The Sport Psych Show #328 Dr Ellie Gennings - Well-Being and Well-Becoming in Children’s Sport
Sep 15, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Ellie Gennings, a Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching at Bournemouth University, shares her insights on children's well-being in sports. She discusses her journey from athlete to coach, emphasizing the foundational role of sports like gymnastics in youth development. Dr. Gennings highlights the need to prioritize children's unique identities and voices, advocating for a supportive environment in youth sports. The conversation also critiques the commercialization of young athletes, urging a balance between ambition and well-being.
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Early Shift From Athlete To Coach
- Ellie Jennings moved from playing multiple sports to coaching after realizing elite performance wasn't for her.
- She pivoted into research, doing a PhD on children's well-being before returning to sport coaching at Bournemouth University.
Well-Being Versus Well-Becoming
- Well-being and well-becoming are distinct: well-being concerns present experience while well-becoming focuses on supporting future development.
- Applying both lenses helps practitioners reflect on balancing a child's current needs with their future potential.
Metaphors Shape Childhood Policy
- How we metaphorically view childhood (sapling vs caterpillar) shapes how we treat and organise children's sport.
- Viewing children as unique beings (caterpillars) calls for protecting childhood goods like free play and peer relationships.