Sprake, A., Wynne, N. and Wynne, L. (2014). ‘Why do so many girls drop out of sport and physical activity after compulsory education?’ in C, Plamer (Ed) The Sports Monograph: Critical perspectives on socio-cultural sport, coaching and Physical Education, pp. 265-274. SSTO Publications, Preston. (original) (raw)
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Why such a large proportion of females aged 16-19 seem to drop out of sport and physical activity following compulsory education has been the curiosity for writing this chapter. It is clear from the outset that this is a multidimensional issue and that the reasons for disengagement may stem from broad range of influences. The first step towards increasing female participation in sport and physical activity, therefore, is to acknowledge the complex and varied barriers which they face; doing so may help create an informed platform from which to develop strategies to overcome them. In an effort to streamline this complex issue, Roberston (2011) identifies fundamental reasons as to why so many girls turn away from sport, these include; a lack of support from schools, the absence of opportunities, competing social interests, conflicting commitments, the transition between junior and senior leagues, poor coaching, a lack of other players and finally, the desire to try something new (a reaction to what may be offered to them normally).
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according to many factors, including gender, age and residential location of participants; they also vary in terms of the types of sport programmes and other sport and non-sport activities that are available. Women and girls are consistently reported to participate in sport at lower rates than men and boys across the lifespan (Eime, et al., 2016a; Eime, et al., 2018c; Somerset & Hoare, 2018). Girls are also less likely than boys to start participating in sport at a very early age (Eime, et al., 2016b), with a higher proportion of boys than girls participating among children aged 4-7 (Eime, et al., 2016a). Recent research suggests that there are optimum ages of entry into sport that facilitate continued sport participation. In a four-year study of 13,760 girls, the optimal age of entry into junior modified sport programmes for continued participation and transition into club competition was found to be 7-9 years (Eime, et al., 2018b). Another study, which included boys and girls participating in modified sport programmes, reported that the majority of children withdrew from participation in the sport during the four-year period, rather than transitioning from the modified sport programme to club competition (Eime, et al., 2015a). Across the ages 4-12, 24.5% of girls and 13.6% of boys transitioned to club sport competition within the four-year period. Furthermore, two-thirds of children (67.4%) withdrew from participation in their sport after the first year/season of the study (Eime, et al., 2015a). Beyond childhood, many changes occur in participation in sport throughout the lifespan, beginning with a sharp decline during adolescence (Crane & Temple, 2015; Eime, et al., 2016a). While participation in sport is popular amongst young girls, particularly those aged 5-14, after this age, girls often drop out of competitive sport and choose to be physically active in non-competitive forms of leisure-time physical activity, such as going for a run or to the gym, or they become inactive (Eime, et al., 2016c). Girls' participation rates in sport peak at ages 10-14 and then drop by half in the ages of 15-19 years and drop by half again during the ages of 20-24 years (Eime, et al., 2016b). Internationally, girls and boys are more likely to play team sports, whereas adolescents are more likely to participate in non-sport activities such as walking, running and athletics (Hulteen, et al., 2017). Several factors contribute to this drop-off in sport participation. The competitive nature of sport is not attractive to many adolescent girls and some indicate a preference for more social options (Rowe, et al., 2018). Furthermore, some feel that they do not have the necessary sport skills to gain a position in a team (Casey, et al., 2009; Eime, et al., 2015b). The increasing importance of other life priorities may also decrease the capacity or inclination of some to fit in with the organised structures and time commitments imposed by many sports (Eime, et al., 2010). Girls report that increasing levels of school education pressure, socialising with peers, part time work, as well as body image concerns, make engaging in sport more difficult (Rowe, et al., 2018). Some recommendations for retaining adolescent girls in sport include the provision of social sport options, having female-only sessions, keeping friendship groups together, devising strategies to develop sport specific skills, and identifying and promoting women role models (Rowe, et al., 2018). There are also regional differences in participation in sport, with higher rates of participation observed in regional and rural areas compared to metropolitan areas, 20 R. Eime, et al.
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