Exploring the Commitment of Volunteers in Little Athletic Centres

Abstract

The organisational commitment of volunteers has been identified as a key factor affecting the organisation and delivery of community-based sport. However, research has primarily focussed on commitment to the whole organisation overlooking the fact that volunteers can develop commitments to various organisational targets. In this study we drew on Meyer and Herscovitch’s (2001) general model of commitment to assess the commitment of volunteers in Little Athletics centres in NSW to three targets: the centre, the work team, and the volunteering role. An examination of the intercorrelations amongst the targets of commitment indicated that the various commitment constructs were distinguishable. Commitment also differed according to variables such as volunteer age, number of children enrolled and role held within the centre. Consistent with Meyer and Herscovitch’s (2001) conceptualisation of commitment, these findings indicate that volunteers may hold differing commitments to targets other than the sporting organisation. Future research should focus on exploring the relationship between targets of commitment and outcomes such as volunteer retention and performance. Practical implications are also addressed.