The social organization of men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams: A qualitative study of football and volleyball teams

The purpose of this research was to describe and analyze the social organization of the intercollegiate teams of men's football and women's volleyball. Unstructured interviews asking questions about team membership and coaching experience of eleven coaches and fifteen team members were held in five different college programs. Both genders were represented. Participant observation occurred in 30 hours of practice and game observation. The analytical frameworks of solidarity and identity were used. Two types of solidarity, mechanical and organic, and two types of identification, intimate and achievement, were identified in the analysis.;The members of men's intercollegiate football experience primarily an organic solidarity. The members of women's intercollegiate volleyball experience both organic and mechanical solidarity. Contextual factors (rules, sports history, and physical surroundings) influence both teams as organic solidarity. Game practices influence volleyball as a mechanical solidarity; football as organic.;Women's volleyball and men's football experience different individual relationships. Volleyball experiences intimate relationships; football, achievement relationships.;These identification differences have consequences for family and job security. Football concerns itself with how families will affect its structure; volleyball, how it might affect the family structure. Football job security is aided by supportive peer relationships. Volleyball job security is less tenuous and foregoes coaching peer support.;A grounded theory is proposed. Women's intercollegiate teams experience a group relationship of both mechanical and organic solidarity influenced through experiences of individual intimate relationships. Men's intercollegiate teams experience a group relationship of organic solidarity influenced through experiences of individual achievement relationships.;Implications are on three levels. Administratively, peer network knowledge might enhance selection of coaches and administrators. On the coaching level, social interaction, and the awareness of the male achievement and female intimate needs may enhance coaching techniques. For the player, this same knowledge of relationships needs, will enhance understanding of interpersonal team skills.;Recommendations for further research include the study of different sport and work environments.