Partizipationsmöglichkeiten von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen im Sport – eine explorative Interviewstudie zum demokratiebildenden Potenzial von Sportvereinen

Participation of adolescents in sports clubs is important both for the development of young people as well as for the success of the club and even has a social relevance for democracy. Drawing on Eikel’s (2007) broad concept of democratic participation, this article analyzes opportunities for co-determination, debate and negotiation as well as co-creation in sports clubs from the perspective of adolescents and young adults.

In an initial survey period in summer 2021, 16 interviews were conducted with young athletes (n = 16) aged 16 to 20. Based on the results, four focus group interviews were conducted with athletes, who considered themselves committed, aged 16 to 27 at the end of 2022. Using a qualitative content analysis, the results were categorized and analyzed in a deductive-inductive process. In general, the results show that the sports club can offer opportunities for participation in all three facets from the perspective of the adolescents. The analysis identifies different structural levels for participation opportunities in the sports club as well as the degree of formalization.