A study on the acquisition of life skills through the participation in athletic club

A number of studies have already been done on the relationship between sport and personality development. However, few studies have examined the aspect of life-span development. As experiences which affect personality development, we examined the relationship between psycho-social skills (athletic situational skills) which are acquired in sport and the skills (life skills) which are essential in our daily life. This study was carried out under the assumption that athletic situational skills can be generalized into life skills, and that the generalization can be influenced by coaches in athletic situations. In Study 1, a survey was conducted of 361 freshmen at universities who had belonged to athletic clubs while attending high school. Consequently, a scale of athletic situational skills and life skills was prepared. In Study 2, another survey was carried out on 435 high school students who belonged to athletic clubs and 349 students who did not belong to any clubs. The scale devised in Study 1 and a questionnaire about coaches were used in this survey. From the results, it was clarified that students who participated in athletic clubs acquired more life skills which are similar to athletic situational skills than students who did not participate in any clubs. Furthermore, with regard to possible generalization between the two kinds of skills, it was considered that students who have acquired athletic situational skills can generalize them into life skills with suitable advice (for interpersonal skills : advice about its value ; for intrapersonal skills : advice about its practice) from their coaches.