Line Maj Sternberg, Kristoffer Henriksen & Louise Kamuk Storm
Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics,
University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
Throughout life, individuals navigate a variety of sporting environments, with youth sport contexts for adolescents aged 12–16 being particularly influential in determining whether they continue their engagement in sport. Despite the pivotal influence of these environments on adolescents’ sustained participation in sport, an overview of the research literature examining youth sport environments (YSE) appears to be lacking. This study summarizes the state of the art of research on YSEs, proposes a definition of quality youth sport environments (QYSE), and synthesizes current knowledge about the essential features that constitute such settings. Following the PRISMA and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews, a systematic search across five databases was conducted in July 2025, resulting in 2,785 studies, of which only four articles were included for data extraction. Findings were summarized using an extraction table. All studies were qualitative and conducted in Northern Europe where one also included quantitative data and all focusing on various aspects of the youth sport environment. YSE were characterised by three key features: the foregrounding of social factors, the accessibility of central training facilities, coaches pivotal role in addressing adolescents’ social and emotional needs. We propose the understanding of a QYSE as one that promotes the youth athletes’ athletic and personal development, their long-term participation and motivation, and their wellbeing. It is a complex, adaptive system, where social and structural factors work in concert to meet the developmental needs of 12–16-year-olds. While the literature allows us to cautiously suggest features of QYSE, this area of research is limited, highlighting the need for further studies to develop a more comprehensive understanding of what QYSE look like.
Click to access this peer review article in Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, Vol. 17, 2026
LINE MAJ STERNBERG is a PhD student at the Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark. Her research focuses on youth sport environments, with particular attention to athletes’ experiences and perspectives. Prior to commencing her PhD, she worked as a sport psychology consultant and dual career support manager.
KRISTOFFER HENRIKSEN is a Professor at the Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark. His research examines how sport environments shape athlete development, performance, and mental health. As an applied sport psychology practitioner, he has worked with Olympic athletes, teams, and coaches to develop high-performance cultures and has supported athletes at numerous international championships and Olympic Games.
LOUISE KAMUK STORM is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark. Her research focuses on the cultural and relational dimensions of youth sport, particularly adolescents’ social environments, the role of coaches in athlete development, and the paradoxes inherent in contemporary youth sport.
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