Sports participation reportedly drops from 45% among children aged 5–14 to just 12% among 20–24 year-olds,1 despite well-documented benefits. This limits opportunities for children to develop confidence, resilience and social skills, while potentially increasing mental health risks.2 To counter this, extensive literature and national strategies emphasise the need to enhance the quality of sport experiences and reduce the likelihood of dropout. For example, the Australian Sport Commission’s (ASC) PlayWell strategy,3 codesigned by the sport sector, advocates for ‘high quality sports experiences for all’ as a pathway to lifelong engagement (p. 34). Similarly, Norway’s Provisions on Children’s Sports, published by the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF), state that the guidelines ‘are designed to help children have a positive experience every time they participate in training, competition or other activities’4 (p. 4).

A prominent strategy in youth sport that influences…