Young people
and Sport
Nearly all
young people in Northern Ireland participate in sport or physical
activities.
In 1994 the
Sports Council published results from one of the most comprehensive
studies undertaken into young people's involvement in sport world-wide.
The results are available in book form from the publishers Routledge.
The study found:
- 8 out of
10 young people aged 8 - 18 years of age have a 'top sport' which
is important to them and which they choose to do in their own
time
- Only 16%
of young people, and mainly those in the early years of their
first school did not have a 'top sport' or a sport which they
felt was important apart from having to do it as part of the school
curriculum
- 7 out of
10 young people spend an average of four hours a week on their
top sport away from their school
- 7 out of
10 young people would like to spend more time on their sports
- 3 out of
10 young people feel they have the potential to reach the elite
level in their 'top sport'
Young people's
decisions to participate in sport
- Young people
play sport for a variety of reasons. Above all it is for enjoyment
(78%) , feeling good (67%), keeping fit (65%) and making friends
and the excitement of sport (63%)
- Winning was
rated as less important (33%)
- Boys play
more sport than girls and in typically masculine activities such
as soccer and Gaelic football
- Boys show
preferences for team activities. 7 out of 10 boys identified a
team activity as their top sport while 6 out of 10 girls identified
an individual activity
- 8 out of
10 young people say that time spent on sport is very worthwhile
Boys and
girls sport in schools
- Boys are
allocated more curriculum physical activity than girls
- More curriculum
physical activity time is given in Protestant schools than Catholic
schools
- 3 out of
10 young people spend at least an hour per week on their favourite
sport in school
- Only 1 out
of 10 boys and 2 out of 10 girls spend no time on their favourite
sport away from school
- The amount
of time young people are involved in curriculum physical education
has remained constant between 1991 and 1999. The amount of time
devoted declines as children move from year 8 to year 12.
The top
five 'top sports' played by boys and girls aged up to eleven are:
| Boys |
Girls |
|
|
| Soccer |
Swimming |
| Swimming
|
Rounders |
| Cycling
|
Cycling |
| Gaelic
football |
Netball |
| Basketball |
Soccer |
The top
five 'top sports' played by young people aged up to 18 are:
| Boys |
Girls |
|
|
| Soccer |
Swimming |
| Swimming
|
Netball |
| Basketball
|
Badminton |
| Gaelic
football |
Hockey |
|
Badminton |
Athletics
|
Young people
sport and clubs
- 36% of young
people play their 'top sport' in clubs
- only 18%
of young people play their 'top sport' in sport only clubs
- 4 out of
10 boys play their 'top sport' competitively compared with around
2 out of 10 girls
- 3 out of
10 young people are supervised by a coach
Contact: Shaun
Ogle
|