Abstract
Cliques are referred to as tightly knit subgroups that involve reciprocal relationships (e.g., Henrich et al., 2000). Although they are often referenced in sporting circles, they have received little attention in sport group dynamics literature. This is surprising given that their presence within a team may have a fundamental impact on group functioning through relationships with group facets such as cohesion or conflict (e.g., Eys et al., 2013; Paradis et al., 2013). The purpose of the present study was to examine athletes’ perceptions of cliques within teams. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 (nine female) intercollegiate athletes (Mage = 20.94, SD = 1.59) from nine sport teams. Results revealed that while their presence appeared to be inevitable, cliques were considered to be dynamic in nature (i.e., changing over time), and athletes felt that several antecedents (e.g., age/tenure, proximity, similarity, statues, etc.) and consequences (e.g., isolation, stress, tension, drop-out, etc.) led to, and resulted from, the emergence of cliques. Further, analysis revealed that athletes perceived cliques to be either positive or negative based on their inclusive or exclusive behaviors. Finally, athletes proposed a number of strategies to manage cliques within sport teams that included team building, team discussions, rotating team members in practice or on road trips, and conducting team goal setting. Results are discussed from both theoretical and practical perspectives.
