In need add here, in view of the ambiguity of definitions and the variety of interrelated meanings for social capital, that international research indicates that where social capital flourishes, the result is that individuals, communities, organizations and nations prosper economically. Social capital refers to associational life, civic virtue, civic engagement, community service, social action, social cohesion, social ties, trust, the collective value of social networks, the construction of broader identities, respect for ethnic, racial and gender diversity and the elimination of socioeconomic exclusions. It entails active and direct interactions among individuals and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness, namely mutual understanding, shared values and behaviours that bind the members of human networks, making cooperative action possible. On the other hand, arguments suggest that social capital can reinforce exclusive identities, homogeneous groups, social divides, social discrimination, gender exclusions, capitalization, and egocentric bonding . For instance, organizations, clubs and social groups with high social capital have the power, the means or even the motives to exercise non-inclusive practices and policies. In view of the ambiguity of definitions and the variety of interrelated meanings, one can see sport as a form of positive social capital that promotes social cohesion, solidarity, trust, social ties, etc. However, it could also be perceived as negative or dark social capital since the politics of sport do not always deliver the social benefits they proclaim.

We have just completed a study that is about to be published that examines some aspects of the question that you ask - .

Darcy, S., Maxwell, H., Onyx, J., Edwards, M., & Sherker, S. (2014). More than a sport and volunteer organisation: Investigating social capital development in a sporting organisation. Sport Management Review, Accepted 21 January 2014.

Please e-mail me if you would like a copy of the proofs of the paper.

Thank you, I'd love to read it once its published.

The recent Winter Olympics suggest that a clear distinction be made between sport as a social activity and sport as a political activity. Professional sport is closed allied to the second category and as such its agenda will depend on the political aims of the protagonists. The Sochi Games showed a very worrying negative aspect of such sporting activity - namely that most of its participants apeared more than happy to disregard the self-promotion of the ideas Putin stands for - in return for the chance to "play the game". Unlike the 1936 games, there was no Jesse Owens counterpoint. Whereas Black Britons ( for example) may have found an ability to identify with Mo Farrar helpful in feeling more postive about their cultural image at home, the sports with the really big followings in the UK - such as football- merely serve to enrol all races into new competing tribes, whose loyalties and reciprocities remain narrowly confined to their own allies.

Sport, as with any other human activity, has the ability to develop/produce/enhance social captial as well as instil/reinforce negative social capital.

Dr Edoardo Rosso and myself have explored this topic in this paper:

'Beyond recreation: Personal social networks and social capital in the transition of young players from recreational football to formal football clubs' , International Review for the Sociology of Sport (2013); 48(4):453-470.

Touch base with me and I can send you a PDF version.

Edoardo and I am contiuing to explore the topic through a community project we are working on here in Adelaide. The project is called Football United UniSA (http://www.unisa.edu.au/health-sciences/services/community-projects/football-united/).

The conceptualisation of negative social capital has gained some traction regarding sport though it is still well behind the idea that sport is good for everything, particularly in relation to social capital.

Thank you Richard McGrath, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me your article entitled 'Beyond recreation: Personal social networks and social capital in the transition of young players from recreational football to formal football clubs' , International Review for the Sociology of Sport (2013); 48(4):453-470.

This is becoming a bigger discussion now. See: ‘Fabled futures: Development, gridiron football, and transnational movements in American Samoa’ by Fa' anofo Lisaclaire Uperesa and 'After the Whistle: issues impacting on the health and well-being of Polynesian players off the field' in Australia (Rodriguez & McDonald 2013). Also the work of David Lakisa.

Another answer to this question involves research on group-based and genuinely collective emotions (e.g., a feeling of optimism after the "carnival" of a mega-sport event). I conducted qualitative research on this topic in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup (currently now in preparation). What is interesting is that the emotional high of the World Cup and feelings of togetherness were represented as desirable but not sustainable - so there was a feeling that things would return to normal and that even the good feeling would be a memory rather than a feeling that could be recreated for use in other social and political projects. Some of these ideas are discussed in my forthcoming edited book:

http://routledge-ny.com/books/details/9780415628952/

and in a chapter on collective pride in the new book Collective emotions:

http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199659180.do

One issue I'm interested in is whether this "emotional capital" does become a form of "social capital".

In my Ph thesis I explored the concepts of social capital related to socioeconomic status in competitive youth sport. We found social mobility expectations, individual either familiar, and that sport could be a familiar strategy in disadvantaged youth sport in Mexico. I was focused from the social capital theory and, in my opinion these families believe that their sons or daughters being successful in sports could exchange their sport capital into social capital and therefore in economical capital.

Social capital and it measurement especifically in sports interests me a lot. I am working now in some projects about these constructs.

Celia, thank you, I believe this piece may interest you:

Up2Us Trauma-Sensitive Coaching Transforms Urban Youth Sports

 **A recent piece on NPR (National Public Radio) in the US on

trauma-sensitive coaching:    

https://onlyagame.wbur.org/2014/09/20/up2us-trauma-sensitive-youth-sports

     For decades, hundreds of sports-based youth-development programs have been on their own trying to make a difference in this country’s poor, violence-prone cities. But as sports budgets are slashed, especially in urban public school districts where the need is the greatest, an organization is stepping

in to provide coaches support and valuable training for hundreds of

this country’s sports-based youth-development programs. It’s called

Up2Us.... [see article in: a recent piece on NPR (National Public

Radio) here in the US on trauma-sensitive coaching: 

https://onlyagame.wbur.org/2014/09/20/up2us-trauma-sensitive-youth-sports

HI Irene,

You may be interested in my latest publication on social capital and athletes with disabilities that explored how para-athletes who frequently lack close, local networks use online connections to share information and resources and create close ties. Here is the link to the e-print http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/zTQSWgVs2mjvxKwuHGBg/full

http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/zTQSWgVs2mjvxKwuHGBg/full

Yes I am, thank you Andrea !