Table 2.
Rank Ordering of the 81 Fun-Determinants Based on Players’ Reported Importance
| Rank No.a | Fun-determinantb | M | SD | Fun-Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trying your best (73) | 4.80 | 0.50 | TH |
| 2 | Working hard (58) | 4.77 | 0.53 | TH |
| 3 | Exercising and being active (5) | 4.66 | 0.58 | TH |
| 4 | Playing well together as a team (38) | 4.65 | 0.55 | PTD |
| 5 | Getting/staying in shape (67) | 4.62 | 0.62 | TH |
| 6 | Playing well during a game (2) | 4.58 | 0.62 | TH |
| 7 | Getting along with your teammates (17) | 4.57 | 0.64 | PTD |
| 8 | A coach treating players with respect (44) | 4.56 | 0.67 | PC |
| 9 | Getting playing time (60) | 4.52 | 0.68 | G |
| 10 | Being strong and confident (20) | 4.50 | 0.71 | TH |
| 11 | A coach who knows a lot about the sport (13) | 4.45 | 0.71 | PC |
| 12 | Keeping a positive attitude (29) | 4.43 | 0.71 | MB |
| 13 | Competing (52) | 4.41 | 0.81 | TH |
| 14 | A coach who is a positive role model (65) | 4.40 | 0.75 | PC |
| 15 | Supporting my teammates (79) | 4.38 | 0.73 | PTD |
| 16 | Being challenged to improve/get better at your sport (16) | 4.38 | 0.78 | LI |
| 17 | When players show good sportsmanship (70) | 4.35 | 0.88 | PTD |
| 18 | A coach encouraging a team (8) | 4.33 | 0.70 | PC |
| 19 | Being supported by my teammates (54) | 4.32 | 0.76 | PTD |
| 20 | Learning from mistakes (42) | 4.31 | 0.86 | LI |
| 21 | Improving athletic skills to play at the next level (36) | 4.29 | 0.89 | LI |
| 22 | Clear, consistent communication from coaches (14) | 4.28 | 0.85 | PC |
| 23 | A coach who listens and considers players’ opinions (7) | 4.23 | 0.80 | PC |
| 24 | A coach who allows mistakes, while staying positive (64) | 4.22 | 0.85 | PC |
| 25 | Making a good play, scoring, making a big save (9) | 4.21 | 0.84 | TH |
| 26 | Ball touches (dribbling, passing, shooting, etc.) (69) | 4.21 | 0.92 | LI |
| 27 | A coach who you can talk to easily (81) | 4.15 | 0.95 | PC |
| 28 | A nice, friendly coach (76) | 4.15 | 0.89 | PC |
| 29 | Learning new skills (61) | 4.10 | 0.83 | LI |
| 30 | Having well-organized practices (10) | 4.08 | 0.88 | P |
| 31 | Setting and achieving goals (74) | 4.07 | 0.99 | TH |
| 32 | Taking water breaks during practice (18) | 4.06 | 1.11 | P |
| 33 | A ref who makes consistent calls (28) | 4.02 | 1.05 | GTS |
| 34 | Getting help from teammates (75) | 4.00 | 0.84 | PTD |
| 35 | Having the freedom to play creatively (22) | 3.96 | 0.97 | P |
| 36 | Warming up and stretching as a team (68) | 3.95 | 1.01 | PTD |
| 37 | Parents showing good sportsmanship (encouraging, not yelling) (72) | 3.88 | 1.06 | GTS |
| 38 | Playing your favorite position (37) | 3.87 | 0.90 | G |
| 39 | Being around your friends (23) | 3.85 | 1.07 | TF |
| 40 | Winning (30) | 3.82 | 1.04 | MB |
| 41 | Having a group of friends outside of school (50) | 3.79 | 1.15 | TF |
| 42 | Doing lots of different drills/activities in practices (57) | 3.75 | 0.97 | P |
| 43 | Getting compliments from coaches (1) | 3.74 | 0.97 | PC |
