Il presente lavoro di ricerca prende le mosse dall’intersezione di due ambiti disciplinali: lo studio dell’identità adulta entro i contesti di lavoro, e gli studi di psicologia applicata allo sport riguardanti la figura dell’allenatore. Gli studi su come si evolve e genera il processo di costruzione dell’identità lavorativa entro il contesto attuale, sempre più caratterizzato da fluidità, complessità e mutevolezza, occupano la prima parte del lavoro. La proposta di un modello teorico rappresenta lo sguardo con cui si è scelto di avvicinarsi ad uno specifico contesto professionale, quello dei settori giovanili. Il ruolo dell’allenatore è riconosciuto come uno dei ruoli centrali e critici che favoriscono lo sviluppo sano dei giovani atleti, una figura chiave nel processo di connessione tra diversi attori: atleti, famiglie, dirigenti sportivi, sponsor, ecc. Per questo la parte empirica del lavoro rappresenta un approfondimento su questa figura professionale. Il primo studio, secondo una finalità esplorativa, mira a delineare le caratteristiche e i tratti distintivi dell’identità lavorativa di allenatori di calcio giovanili, al fine di metterne a fuoco i principali elementi di fatica e di risorsa. Il secondo studio rappresenta una proposta metodologica nuova per indagare il costrutto dell’identità lavorativa in generale, mediante uno strumento grafico-simbolico, il Disegno Simbolico dello Spazio di Vita Professionale (DSSVP). Applicato agli allenatori giovanili lo studio evidenzia potenzialità e limiti di tale strumento nello studio dell’identità lavorativa. Infine il terzo studio, partendo dalla constatazione della situazione di difficoltà e crisi professionale in cui si trovano molti allenatori giovanili oggi, proporrà l’analisi di un percorso di formazione-ricerca come contesto di accompagnamento e supporto di tali professionisti. / This work originates from the intersection of two fields of studies: that ones about the work identity construction, and the sport psychology studies about coaches. The first part of the work deepens the work identity process of construction in nowadays work organizations, characterized by fluidity and complexity. The proposal of a theoretic model of work identity is the way through which comes close to a specific work context in sport, the youth sectors. The coach’ role is recognized as central and critical at the same time in promoting athletes’ healthy development through sport, as well as in connecting all the actors involved in youth sport practice (athletes, parents, managers, sponsors, etc.). For this reason the empirical part of the work is an in depth examination about this professionals, youth coaches. The first study aims to explore and outline the features of youth soccer coaches’ work identity and to focus the main risks and resources of this. It involved 20 youth soccer coaches in semi-structured interviews and a focus-group The second study is a methodological proposal to better understand the work identity process. It presents a new research instrument the Professional Life Space Drawing (DSVP – Disegno dello Spazio di Vita Professionale in Italian), which allows collecting relevant information about the inner representation of professional space using a graphic-symbolic level. Finally the third study, starting from the crisis situation of these professionals, analyses a training-research project (which involved 11 coaches) to supporting youth coaches work identity.

Researchers have found that 40 to 50 percent of youth's time can be classified as free or residual, which yields great opportunities for their participation in leisure and recreation activities. When all structured voluntary activities available to youth are considered, the greatest amount of time is spent participating in youth sports. Organized sports participation has been associated with positive developmental outcomes (e.g., healthier lifestyle; increases in self-efficacy; enhanced academic achievement); however, not all experiences are positive. Research has found that the context of the activity contributes significantly to participation being associated with positive or negative outcomes. Understanding important contextual elements related to sports participation, particularly as viewed by key stakeholders (e.g., coaches and players), is important in developing quality experiences that promote beneficial growth. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of youth basketball as a positive developmental context. More specifically, it examined: (1) the outcomes associated with participation as identified by coaches of youth sport select teams; (2) the methods used by coaches to promote positive development; (3) the perceptions of the players related to coaching intentions and behaviors; and (4) the fidelity with which coaches carry out their identified coaching methods in practices and games. Findings indicated that coaches and players were able to accurately identify desired goals and methodologies along three domains: (1) player improvement; (2) development of life skills; and (3) enjoying the playing experience. One outcome theme showing inconsistency across the respondent groups was the identification of enjoying the playing experience, which was not identified by the player group. This inconsistency, however, did not show up when the respondents were identifying methodological approaches. Further analysis of sub-themes indicated considerable variation between coach and player responses. In addition, data obtained through observation corroborated the major thematic findings; however, when discrepancies existed the data revealed closer association to player responses. Player's also offered insight regarding personal goals and positive developmental outcomes they attributed to participation. Observational data also confirmed a portion of coach and player identified methodologies, but new approaches were also discovered.

Med utgångspunkt i det transformativa ledarskapet (TFL) och Positive Youth Development (PYD) är syftet med studien att undersöka hur tränare för äldre ungdomslag arbetar för en inkluderande verksamhet där ungdomar får göra sin röst hörd. Det finns ett antagande som säger att organiserad idrott utvecklar ungdomar positivt. Tidigare forskning ifrågasätter detta antagande och menar i stället attidrotten har potential att generera en positiv utveckling för ungdomar men det sker inte automatiskt. Tidigare genomförda studier visar att det finns en utmaning för äldre elitsatsande ungdomslag att kombinera viljan att vinna matcher med att skapa en miljö för positiv utveckling för idrottande ungdomar. Tränarens betydelse har visat sig vara avgörande och TFL anses vara en optimal ledarstil för att idrottande ungdomar ska kunna utvecklas på ett personligt plan i kombination med en idrottslig utveckling. Genom att, ur ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv, studera tränares upplevda transformativa beteenden skapades en större förståelse för ledarskapet i en elitsatsande verksamhet. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med sju tränare för sex ungdomslag (tre pojk- och tre flicklag) i fotboll och analyserades med hjälp av meningskoncentrering. Ungdomarnas ålder var 17 år. Resultatet visar att de intervjuade tränarna besitter den intra- och interpersonella kunskap som, tillsammans med en professionell kunskap, definierar en effektiv tränare för ungdomslag. De intervjuade tränarna påvisar önskvärda transformativa beteenden i form av förmågan att vara en förebild för ungdomarna, att kunna inspirera och motivera dem, att ge dem möjlighet att uttrycka sina åsikter samt att uppmärksamma enskilda individer. Dock visar sig dessa beteenden endast i en mer implicit form. För att kunna synliggöra dessa önskvärda beteenden behöver det lyftas fram som explicita kunskaper i både tränar- och ledarskapsutbildningar inom idrotten. Framtida forskning bör inkludera de aktiva ungdomarna som målgrupp