Sport Participation Across National Contexts: A Multilevel Investigation of Individual and Systemic Influences on Adult Sport Participation (original) (raw)
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Leisure/Loisir, 2024
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Theoretical Models for Sport Participation: Literature Review
International Journal of Economics and Business Administration
Recent studies have analyzed theoretical models of sport participation. They claimed that sports activities relate to health and happiness and that there are various factors which determine sports participation, be it individual, sociological or psychological. Whilst some countries in Europe experienced an increase in sport activity over the past few decades, others saw a decline in the number of individuals who commit to physical activity. Several models have been constructed to explain and determine involvement in sports namely, 'The Beckerian Approach', 'The SLOTH framework' and 'Green's Model of Sport Development'. These models have unearthed specific important factors, which encourage people to take part in sports activities. These concerned age, gender, time constraints, income and level of education. In fact, findings has shown a positive and statistically significant relationship between age and frequency of sport participation and as age increased walking increased as well. Education plays an important role as well especially where adolescents are concerned. School was a key contributor to adolescents increased participation in physical activity and more specifically as they transitioned into secondary school. A successful example is that of Norway where a sport and physical recreation culture is deeply rooted in society and is supported by strategic socioeconomic circumstances, high standards of living, equality between genders, abundant sporting facilities, a school system that keenly promotes physical activity, a strong voluntary sports clubs sector and high levels of parental contribution. Recent research has also focused on the sociological and psychological factors which contribute to increased physical activity. Social networks and friends significantly impact one's decision to take part in sport, while the involvement of parents in sport affects sport frequency in a positive and significant way.
European Journal for Sport and Society
This article investigates the relationship between major life events and sport participation during the transition to adulthood. Two waves (2009 and 2013) of a Dutch panel study provided information on education, employment, relationship, civil/marital status, and parenthood for 2829 Dutch citizens (ages 15-45) and their sport behaviour. Our analyses indicate that respondents who left full-time education, began to work, entered and/or formalised a relationship, and became a parent participated less frequently in sport than those who did not (between-person differences). Moreover, experiencing these events reduced sport frequency (within-person changes). All events except beginning to work reduced the number of sports practised. Further, those who entered an intimate relationship were more likely to switch from a 'heavy' club-sport setting to a 'lighter', more individualised setting and to stop practising sport altogether, compared to those who stayed single. Those who left full-time education and started working were more likely to continue sport in a club setting, compared to those who continued education and did not start working. Sport providers, programmes, and policies could use these results to inform efforts to preempt impacts of major life events, thus curbing drop out and retaining sport participants, especially during the transition to adulthood.
A Life Course Examination of Women's Team Sport Participation in Late Adulthood
2019
This study contributes to the fields of aging and physical activity by applying the key principles of the life course perspective to investigate women’s team sport participation experience in late adulthood. Through focus groups, data were collected from six competitive softball teams of women (N=64) ranging from 55 to 79 years old. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes related to the life course principles of historical context and place, social embeddedness, agency, as well as trajectories and timing. A key study finding was that the women experienced cultural lag and age-related barriers to resources when playing competitive softball in late adulthood. Additionally, the network of shared relationships occupied by these women had both positive and negative influences on their participation in competitive sports. Study findings can help inform services and programs at the local community level aimed at enhancing women’s physical activity and health in late adulthood.
Challenges to sport development and sport participation from sport managers' perspectives
International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2018
This study addresses the need to advance knowledge on sport participation from the perspective of managers and complements studies that examine this phenomenon from participants' perspectives. Using the case of basketball in Australia, data were collected from selected managers via two focus groups and 24 interviews in Queensland, Australia. Results demonstrated that managers believed basketball offers opportunities for participants to achieve an active and social way of living, and overcome challenges related to: climate (i.e., sun safety, rain) and population density, obesity among youth, integrating individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, and community members' increasingly busy lifestyles. Whilst some of these findings reflect global trends (e.g., promoting healthy lifestyles), others manifest more local challenges (e.g., climate). Findings from this study enable more informed decisions on policy direction and program design and in promoting 268 P. Sotiriadou et al. sport-specific attributes to address participant-specific challenges. Addressing sport participation challenges in an informed way encourages integrated and comprehensive solutions to sport development issues.
