118 | Chapter 14 employment, and relationship domains. As expected, participation in a club organised sport was negatively affected by entering an intimate relationship. The odds of switching to an individual setting versus continuing in a club setting were 189.9% higher for respondents who found a partner between both waves (Exp(B)=2.899), and their odds to stop practising sport altogether were 217,5% higher (Exp(B)=3.175), compared to those who stayed single. On the other hand, contrary to our expectation, the odds of switching to a commercial or alternative setting versus continuation in a sport club were 57.7% lower for thosewho left full-time education between bothwaves (Exp(B)=0.423; reference is continuing full-time education). The odds of switching to an informal group setting were 90.6% lower for those who began working more than 32 hours a week between both waves (Exp(B)=0.094; reference is not working). We expected that leaving full-time education and starting paid employment would be detrimental to sporting in a club setting. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION This study examined the impact of five major life events that accompany the transition to adulthood on the number of sports practised, sport frequency, and switching from a club-organised sport to a “lighter” sport setting or dropping out of sport altogether. Our data was provided by a Dutch panel study with information on education, employment, relationship, civil/marital status, and parenthood for 2829 Dutch citizens, aged 15–45, and their sport behaviour. We used two survey waves, four years apart, to investigate the dynamics of sport participation. In particular, we focused on the influences of five major life events during the transition to adulthood, while making a “between-within” differentiation in respondents’ life courses. Doing so enabled us to deal with issues of causality and selectivity, and the timing of life events and advance upon earlier research. In line with our expectations derived from our theoretical rationale based on a resource approach, we conclude that leaving full-time education, beginning work, entering and formalising an intimate relationship, and becoming a
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