Participation in modified sports programs : A longitudinal study of children's transition to club sport competition
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Casey, Meghan , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie , Young, Janet , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Public Health Vol. 15, no. 1 (2015), p. 1-7
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- Description: Background: Many children are not physically active enough for a health benefit. One avenue of physical activity is modified sport programs, designed as an introduction to sport for young children. This longitudinal study identified trends in participation among children aged 4-12 years. Outcomes included continuation in the modified sports program, withdrawal from the program or transition to club sport competition. Methods: De-identified data on participant membership registrations in three popular sports in the Australian state of Victoria were obtained from each sport's state governing body over a 4-year period (2009-2012 for Sport A and 2010-2013 for Sports B and C). From the membership registrations, those who were enrolled in a modified sports program in the first year were tracked over the subsequent three years and classified as one of: transition (member transitioned from a modified sport program to a club competition); continue (member continued participation in a modified sport program; or withdraw (member discontinued a modified program and did not transition to club competition). Results: Many modified sports participants were very young, especially males aged 4-6 years. More children withdrew from their modified sport program rather than transitioning. There were age differences between when boys and girls started, withdrew and transitioned from the modified sports programs. Conclusions: If we can retain children in sport it is likely to be beneficial for their health. This study highlights considerations for the development and implementation of sport policies and programming to ensure lifelong participation is encouraged for both males and females. © 2015 Eime et al.
Understanding the contexts of adolescent female participation in sport and physical activity
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Sawyer, Neroli , Craike, Melinda , Symons, Caroline , Polman, Remco , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research quarterly for exercise and sport Vol. 84, no. 2 (2013), p. 157-166
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- Description: Purpose: Participation in physical activity (PA) is reported to decline in adolescence, particularly for girls. However, we do not know if this decline in PA is consistent across modes and settings or whether there are transfers of participation between modes and settings. Nor do we understand the changes in specific types of PA or the interaction between types of participation and different modes/settings. This study investigated contexts of PA participation for female adolescents at two life transition points. Method: A survey of 489 Year 7 and 243 Year 11 adolescent girls was conducted, incorporating a measure of overall PA level and participation rates in seven modes/settings and in specific types of sport and PA. Results: Less than half of the respondents met or exceeded the recommended level of moderate or vigorous PA-60 min or more-on the previous day, and there was no statistically significant difference in the proportions in Years 7 and 11 (39.5% vs. 45.9%; p > .05). However, older adolescents shifted their participation away from organized, competitive modes and settings toward nonorganized and noncompetitive modes and settings and individual types of PA. Conclusions: An understanding of the changes in PA modes and settings identified here can inform the planning of policies and implementation of programs for the promotion of PA by adolescent girls.
Parental perceptions of sports injury risk
- Authors: Otago, Leonie , Garnham, Jennie , Reynolds, Michael , Spittle, Michael , Payne, Warren , Finch, Caroline , Maher, Shelley
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at 2005 Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Fifth National Physical Activity Conference, Fourth National Sports Injury Prevention Conference : Promoting Innovation, measuring success, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, Victoria : 13th-16th October 2005
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- Description: Health benefits of children’s participation in physical activity such as reduced risk of obesity and diabetes are promoted to parents. However parents’ perceptions of injury risk in sports and how this perception may affect their choice of sport for their child is unknown. The study surveyed 5385 parents of children from 5 – 17 years in 46 sports. A total of 887 surveys were returned. The Health Belief model was the theoretical framework for the study and the sports were divided into four groups – contact, incidental collision, limited contact and non-contact. Mothers completed the forms in 63% of cases and 52.2% of the children were males. The child selected the sport in 51.6% of` cases and generally parents did not believe that their involvement in their child’s sport choice would ensure their child was safer from injury. In the main parents did not believe the sport their child participated in was less likely to cause injury than other sports and this trend increased as the level of contact increased. Trained coaches were seen as very important in reducing injury risk in sport. Generally modified sport was not seen to positively impact on the parent’s choice of sport and parents did not think that cost of protective equipment was a barrier to providing for their child. Parents generally felt that they could assess the risk of injury in a sport but were not influenced by the risk of injury when allowing their child to play a particular sport.
- Description: 2003001109
Skill based modified sports programs for younger participants : The risk of boredom and drop out
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Payne, Warren , Casey, Meghan
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 8, no. 4 Supplement (2005), p. 79
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Sport in Australia has recognised that children are not 'little adults'. Initially, responses included modifications to: equipment; playing surface size; some rules. In recent years many sports have developed structured, skill-based, age specific developmental programs for younger participants. The aim of this study is to investigate why participants become involved, and to find out what they enjoy most and least about these programs. Program coordinators/coaches and parents of participants (5-7 years) of two modified sports programs were interviewed. Questions included thoughts about: the program structure and resources; why participants became involved; what the participant likes/dislikes most; how the program could be improved. Behavioural theories are utilised in the discussion of these combined program results. Common themes were found between the thoughts of the program participants and "drop outs";. A main finding was that children join these sports programs to have fun, and when it ceases to become fun they get bored. Participant enjoyment was associated with game and match like activities. Many program coordinators reported altering the program structure to include more game and match like activities. The repetition of the program over two years for the participant was also a common barrier reported. In conclusion, it is recommended that sports programs for young participants are age specific and that they are modified to the full adult version. However, modify the programs to suit the needs and the desires of the children or face high drop out rates.
- Description: 2003006003