadership prison program with regards to content, relationship building, and transfer. This study included semi-structured interviews with three, currently incarcerated, adolescent black males, exploring their experiences as participants in their sport leadership program. Results included themes around the program meaning, relationship enhancers, and life skill learnings. Findings explore how sport-based prison programs may consider the importance of physical and psychological safety, relationship building, and life skill teachings as crucial components of a program that remain with participants well into their reintegration within society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)

Review

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13 pages, 281 KiB  
Review
The Pursuit of Social Justice Through Sport for Development Organizations in the United States
by Meredith A. Whitley
Youth 2025, 5(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5010029 - 11 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
While Sport for Development (SfD) scholars have deconstructed the interplay between global development discourse, policy, funding, practice, and local agency, SfD organizations in the Global North have yet to be deconstructed with the same intensity, rigor, and scope. In this paper, the complex, [...] Read more.
While Sport for Development (SfD) scholars have deconstructed the interplay between global development discourse, policy, funding, practice, and local agency, SfD organizations in the Global North have yet to be deconstructed with the same intensity, rigor, and scope. In this paper, the complex, dynamic interplay among development discourse, policy, funding, practice, and local agency will be deconstructed as it relates to SfD provision in the United States. There will be a particular focus on SfD leadership structures that can unlock more sustainable, egalitarian development discourse and practices which promote and advance social justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

11 pages, 261 KiB  
Commentary
Thinking with Maria Puig de la Bellacasa’s Matters of Care: Concerns, Care, and Justice
by Fernando Santos, Marta Ferreira, Aldina Sofia Silva and Inês Gonçalves
Youth 2025, 5(2), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020056 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 366
Abstract
Social justice has become the panacea for all types of concerns and issues—providing a sense that all concerns are worthwhile, comprehensive, and matter for today’s world. Thus, developing alternative concepts, ideas, and imaginaries can potentially provide solid grounds for scholars to advance beyond [...] Read more.
Social justice has become the panacea for all types of concerns and issues—providing a sense that all concerns are worthwhile, comprehensive, and matter for today’s world. Thus, developing alternative concepts, ideas, and imaginaries can potentially provide solid grounds for scholars to advance beyond conventional understandings about social justice. Therefore, this manuscript aims to experiment with ethics of care as a conceptual device to disrupt Trumpism, as well as propose alternative worlds where sport, youth/athlete development, and social justice can connect otherwise. Specifically, efforts will be deployed to advance notions concerning sport–social justice in ways beyond our contemporary understandings. The work of feminist theorist and scholar Maria Puig de la Bellacasa (and many other human, non-human and more-than-human entities) is used to situate care as a relational doing. Moving forward, alternative worlds with alternative caring responsibilities matter if youth sport is to continuously thrive for justice. The conventional game of sport–social justice inquiry may have consequences and implications for caring that may be deemed unsustainable and continued sources of oppression. Therefore, caring becomes much more than a fact, a concern, or a concept. It becomes an ontological compromise, an ideal, and an ontological project for scholarly work, which implies a willingness to navigate towards the unknown and unprecedented—potentially our main caring responsibility as scholars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
12 pages, 193 KiB  
Perspective
SBYD and Social Justice: Defining Quality and Its Impact on Youth Experience
by Danielle King
Youth 2025, 5(2), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020054 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
The content in this autoethnography manuscript is significant because it takes a different angle than the typical discourse surrounding sport-based youth development (SBYD). Typically, the discourse on SBYD focuses on the positive outcomes of improved social–emotional learning and academic achievement. In using an [...] Read more.
The content in this autoethnography manuscript is significant because it takes a different angle than the typical discourse surrounding sport-based youth development (SBYD). Typically, the discourse on SBYD focuses on the positive outcomes of improved social–emotional learning and academic achievement. In using an autoethnographic approach, I share stories from my personal experience as a practitioner in the field to illustrate a new perspective on how to think about the impact of sport-based youth development on young people. Though those outcomes are positive and impactful, they fail to capture the continued inequity in the quality of youth sports programs in underserved communities compared to others. I utilize research in SBYD to analyze each story as a practitioner in the field to thoroughly reflect on my personal experiences and their relation to social justice. The stories are also a tool for making the connection between the individual work of various organizations pursuing sport equity. Through storytelling, reflection, and analysis, I connect the mission of each organization I worked with to the concept of social justice youth development in a more personalized way than numbers and data can illustrate. Additionally, this autoethnography highlights non-traditional sport spaces and advocates for a way to fuse social justice into them. This manuscript seeks to simultaneously refresh the way equity in sport has been looked at, while also illuminating the ways it is already being examined. The paper presents new questions that can be used to better analyze the presence of social justice in youth sports and provides a potential pathway forward by grounding in a definition of quality SBYD programming. These questions imply that the measures of the impact and potential benefits of SBYD may need to be redefined to better match the real lived experiences of individual youth participating in such programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
8 pages, 210 KiB  
Hypothesis
Culturally Equitable Approaches to Physical Activity Programming for Black American Adolescent Girls
by Tara B. Blackshear
Youth 2025, 5(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5010026 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 750
Abstract
Physical activity interventions and programming for Black American girls often overlook racism and sexism as a fundamental cause of the differences in engagement between their white and male peers. Deficit framing is a standard where Black girls are often compared to the health, [...] Read more.
Physical activity interventions and programming for Black American girls often overlook racism and sexism as a fundamental cause of the differences in engagement between their white and male peers. Deficit framing is a standard where Black girls are often compared to the health, physical activity, and beauty standards driven by white feminine or masculine norms, suggesting there is only one way to be fit and healthy. Approaches that lack cultural and historical relevance, including the effects of systemic racism and sexism, are seldom considered before aiming to increase physical activity engagement and favorable health outcomes for Black teenage girls. Aim: This paper presents a brief overview of physical activity programming for Black adolescent girls and young women (aged 14–18) and proposes theoretical frameworks and approaches to consider before implementing physical activity interventions and programs. Concluding Remarks: Voice, intersectionality, misogynoir, representation, and gendered racism as a root cause should inform physical activity programming designed for Black adolescent girls. Culturally equitable approaches for real and sustainable change are required to increase physical activity engagement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Justice Youth Development through Sport and Physical Activity)
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