Athletes' descriptions of within-team cliques

What is it about?

Although tightly-knit sport groups are often idealized, it is often inevitable that smaller subgroups of team members will form close bonds within the group. By asking athletes to reflect on personal experiences, we explored the potential for these subgroups to shape group experiences. Notably, athletes felt that cliques could have a positive influence when members were inclusive to teammates who were outside of their clique.

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Why is it important?

Cliques have the potential to have an influence of athlete experiences that are profoundly positive (e.g., lasting friendships) or negative (e.g., ostracism and bullying). By exploring how athletes view cliques in sport, this study is a fundamental step toward understanding why and how such groups form within sport teams.