Adolescent At-Risk Boys’ Perceptions in a Summer Sports Camp

Background/Purpose: Summer sports camps represent alternative avenues to promote physical activity among children and youth. The expectancy-value model research shows that students are more likely to have an intention to participate in an activity that they see important, interesting and useful/ These are known as task values (Eccles,Wigfield, & Schiefele, 1998; Xiang, McBride & Bruene, 2006). This study explored perceived task values and the impact of a three-week summer sports camp among adolescent at-risk boys.

Method:   As part of a larger study, participants were 21 adolescent at-risk boys (10–14 years of age) enrolled in a summer sports camp in the Southwestern United States during the summer of 2012 and 2013. At the end of camp in 2013, each was interviewed and asked: Please tell me how this camp helped you in school last year. Do you think the physical activities you did in the physical activity sessions at this camp helped you do well in PE for the last school year? All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for later analysis. Finally, they responded to an open-ended question in a larger questionnaire: Please write down one thing you have learned most from the physical activity sessions at the camp this summer.

Analysis/Results: All data were analyzed using content analysis. Two themes emerged: Identified Values and Camp Impact. First, the boys identified a number of values associated with their participation in the camp (e.g., “This camp helped me know how to make good choices and have fun and laugh;” “It helped me have better manners and discipline myself.”). Second, they reported the camp’s impact in their school settings, particularly in physical education (e.g., “It definitely helped me in athletics at school because it helped me build strength over the summer”; “I will be more respectful in my school and I don't get in trouble as much as I used to”; and “To do better in PE”). 

Conclusions: Results of the study revealed that the task values documented in the expectancy-value model research were also identified by these adolescent at-risk boys. Perhaps the greatest significance of the present study is that it provides empirical evidence that summer sports camps have the potential to positively impact adolescents in school settings. Given the data in the present study were collected at one point in time, future research is might document long term effects of summer sports camps in school settings.