Abstract
The negative economic impact of the student retention and persistence issue among higher education institutions created a need to identify potential strategies to support students. Sport club involvement provides positive outcomes contributing to student retention and persistence, but more information is needed. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to investigate students’ lived experiences related to sport club involvement and its influence on student retention and persistence. Informed by Communities of Practice theory, an interpretive phenomenological approach explored the lived experiences of sport club members through narratives. Semi-structured interviews, triangulated with fieldnotes and artifacts, provided insight into the depth and quality of sport club involvement as a retention tool. A spiral analysis approach allowed for the three themes to emerge: 1) Sport clubs are communities that provide social wellness, 2) Sport clubs’ structure offers flexible commitment, and 3) Skill development as a community of practice. Students’ lived experiences centered on their social community developed through sport club involvement, which strengthened their sense of belonging and anchored them to the institution. However, the flexible structure and self-governance of sport clubs created challenges related to inconsistent participation, highlighting the need for intentional institutional support and leadership development to sustain these communities of practice.
