Predictors of student-athlete satisfaction and retention in school football league

Abstract

This study examined how coach competency, competition quality, dual-career support, and psychosocial development predict student-athlete satisfaction and, in turn, retention intention in the Jambi School Football League (JSFL), Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was completed by 154 student-athletes, and the reflective measurement and structural models were estimated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in RStudio with the seminr package. Results: Psychosocial development was the strongest predictor of satisfaction (β = .639), while coach competency showed a smaller, qualified positive effect (β = .143). Competition quality (β = .069) and dual-career support (β = .105) were not significant. Satisfaction strongly predicted retention intention (β = .807). The model explained 78.0% of the variance in satisfaction and 65.1% in retention intention. Because the HTMT ratio between psychosocial development and satisfaction was elevated (HTMT = .950), the dominant psychosocial-development effect should be interpreted as provisional pending measurement refinement. Conclusion: Development-oriented experiences appear central to sustaining participation in Indonesian school football, with coach competency playing a complementary role.