This paper considers how organized and structured competitive school sports can support social identity processes of students in a secondary school environment. According to a study from the United Nations in their recommendation to governments ‘Harnessing the power of sport for development and Peace’ (2009), adolescents are positively influenced by structured and well-organized sports programmes; in particular between the ages of 12-18 years when this level of activity could considerably influence the perception of social competences, active behaviour and positive attitudes. Sport-based initiatives are thus seen as extremely important to be included in countries’ programmes and thus the report (UN, 2009) recommends countries to maximise the use of sports. The participation in community sports will expand social awareness and positive behaviours amongst peers, help to prevent negative attitudes and therefore have a direct influence in social dynamics as these social identity processes are mirrored in the day-to-day school life of students (Sweeting et al, 2001). Concepts and practices outside the curriculum, however, differ widely in secondary schools, in particular if looked at in a European and international context. This paper makes the argument that competitive sports can play a significant role in setting a platform for students to interact with each other in different environments and also in providing support in the structuring of adolescents’ self-concept (Sweeting et al 2001). Its multidimensional character can be affected by academic and non-academic experiences which generate objective and subjective self-perceptions amongst individuals within this environment and lead to a dimension of social hierarchy within a particular environment (Sweeting et al 2001). This paper suggests that exposure to a consistently organized sport activity is beneficial to individuals in re-shaping their identities and further helps consolidating the ways they approach each other in different situations in their development during secondary school and beyond.

Bahns, A., Pickett, K., Crandall, C. (2011) Social ecology of similarity: big schools, small schools and social relationships. Group Processes Intergroup Relations. 15 (1), pp. 119-131. Barker, R. (1969) Ecological psychology: Concepts and methods for studying the environment of human behaviour. Science.166 (3907), pp. 856-858. Coalter, F. (1993) Sports Participation: Price or Priorities. Leisure Studies. 12 (3), pp. 171-182. Collins, M., with Henry, I., Houlihan, B., Buller, J. (1999) Research Report: Sport and Social Exclusion – A Report to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Loughborough: Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy. Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Schneider, B. (2000) Becoming adult: How teenagers prepare for the world or work. New York: Basic Books. Fischer, C. (1975) Toward a subcultural theory of urbanism. American Journal of Sociology. 80, pp. 1319–1341. Gratton, C., Tice, A. (1994) Trends in Sports Participation 1977-1987, Leisure Studies. 13 (1), pp. 49-66. Mahoney J., Larson R., Eccles J. (2005). Organized activities as contexts of development: Extracurricular activities, after-school and community programs. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Mayeux, L., Sandstrom, M., Cillessen, A. (2008) Is being popular a risky proposition? Journal of Research on Adolescence. 18 (1), pp. 49–74. Penney, D., Clark, G., Quill, M., Kinchin, G. (eds) (2005) Sport Education in physical education. Oxford and New York: Routledge. Sweeting, H., West, P., Young, R., Kelly, S. (2001) Dimensions of adolescent subjective social status within the school community: Description and correlates. Journal of Adolescence. 34 (3), pp. 493-504. United Nations (2009) Sport for Development and Peace: Towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Inter-Agency Task Force.[Online]. Available from: http://www.un.org/themes/sport/task.htm [Accessed 15/05/2012]. Willems, E. (1967) Sense of obligation to high school activities as related to school size and marginality of students. Child Development. 38, pp. 1247-1260.