Swinging towards intentionality: Exploring the process of life skills development in seasonal camp staff at a sport-based PYD camp using creative non-fictions

There has been a growing body of literature to explore the experiences and outcomes associated with summer camp staff (Botting et al., 2021; Kendellen et al., 2016; Povilaitis & Tamminen, 2018). However, studies focusing specifically within the context of day camp settings remain underrepresented. Moreover, there have been calls to understand the process of life skills development. This study explored what and how life skills were developed among staff within a baseball-for-development summer camp. Ten staff (ages 18-24) engaged in three phases of data collection: (a) completing a personal meaning map (PMM), (b) a 1-on-1 interview using their PMM as a guide; and (c) a focus group. Reflexive and narrative thematic analysis identified main themes and insights from the data and supported the potential of this camp setting as a developmental space for staff, where they developed and refined intrapersonal (e.g., confidence, adaptability, patience) and interpersonal (e.g., teamwork, leadership) life skills. Further, participants discussed how the camp structure supported and helped facilitate the development and/or enhance their life skills, highlighting the value of prior experience with staff training, and familiarity within the RBI SE camp that shaped their capacity to reflect with intent, take chances, build resilience through experiences, and practice empathy. Responding to recent methodological calls (Camiré et al., 2022; Henert et al., 2021; Newman et al., 2025; Warner et al., 2021) to centre youth voices and perspectives, creative analytical practice was employed, resulting in the creation of three creative non-fictions. These creative nonfictions amplified the staff’s perspectives of developing life skills within the camp contexts. These storied findings contributed to the limited understanding of how camp experiences impact staff while recognizing that they are in a crucial stage of personal growth and development. Practical implications may inform future staff training and sport-for-development programming, including the use of creative non-fictions to illustrate the complexities of life skills development in a baseball-for-development camp program.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Applied Health Sciences

Level thesis:degree_level

Master

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Applied Health Sciences Program

Grantor dc:publisher

Brock University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Mandisa Lau

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dr. Corliss Bean

• sport for development
• summer camp
• out-of-school programming
• recreational programming
• youth development

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19653

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19653