Is “school sport” associated with school belongingness? Testing the influence of school sport policy

•Interscholastic sport is often prioritized by administrators due to a presumed influence on school belongingness.•The association between sport and school belongingness is different depending on policy context.•The indirect effect of sport competence is stronger in schools with interscholastic sport policies.•Policymakers should look beyond “single entity” categorizations of school sport.One of the primary justifications for middle school sport is the presumed association between sport participation and school belongingness. However, concerns regarding school sport values have called this association into question. Previous researchers have focused primarily on school sport as a single entity, with far less consideration for the different policies available to guide sport management and delivery in the school context. The authors examine the association between sport participation and school belongingness under two sport policies (i.e., interscholastic and intramural). Moderated mediation analysis is used to examine the relationships underpinning this connection in both policy contexts. Results indicate differences across policy contexts related to the salience of perceived sport and academic competence. The discussion highlights intriguing implications for sport administrators regarding school sport policy, particularly as it pertains to promoting school belongingness.