Jumping Through Hoops: (How) Does Basketball Help Develop Young Female Athletes?

Key Points

• This research aims to explore how participation in basketball contributes to the development of life skills in young female athletes.
• Participants were young female basketball players engaged in sport participation.
• The study measured six life skills and assessed the influence of athletic identity and coach support.
• Life skill transfer to everyday life and school settings was evaluated.
• Athletic identity strongly predicted growth in all six measured life skills.
• Life skills transferred more frequently to everyday life compared to school settings.
• Enhanced coach support significantly increased athletes’ life skill development.