Belongingness & Sport : A theoretical framework to conceptualize belonging with athletes

A sense of belonging or connection to others has been seen as a fundamental need by social scientists across time. This connection to others leads to positive outcomes in almost every domain and sport is no exception to this rule. In the world of team sports, connecting to others has a huge impact on both performance and satisfaction and is essential for success. The following paper will discuss: the roots of the concept of belonging; the application of belonging to sport; a potential framework for understanding individual and environmental factors of belonging; implications of the impact of belonging for athletes.