2019
Background The organized sports sector has received increased interest as a setting to stimulate physical activity among inactive target groups. To reach many inactive people and to obtain population health benefits, it is important that effective sporting programs are sustained over a long period of time. This study identified the factors influencing the long-term sustainability of these kind of sporting programs located within local sports clubs. Methods Fourteen sporting programs in the Netherlands aimed at increasing physical activity levels of inactive population groups and funded within the National Action Plan for Sport and Exercise (NAPSE) were the focus of this study. The programs were developed by ten National Sports Federations (NSFs) and implemented by different sports clubs in the Netherlands within a three-year funded implementation period (2008-2011). This research consisted of face-to-face interviews with the program coordinators of the NSFs (n=14) and telephone inte...
He holds a doctoral degree in physical education and a master degree in social and cultural anthropology. His research and teaching focuses on consumption and participation patterns in leisure-time sports and public policy in sport and physical activity. Marijke Taks is with the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and with the Department of Human Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. She holds a doctoral degree in physical education and lectures in the fields of sport management and sport marketing. Her research focuses on socio-economic aspects of sports and leisure, and sport consumer behaviour. Wim Lagae is with the Department of Commercial Sciences at the Lessius Hogeschool Antwerpen, Belgium and with the Department of Human Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. He holds a doctoral degree in econom...
The Sport Participation Model Questionnaire: A Tool for the Assessment of Sport Orientations
Online Submission, 2006
The Sport Participation Model Questionnaire (SPMQ) was given to two hundred and sixty-four subjects to determine if significant differences existed in the composite scores of parents, coaches, youth sport participants, high school participants and college students; if the groups differed in their responses to pooled items; and if subject groups differed on individual questionnaire items. Subjects more frequently agreed with Pleasure and Participation statements than with Power and Performance statements. No significant difference was found to exist in the composite scores of any grouping of subjects. College students differed significantly from the parents and coaches on items involving coaches and athletes, and view of opponents. High school and youth sport parents and coaches differed significantly on five items, while parents and coaches differed on thirteen. SPMQ 28 The Sport Participation Model Questionnaire: A Tool for the Assessment of Sport Orientations Parents and coaches bring to the youth and high school sport environment personal goals and expectations that are to be gained or realized as a result of the sport experience (Brower, 1979). Because all parents and coaches do not share the same opinions, values, goals, and expectations, conflict may be observed to take place between individuals as they interact within the sport environment (Aicinena, 2002; Weiss, 1993). Conflict abounds in youth and high school sport settings between parents and coaches. They experience conflict concerning coaching methodology, team selection, athlete position assignment and playing time (Gilbert, Gilbert, & Trudel, 2001; Strean, 1995); parental involvement in the coaching role (Mach, 1994); emphasis upon winning and losing (Sachs, 2000); sport specialization (Watts, 2002); evaluation of athletes' playing abilities and parent behavior on the sidelines (McCallister, Blinde, and Kolenbrander, 2000), and the list could go on. Newspaper and journal articles serve as further evidence of how differences in values, goals and expectations result in serious conflict between parents, between parents and coaches, as well as between parents and youth sport organizations. • A sixteen-year old youth hockey player's father sued the local league for $300,000 in damages because his son was not named the league MVP. Reportedly, the child was humiliated by this fact and has since lost the desire to play (Dobie, 2003). • Two coaches and two parents engaged in a fistfight after a child was benched (Brenner, 2003). In another incident a San Fernando, California man was jailed for beating a coach after his son was taken out of a youth baseball game (Jones, 2003).