SOCCER COMPETITIONS IN YOUTH CATEGORIES: GOALS AND MEANING FOR CLUBS AND PAULISTA SOCCER FEDERATION MANAGERS

Abstract

More and more Brazilian children are beginning to practice soccer. In this context, the managers are a fundamental role in the organization of new forms of events that do not reproduce the high performance sport in childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of clubs and the Paulista Football Federation managers in Brazil, on the goals and directions of the competitions promoted by this institution in the U-11 and U-13 age groups. This research is based on a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews, and thematically analyzed, with a manager of the São Paulo Football Federation, and managers responsible for the youth sport departments of clubs participating in these competitions. As result we have: the prevalence of the official meaning over the alternative one in the speeches of the football managers; managers' concern about the human development of young athletes through moral values taught by sport; objectives of selection and evaluation of new talents for high performance. It can be seen that some actions described are intended to transform the forms of competition in this environment. However, aspects related to the promotion of soccer players greatly interfere in other senses of competitive soccer practice, which makes changes difficult.