title: Piecing the puzzle together: case studies of international research in health-promoting sports clubs.
abstract: This paper seeks to review the current international health-promoting sports club (HPSC) research, drawing together findings based on case studies from various countries to illustrate the status of HPSCs. In addition, future challenges for HPSC research and implementation are considered. The review includes six case studies from five countries. In summary, there are two major research themes in this area, namely 'research into HPSC activity' and 'research into HPSC networks'. The first theme investigates the extent to which sports clubs and/or national sports organisations invest in health promotion (HP) - both in policy and practice. The latter theme is driven by an intention to widen the scope of HPSCs to reach novel internal actors, like parents, siblings, etc., and/or external non-sporting bodies, like communities, schools, etc. The future challenges for HPSC research require a better understanding of the motives, barriers and capacities of sports clubs and coaches. Sports organisations, clubs and coaches generally support the intent of the HPSC concept, but even with the best evidence- or theory-based HP programmes/guidelines/standards, nothing will happen in practice if the nature and capacities of sports clubs are not better acknowledged. Therefore, a call for embracing implementation science is finally made to enhance implementation.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Health Promotion, Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland sami.p.kokko@jyu.fi.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokko
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention (ACRISP), Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geidne
authors.affiliation: Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seghers
authors.affiliation: Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheerder
authors.affiliation: Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meganck
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Behaviour Research, Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Rochelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eime
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Health Promotion, Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villberg
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Health Promotion, Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland.
authors.forename: Lasse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kannas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D012106:Research; D013177:Sports
keywords: adolescents; health promotion; settings approach; sport; sports club; youth