Reconciling the maintenance of on-field success with off-field player development: A case study of a club culture within the Australian Football League. (November 2015) - Pink, Matthew
Abstract: Objectives: As a contribution to developing understanding of how professional athletes may successfully develop a dual career and maintain a balance between life on and off the field, the present study sought to analyse a professional Australian Football club culture that has been identified within the industry as successfully supporting player dual career development. At the same time the club has been able to maintain a successful on-field record. Methods: A case study methodology was used for the analysis with Schein's (2010) levels of organisational culture providing a theoretical framework. Data were collected by means of fifteen interviews which included players (11), and non-playing staff (4) comprising an executive staff member, a coach, a team manager, and the player development manager. Observations were also made and recorded by the first author during a two week immersion in the club environment. Results: Four basic assumptions that explained the coherence between espoused values and artefacts concerning dual career development were identified. They were that: dual career development is important however football comes first; balancing sport and off-field life ensures players' well-being and facilitates on-field performance; players should be encouraged to find personal meaning in their dual career activity, and; the club has an ethical responsibility to support player dual career development. Conclusion: Analysis of the findings suggests that the successful support of dual careers requires a coherent club culture, where related activities exist as part of a holistic approach to player development. This approach must recognise the priority placed on athletic performance. Highlights: The club supported dual career as part of a holistic approach to player performance. Basic assumptions of the club dual career culture were identified. Players' dual career development was considered conducive to performance. Autonomy supportive approaches to dual career development were observed. The sampling of dual career activities was identified as an effective strategy.