Title: Professionalization in Youth Sport: Key Considerations and Future Directions
Presentation Summary: Professionalization is a multifaceted concept holistically encapsulating the very essence of how youth sport continues to be gradually organized, practiced, played, and ultimately experienced by all stakeholders involved (Camiré & Santos, 2019). Youth sporting structures historically classified as developmental/recreational have steadily adopted the logics and procedures of professional sport organizations through the increased prevalence of training periodization, the integration of sport science analytics through widespread gathering and usage of biological data and movement metrics, a growing reliance on psychological and physiological testing for performance enhancement, and the deployment of integrated support teams (e.g., sport psychologists, biomechanists, nutritionists). As discussed by Bjørndal & Espedalen (2025), this professionalization is leading to a social acceleration of youth sport that reflects broader societal dynamics prioritizing optimization, standardization, control, and marketization. Ultimately, young people’s experiences in sport are severely altered by the forces of professionalization, leading to, in many cases detachment, disengagement, deselection, and burnout. In this presentation, key considerations relating to professionalization are discussed, with insights offered as to what future directions sport systems should consider in efforts to (re)discover the facets of youth sport that optimize inclusion and whole person development.
- Camiré, M., & Santos, F. (2019). Promoting positive youth development and life skills in youth sport: Challenges and opportunities amidst increased professionalization. Journal of Sport Pedagogy & Research, 5, 27-34.
- Bjørndal, C. T., & Espedalen, L. E. (2025). From acceleration to resonance: Reimagining Norwegian youth sport in a rapidly changing world. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. https://doi.org/10.1080/17511321.2025.2579507
Presenter Biography: Martin Camiré is a Professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Canada. Through his research, Prof. Camiré examines how various aspects of development can be fostered in the context of sport, especially with youth populations. As well, Prof. Camiré researches the roles played by coaches in promoting quality developmental experiences for sport participants.
