Motives for participation in and withdrawal from water polo

Abstract

The foci of this study were to examine the reasons why individuals selected to play water polo and the reasons why they stopped playing or persisted with their involvement in the sport; and, to investigate whether players differing in age, gender, level of commitment, self-perceived ability, level of competitive involvement and player orientation varied in their motives for participation and / or reasons for withdrawal. In addition, the role of enjoyment in, and the influence of contextual factors on motivational behaviours of players were examined. The research instrument used in the study was a one-time self-report questionnaire consisting of a mixture of qualitative and quantitative design features. 379 players, ranging in age from 8 - 42 years were surveyed. The results revealed that, as in previous research, the most frequently cited reasons for participation were related to 'learning and developing skills', 'fun', 'team spirit', 'liking the challenge', 'achieving a sense of accomplishment', 'improving fitness', 'competing', 'the action and excitement of the game' and 'making friends'. Similarly, 'having work / study commitments' and / or 'other things to do' were the reasons that showed the greatest degree of agreement amongst former players for withdrawing from water polo. In addition to, 'it wasn't fun anymore', 'being tired of water polo' and 'wanting to play another sport', the other most highly ranked determinant motives for attrition were directly related to 'negative situational factors', 'a lack of teamwork and teamspirit' and 'a lack of competency'. Other important findings were that: multiple and varied achievement goals existed amongst players involved in water polo; persistence behaviour was associated with 'sport mastery' goal orientations and / or 'social approval' goal orientations; enjoyment and self-perceived ability were key moderating factors in determining persistence and withdrawal behaviours; the level of enjoyment experienced decreased as the expressed level of commitment decreased, as age increased, as the level of self-perceived ability decreased and as the level of competitive involvement decreased; the inability of water polo to meet the achievement needs of some of the former players contributed to, and / or determined their decision to stop playing; and the 'negative factors' operating in the water polo environment were responsible for a substantial number of former players leaving the sport. Further research possibilities and practical implications for water polo administrators and coaches have been suggested.