Sport drop-out during adolescence : Is it real, or an artefact of sampling behaviour?
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics Vol. 11, no. 4 (2019), p. 715-726
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- Description: Understanding sport participation and drop-out are important for sport management. Many children sample or play multiple sports before specialising. However, quantifying these behaviours is challenging. Sport registration databases are potentially useful for this purpose. However, given privacy and data security issues, identification and direct linking of data records of individual participants across sports are not possible. This study demonstrates a feasible methodology for approximate cross-linking of de-identified data and thereby quantifying the extent of sampling behaviour, and hence investigating to what degree the decline in community club-based sport participation observed during adolescence is attributable to a 'sampling to specialisation' effect as opposed to drop-out from sport altogether. Participants were registered members of one of 11 state sporting associations in 2015. For this analysis, data (907,150 player records) were amalgamated, and players categorised by sex, age group and residential postcode. Numbers of individual players were estimated using demographic matching, comparing numbers of registrations and numbers of individual participants across age, sex and region. Results showed that the effect of individuals playing multiple sports is highest for ages 5-14, and then it diminishes as specialisation increases. Nevertheless, this study confirms that, after adjustment for this change in behaviour, the drop-off in community sport participation during adolescence persists, i.e. it is real and not simply an artefact of sampling/specialisation behaviour. It is recommended that sport policy focuses on overall participation across sports, taking into account the sampling and specialising phenomena which naturally occur, rather than merely asking individual sports to increase participation.
The implications of female sport policy developments for the community-level sport sector : A perspective from Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Casey, Meghan , Fowlie, J. , Charity, Melanie , Harvey, Jack , Eime, Rochelle
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics Vol. 11, no. 4 (2019), p. 657-678
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- Description: This study examined trends in sport participation among females over a six-year period (2011-2016) within five popular sports, by age and region. It also identified future challenges community sports face in increasing female sport participation. De-identified participant registration data for the five sports were obtained and analysed according to age, gender and region (metropolitan v non-metropolitan) within the state of Victoria, Australia. Data for all sports were aggregated and analysed collectively to produce a broad participation profile. Interviews were held with community sport stakeholders (n = 17) across a low socio-economic metropolitan and non-metropolitan region to understand challenges associated with increasing female sport participation. Results showed that female sport participation levels increased over the six-year period, with greater proportional increases among the youngest age group (4-9 years) - the common entry age into the organised sport through modified sports programs. Retention of females in sport throughout adolescence and adulthood remains a challenge. Community-level sports face challenges to accommodate growth in female sport participation in terms of availability and quality of sport infrastructure and volunteer capacity - both human resources to deliver sport and organisational capacity to devise and implement strategies to recruit and retain females. They also face challenges associated with the social construction of gender within sport and club environments. Sport policies that encourage female sport participation need to also consider the supply of sport such as maximising infrastructure usage, gender equity facility usage policies and developing volunteer capacity.
Integrating public health and sport management : Sport participation trends 2001-2010
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Sawyer, Neroli , Harvey, Jack , Casey, Meghan , Westerbeek, Hans , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sport Management Review Vol. 18, no. 2 (2015), p. 207-217
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- Description: In order to inform strategies to increase levels of physical activity (PA) for a healthier society, it is important to understand participation trends in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Little is known about the context of LTPA participation, particularly from the perspective of "sport and recreation" (S&R) categories such as organised and club-based activities. The primary aim of this study is to contribute to the sport management literature by specifically examining PA participation levels and trends in Australia over a decade, for those aged 15 years and older, through the lens of S&R. This paper also discusses the potential synergy between the public health and sport management domains with regard to LTPA/S&R. The Australian Sports Commission provided data from the Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS), a population survey conducted quarterly from 2001 to 2010 by computer-assisted telephone interview. Participation in LTPA was analysed by year, gender and age, in three hierarchically related categories: (1) any LTPA participation, (2) participation in an organised context, and (3) organised participation in a club. Participation rates in any LTPA increased significantly over the decade. However, this was not matched by increases in organised and/or club participation, which largely remained steady over the 10-year period. Much of the organised participation was within a club setting, and participation in this context is more likely among males than females. There is some evidence