| 44 | Playing against an evenly matched team (71) | 3.73 | 1.06 | G |
| 45 | Scrimmaging during practice (49) | 3.69 | 0.99 | P |
| 46 | Being congratulated for playing well (41) | 3.67 | 1.06 | GTS |
| 47 | Having people cheer at the game (47) | 3.65 | 1.12 | GTS |
| 48 | Using a skill you learned in practice during a game (19) | 3.63 | 1.03 | LI |
| 49 | A coach that participates with players in practice (43) | 3.50 | 1.05 | PC |
| 50 | It relieves stress (77) | 3.48 | 1.32 | MB |
| 51 | Hanging out with teammates outside of practice/games (51) | 3.48 | 1.21 | TF |
| 52 | Being part of the same team year after year (32) | 3.45 | 1.18 | TF |
| 53 | Being known by others for your sport skills (35) | 3.41 | 1.16 | G |
| 54 | Playing on a nice field (21) | 3.39 | 1.20 | G |
| 55 | Having your parent(s) watch your games (11) | 3.35 | 1.18 | GTS |
| 56 | Meeting new people (31) | 3.35 | 1.09 | TF |
| 57 | Partner and small group drills (40) | 3.35 | 1.07 | P |
| 58 | Playing in tournaments (55) | 3.33 | 1.27 | G |
| 59 | Having nice sports gear and equipment (27) | 3.28 | 1.16 | S |
| 60 | Playing different positions (25) | 3.24 | 1.15 | LI |
| 61 | Earning medals or trophies (63) | 3.18 | 1.22 | S |
| 62 | Getting complimented by other parents (6) | 3.16 | 1.26 | GTS |
| 63 | Showing team spirit (gear, ribbons, signs) (56) | 3.10 | 1.31 | TR |
| 64 | Talking and goofing off with teammates (34) | 3.09 | 1.35 | TF |
| 65 | Playing rough (15) | 3.09 | 1.28 | TH |
| 66 | A coach that jokes around (33) | 3.06 | 1.13 | PC |
| 67 | Practicing with specialty trainers/coaches (4) | 3.04 | 1.29 | P |
| 68 | High-fiving, fist-bumping, hugging (39) | 3.04 | 1.17 | TR |
| 69 | Going to sports camp (12) | 2.89 | 1.23 | LI |
| 70 | Ignoring the score (78) | 2.89 | 1.38 | MB |
| 71 | Traveling to new places to play (53) | 2.85 | 1.24 | S |
| 72 | End-of-season/team parties (3) | 2.76 | 1.22 | TR |
| 73 | Copying the moves/tricks of professional athletes (45) | 2.75 | 1.21 | LI |
| 74 | Going out to eat as a team (66) | 2.69 | 1.27 | TR |
| 75 | Doing team rituals (24) | 2.68 | 1.30 | TR |
| 76 | Carpooling with teammates (46) | 2.66 | 1.22 | TR |
| 77 | Wearing a special, cool uniform (48) | 2.46 | 1.24 | S |
| 78 | Doing a cool team cheer (80) | 2.39 | 1.35 | TR |
| 79 | Eating snacks/treats after the game (62) | 2.39 | 1.32 | S |
| 80 | Staying in hotels for games/tournaments (26) | 2.26 | 1.26 | S |
| 81 | Getting pictures taken (59) | 2.01 | 1.10 | S |
Note. M = mean; SD = standard deviation; Fun factor = the fun factor each determinant is categorized within (TH = Trying Hard, PTD = Positive Team Dynamics, PC = Positive Coaching, LI = Learning and Improving, G = Games, P = Practices, TF = Team Friendships, MB = Mental Bonuses, GTS = Game Time Support, TR = Team Rituals, S = Swag).
a
Ranking no. = the rank importance order of each of the 81 determinants;
b
Number in parentheses identifies the fun-determinant within the go-zone displays