that the overall level of LTPA is increasing, which is positive for health, but there was generally no increase in club-based participation, resulting in sport contributing relatively less to overall population LTPA. However, the depth of information available from population surveys regarding club-based LTPA is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions, or make important strategic decisions about sport and health policy. There is a critical need for more comprehensive sport participation data to provide the evidence for improved programme and policy development. An avenue for this to occur may be through the integration of participation data from peak sport organisations. (C) 2014 Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The relationship between body image, physical activity, perceived health, and behavioural regulation among Year 7 and Year 11 girls from metropolitan and rural Australia
- Authors: Symons, Caroline , Polman, Remco , Moore, Melisa , Borkholes, Erika , Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Craike, Melinda , Banting, Lauren , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Annals of Leisure Research Vol. 16, no. 2 (2013), p. 115-129
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- Description: This study examined the relationship between educational year level, regional differences in adolescent girls' body image perceptions, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA) level, self-reported health, and dietary behaviour. Also, the role of PA behavioural regulation on body image was examined. The sample (N=732; Year 7 aged 12.23 years and Year 11 aged 16.18 years) included girls in Year 7 (n=489) and in Year 11 (n=243), recruited from 17 metropolitan and 14 rural schools in Victoria, Australia. Girls completed a self-report questionnaire. Novel outcomes from this study revealed year level and region differences in girls' body image perceptions, BMI, and health behaviours. Body dissatisfaction was associated with poorer perceived health, and health behaviours, such as low PA levels and dieting and external PA motivational orientation. Interventions are needed to promote positive body image and intrinsic motivation for PA to increase PA levels among adolescent girls living in metropolitan and rural regions of Australia.
Examining changes in the organisational capacity and sport related health promotion policies and practices of State sport organizations
- Authors: Casey, Meghan , Harvey, Jack , Eime, Rochelle , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Annals of Leisure Research Vol. 15, no. 3 (2012), p. 261-276
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- Description: The aim of this paper is to evaluate changes in organizational capacity and sport-related health promotion policies and practices among State Sporting Organizations (SSOs) who participated in the Partnership for Health (PfH) scheme. The PfH scheme aimed to support the development and implementation of sport-related health promotion policies and practices at SSO-organized events and within their affiliated sports clubs. SSO representatives completed the Health Promotion and Sport Assessment Tool (HP-SAT) twice. Respondents reported capacities, policies, and practices prior to the scheme (retrospective pre-scheme survey), and current capacities, policies, and practices (post-scheme survey). The mean scores (on standardized scales: 0–100) for all components of organizational capacity for health promotion increased significantly between pre-scheme and post-scheme. Similarly, compliance scores for most sport-related health promotion policies and practices for SSO-organized events and support to clubs increased significantly. However, post-scheme strategic planning for health promotion remained low and scores for policies and practices for clubs were generally lower than for SSO-organized events. No significant differences were found between small and large SSOs regarding capacities, policies, or practices. The PfH scheme had a positive impact on most aspects of health promotion capacities, policies, and practices. However, there was room for further improvement in strategic planning and in support for affiliated clubs. Low levels of strategic planning should be addressed by SSOs, and a more extensive engagement between SSOs and affiliated clubs is required to operationalize health promotion strategies at club level.
A comparative study of factors influencing participation in sport and physical activity for metropolitan and rural female adolescents
- Authors: Craike, Melinda , Symons, Caroline , Eime, Rochelle , Payne, Warren , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Annals of Leisure Research Vol. 14, no. 4 (2011), p. 355-368
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- Description: The aim of this research was to provide a comparative analysis of the influence of behavioural alternatives, autonomy, competence and relatedness on participation in sport and physical activity for female adolescents within metropolitan and rural settings. Eighteen focus groups were conducted with a cross section of schools within metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, Australia, involving 12-13-year olds and 15-16-year olds, using a semi-structured format. Content and thematic analyses were conducted on the data. Findings supported the sport commitment model by demonstrating that, in both rural and metropolitan settings, participation was influenced by the strength of commitment to a range of behavioural alternatives. Our findings also extended self-determination theory by suggesting that autonomy, competence, and relatedness were interrelated and their strength and influence on participation varied between settings. This study also has practical implications, including the promotion of more inclusive and supportive sports environments for female adolescents and promoting sport and physical activities as activity that promotes wellness, complements academic endeavours and reduces the stress of academic study. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.